Haiti became the world’s first Black-led republic when it overthrew French colonial control in 1804. However, the country is regularly exposed to natural hazards and the effects of climate change and faces recurring socio-economic and political challenges. The roots of these challenges include France forcing Haiti to pay reparations which indebted future generations and hampered economic progress for decades.
Gang violence against the Haitian people has spread throughout the country, reaching isolated rural areas as the government’s presence diminished. Pre-existing vulnerabilities including institutional weaknesses were exacerbated by the growing number of attacks on individuals, families and social infrastructure. Heightened insecurity has also further compromised the humanitarian space and forced some organizations to operate under precarious security conditions.
Haiti also faces high levels of disaster risk. Experts predict the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season will be “above normal”, which puts people’s lives and assets at risk. Preparations for the hurricane season are complicated by the armed gangs.
The 2024 Humanitarian Response Plan released in late February requires $674 million to reach 3.6 million people and donors had funded just 23.2% as of mid-June.
The situation in Haiti is complex, fluid and dynamic. Funders should invest time to understand the context, maintain contact with partners in the country, and provide flexible support for local organizations that are able to address immediate needs and strengthen resilience.
(Photo: In Haiti, 5.5 million people require humanitarian aid, the crisis has worsened significantly in recent weeks, March 2024. Photo credit: US Department of State via X)
Since the assassination of former President Jovenel Moïse in July 2021, Haiti has faced increased levels of gang violence.
A lengthy delay to elections led to mass protests calling for then Acting Prime Minister Ariel Henry’s removal. In March 2024, Prime Minister Henry announced his resignation and the creation of a transitional council to replace the government.
In May 2024, the council named Garry Conille, a former prime minister and UN development expert, as acting prime minister to lead the country’s transitional government. Haiti’s transitional council appointed a new cabinet in June 2024, marking the final step in rebuilding the government.
The council’s work is not finished though with its non-renewable mandate expiring on Feb. 7, 2026, when a new president is scheduled to be sworn in.
