United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti – Report of the Secretary-General (S/2026/800) [EN/AR/RU/ZH]

Please refer to the attached files. Summary Progress on Haiti’s political transition remains contingent upon the capacity of national authorities to concurrently improve security, advance electoral preparations and maintain broad-based support for the restoration of democratic institutions. Despite security operations, gangs continue to perpetrate violence against the Haitian population and challenge State authority through attacks, kidnappings, extortion, sexual violence and other gross human rights abuses, while seeking to expand geographic reach. Security gains were recorded in some parts of the capital, but persistent violence in the West, Centre and Artibonite Departments, such as the gang attack perpetrated in Kenscoff in late August 2026, underscores their fragility. In support of national efforts to restore security, the Gang Suppression Force continued to strengthen and expand its presence, with support from the United Nations Support Office in Haiti. Some stakeholders have questioned the feasibility of holding the first round of elections on 13 December, due to persistent insecurity and emphasized the need to ensure a level playing field for all voters and candidates, to enable the conduct of credible, inclusive and participatory elections. In response to concerns raised by political parties, and following the adoption of amendments to the electoral decree on 6 October, the Provisional Electoral Council postponed the electoral campaign, pending the publication of an updated electoral calendar. Meanwhile, voter registration continues nationwide. The United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti continued to use its good offices to support Haitian-led efforts to advance the political transition and electoral preparations, while also coordinating international support for the latter. The mission further enhanced its support for national authorities to advance disarmament, dismantlement and reintegration and operationalize the specialized judicial units, while continuing its human rights monitoring tasks. Achieving sustainable progress across the political, security and stabilization tracks will require broad national leadership and support and continued, well-coordinated international backing. I. Key developments A. Political and electoral process Amid high expectations for completing the political transition, electoral preparations continued to advance. On 27 July 2026, the Provisional Electoral Council published a revised electoral calendar, setting 13 December as the date for the first round of presidential and legislative elections and the popular consultation on constitutional amendments. The second round of presidential and legislative elections, as well as local elections, are scheduled for 21 February 2027. The Council indicated, nevertheless, that implementation of the calendar depended on the establishment of an acceptable level of security and the availability of the financial resources necessary to continue the electoral process. Following the amendment of the electoral decree on 6 October 2026, the Council extended the deadline for candidate registration and the submission of supporting documents until 31 October and postponed the electoral campaign, noting that an updated electoral calendar was being finalized. The Provisional Electoral Council launched the voter registration process on 20 July 2026, with registration scheduled to continue until 13 October. As shown in figure I, 759, 257 potential voters had registered as at 5 October, out of an estimated 6. 5 million. Of the 316 political parties initially registered to participate in the electoral process, 228 had consolidated themselves into 17 political groups, while 88 parties remained unaffiliated, resulting in a total of 105 political entities. Of those, 30 successfully presented the 30, 000 supporters required to put forward candidates as at 28 September, and 1, 517 candidates had registered, subject to confirmation by the Council that all requirements had been met. On 8 September, the Council also changed its four-member bureau, including its president. Some political stakeholders have expressed concerns regarding provisions of the electoral decree, particularly those governing the registration of political groups and candidates, 1 as well as the feasibility of the electoral timeline given persistent insecurity and the need to ensure a credible and inclusive process. At current registration rates of about 10, 000 potential voters per day, an estimated 800, 000 voters could be registered by the 13 October deadline. Efforts to register eligible voters among the approximately 1. 5 million displaced people remain critical to safeguarding voting rights. Meanwhile, some political groups, including Opposition progressiste and the Coalition des forces républicaines, oppose the holding of elections under current conditions and call for a revision of existing governance arrangements. To address these grievances, the Government and the Provisional Electoral Council held a series of consultations with political parties and groups in August and September to discuss a common way forward. Following those consultations, a revised electoral decree was officially promulgated on 6 October, amending eligibility requirements for candidates and providing for online voter registration. The United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) expanded outreach to political and civil society stakeholders, including women’s organizations and youth groups, to promote participation in the political and electoral process. BINUH, the United Nations Development Programme, the United Nations Office for Project Services and the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN-Women) continued to provide integrated technical, logistical and operational support to the Provisional Electoral Council in preparation for elections. On 3 September, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Haiti and Head of BINUH facilitated an exchange between electoral authorities and international partners to discuss electoral preparations and the provision of technical support. With support from BINUH, since 6 August, UN-Women trained 60 women leaders in the North and West Departments, to promote women’s participation and engagement in political and electoral processes and to prevent electoral violence. 