US and Mexico call for international force to break gangs’ stranglehold on Haiti

The US and Mexico have proposed the deployment of a multinational force in Haiti to help break the stranglehold of gangs over the distribution of fuel, water and other basic goods.

Presenting a resolution at a special session of the UN security council on Monday, the US envoy to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield called for "a limited carefully-scoped non-UN mission led by a partner country with the deep, necessary experience".

The council session was brought forward from Friday, in view of the dire conditions, with the main port and fuel terminal blockaded by gangs, widespread famine, and a cholera outbreak. As the session convened there were demonstrations across Haiti, calling for the resignation of the prime minister, Ariel Henry. Negotiations with opposition groups aimed at resolving the crisis have reached an impasse.

Thomas-Greenfield said the aim of the force would be to "improve the security situation on the ground so that the delivery of desperately needed aid could reach those in need and address the ongoing cholera crisis."

It would not be a blue-helmeted UN force but the US-Mexican resolution to be endorsed by the security council and granted authority to use force if necessary under Chapter VII of the UN charter. It was unclear whether the US was itself ready to send troops as part of the force, or would just supply funding and logistics support as Washington did with the Minustah UN peacekeeping mission.

Thomas-Greenfield said the US would "consider the most effective means to directly support, enable, and resource it" and would "will rely on support from UN member states and this draft resolution explicitly asked for contributions of personnel, equipment, and other resources".

China's deputy ambassador, Geng Shuang, questioned whether a foreign force would be welcomed by the Haitian people or face resistance from opposition groups.