A new United Nations force has arrived in Haiti with the daunting mission of “neutralizing” the country’s violent criminal gangs – a challenge that has already defeated several international interventions before it. Despite the optimism surrounding the new Gang Suppression Force (GSF), analysts and rights advocates warn that unless it addresses deep structural problems that previous missions ignored, it risks becoming just another well-intentioned failure in a country trapped in a spiral of violence and despair.

For more than two years, Haiti has been gripped by chaos. Armed gangs now control as much as 90 percent of the capital, Port-au-Prince, and are expanding their reach into rural areas. Their rule is enforced through kidnappings, murders, rapes, and extortion, leaving the national police and military virtually powerless. According to the UN, more than 5,600 people were killed in 2024, and an additional 3,100 have been murdered in just the first half of 2025. Over 1.3 million people have been displaced from their homes, creating a humanitarian catastrophe.

The UN’s previous mission, the Kenyan-led Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS), was dispatched in late 2023 amid growing international concern. But rather than curbing gang violence, the MSS watched as the armed groups grew bolder and more organized, overrunning police stations and entire neighborhoods. The mission was plagued by delays, underfunding, and unclear leadership. Its troop levels never reached even half of the intended 2,500 personnel.

Now, the new GSF promises to correct those mistakes. The force’s official mandate is to “neutralize gangs, secure infrastructure, and support humanitarian access.” It aims to........

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