6. Regional engagement remained active through missions conducted from 16 to 19 August, which were led by the Secretary-General of the Organization of American States (OAS) and included the Secretary-General of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and representatives of other multilateral and regional banks and organizations. The missions assessed electoral and security challenges and reaffirmed the need for sustained international support for Haitian-led efforts. From 2 to 9 September, the CARICOM Eminent Persons Group visited Haiti to discuss security and electoral prospects. The Special Representative engaged with these missions to advance security, gender-sensitive election observation and political stability. At the fourth meeting of the OAS Group of Friends of Haiti on 4 September, he reiterated the importance of coordinated support for electoral preparations, the political process and the restoration of security. B. Security overview 7. Gangs continued to violate Haitians’ right to life and livelihood and undermine State authority through killings, sexual violence, kidnappings and extortion. Of the 1, 123 persons killed, 659 (58. 7%) were identified as gang members (619 men, 7 women and 33 boys). Of the 440 persons injured, 198 (45. 0%) were identified as gang members (191 men, 5 women and 2 boys) (see figure II). 8. The gang attack on 23 and 24 August in Kenscoff, West Department, left at least 47 people dead and 22 injured, with 52 people taken hostage, 13 of whom were subsequently released through community-based efforts supported by the United Nations. In the West and Artibonite Departments, 241 people were killed for allegedly resisting gangs, including 23 accused cooperating with the police. Three attacks were also recorded in Saint-Michel-de-l’Atalaye, Artibonite Department, two in Marigot, South-East Department, and another in Léogane, West Department, suggesting a further spread of violence into rural areas. These attacks, together with restrictions on freedom of movement and the destruction of farmland and properties, including a recently rehabilitated police station in Gressier, West Department, demonstrate that gangs retain significant operational capacity despite ongoing security operations. 9. The Haitian National Police and the Haitian Armed Forces conducted security operations in the communes of Gressier, Port-au-Prince (Nazon, Solino, La Saline and Bel-Air neighbourhoods), Kenscoff, Delmas and Tabarre. These operations accounted for 52 per cent of all recorded casualties (808 people killed or injured, including 148 individuals not associated with gangs). Self-defence groups and acts of mob justice were responsible for 5 per cent of the casualties. 10. The Gang Suppression Force continued operations in the West Department and established a base in Artibonite. On 14 and 27 July, respectively, the Government signed a transfer agreement with the Force, governing the treatment and transfer to the relevant Haitian authorities of individuals apprehended during operations, including children, in line with the 2024 handover protocol, and a status-of-forces agreement. 1. Update on Security Council resolution 2793 (2025) 11. In response to the highly volatile security environment, the United Nations Support Office in Haiti (UNSOH) continued to adapt its support architecture to the increasing strength, operational activity and geographical footprint of the Gang Suppression Force. The evolving threat environment has increased the importance of Killings Injuries Kidnappings Girls 17 8 6 Boys 56 7 8 Women 131 82 23 Men 919 343 99 1 123 440 136 0 200 400 600 800 1 000 1 200 S/2026/800 6/11 26-14516 sustained security operations and of expanding the geographical reach of the Force in support of Haitian security forces. 12. Between 6 and 9 August, UNSOH enabled the maritime deployment of 336 Sri Lankan personnel, together with contingent-owned equipment and essential operational stores, from Port-au-Prince to Gonaïves, marking the first Gang Suppression Force deployment outside the capital. The equipment and personnel had been transported to Haiti previously by the United Nations through a mix of aviation and maritime arrangements. UNSOH also established sustainment arrangements for the contingent and undertook an initial technical assessment of the proposed compound on 11 August, resulting in the identification of some priority works required to sustain the deployment. On 26 August and on 17 and 20 September, respectively, an additional 117 Mongolian and 350 Chadian personnel arrived in Portau-Prince, strengthening the Force headquarters and its support capacity. As seen in figure III, the total strength of the Force as at 12 October is 1, 563 uniformed personnel. Currently, 29 civilian personnel are deployed. 13. UNSOH advanced planning for subsequent Gang Suppression Force deployments and operations over the reporting period. 14. UNSOH and the Gang Suppression Force reviewed support options for the consolidation of the Force’s presence in Port-au-Prince and its further expansion into other areas. Engineering works progressed at Camp Vertières to increase force reception and headquarters capacity and at the Chadian forward operating base, as well as across the airport area, while advancing planning for a second operating base north of the international airport and in other regions of Haiti. 15. The United Nations trust fund established to support the Multinational Security Support Mission in Haiti continues to support the Gang Suppression Force, primarily through funding entitlements for the Force’s uniformed personnel. Figures IV. 1 and IV. 2 illustrate the financial status of the trust fund as at 31 August. 16. Coordination with Haitian authorities, international and local partners has progressed for the provision of medical support in the event of casualties resulting from Gang Suppression Force operations who fall outside the mandated support provided by UNSOH. Existing medical capacities have been identified with a view to facilitating additional support to bolster preparedness in this regard. 17. Moreover, the Senior Leadership Coordination Forum on Haiti convened regularly to share information, discuss priorities and ensure unity of purpose in the implementation of the complementary mandates of the Gang Suppression Force and BINUH, with the support of UNSOH. On 29 September, the Security Council, through its resolution 2829 (2026), extended the mandate of the Force and UNSOH for six months, until 31 March 2027, underscoring continued international support to address gang violence. 2. Disarmament, dismantlement and reintegration and community violence reduction 18. With technical and strategic support from BINUH, the National Commission for Disarmament, Dismantlement and Reintegration continued advancing a nationally owned approach to these activities, community violence reduction and weapons and ammunition management, including through the finalization of its road map and preparations for the development of a related comprehensive national programme. To inform this process, BINUH facilitated inclusive consultations with national and local authorities, civil society organizations, community representatives, women and young people. 19. The National Commission, with the support of BINUH and other United Nations agencies, focused on preventing youth recruitment by gangs, providing equipment and materials for the establishment of 11 community violence prevention centres providing non-formal education and community-based support services to over 1, 000 at-risk children and young people in Port-au-Prince. BINUH further supported outreach initiatives to promote social cohesion and a culture of peace, including an event held on 4 September, with 52 journalists and other media representatives, among them 17 women. 20. On 2 September, at the request of the Prime Minister, and in response to the gang attack on 23 and 24 August, the National Commission launched a six-month pilot initiative in Kenscoff, aimed at supporting community violence reduction, prevention and recovery efforts and supporting coordination among relevant actors. 21. On 14 September, the Prime Minister launched the Haiti Peace Dividends Fund, a multi-partner trust fund co-led by the Government of Haiti and the United Nations to mobilize and coordinate investments in national disarmament, dismantlement and reintegration initiatives, community violence reduction, stabilization and socioeconomic recovery, rule of law and justice. 3. Human rights 22. In the context of electoral preparations and efforts to safeguard civic space, the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Civic Action, with the support of BINUH and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and in cooperation with the Provisional Electoral Council, launched a nationwide initiative to promote youth participation in public affairs. In addition, BINUH and OHCHR, together with the local authorities and the National Observatory of Haitian Sport, organized sociosporting activities in five metropolitan communes to foster youth engagement, civic education and social cohesion in communities affected by armed violence. 23. BINUH and OHCHR continued to strengthen community protection and enhanced responses to sexual violence by supporting coordination platforms in six police stations across the West and the Artibonite Departments. This resulted in the reporting of 151 cases of sexual violence, including 96 involving minors, to the police. All were referred to protection services. According to the monitoring, analysis and reporting arrangements on conflict-related sexual violence established pursuant to Security Council resolution 1960 (2010), in July and August, 689 women and girls reported being raped by gangs, 87 per cent of whom as victims of collective rape. Through United Nations and national support, 697 survivors (92 per cent of whom were women and girls) received health, psychosocial, legal and protection assistance, while approximately 8, 200 people participated in prevention and awareness-raising activities. Meanwhile, OHCHR and the Office of the Special Coordinator on Improving the United Nations Response to Sexual Exploitation and Abuse continued working closely with the Gang Suppression Force to strengthen safeguards against sexual exploitation and abuse. 4. Justice 24. In the justice sector, developments included preparatory activities and specialized training abroad for the entry into force of the new Penal Code and Code of Criminal Procedure in January 2027, as well as the resumption of jury-assisted criminal trials in Port-au-Prince from 27 to 31 July 2026, for the first time since 2018. A total of six trials were held. In the case concerning the assassination of the former President, Jovenel Moïse, 18 suspects were transferred abroad on 20 September to stand trial. No progress was recorded in the prosecution of other emblematic human rights cases. 25. With support from BINUH, OHCHR and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, progress was made in operationalizing the two specialized judicial units, including the assignment of prosecutors and investigative judges, the training of judicial personnel and the identification and review of 41 cases that could fall within the jurisdiction of those units. However, their full operationalization remains contingent upon the allocation of adequate financial and operational resources and sustained technical and logistical support to strengthen their capacities. 26. BINUH and OHCHR continued to monitor inhuman and degrading detention conditions, which continue to violate international human rights standards, including in terms of severe overcrowding, through regular visits to detention places and police stations, while advocating with the authorities for urgent remedial measures to address the deteriorating situation. They also supported juvenile justice magistrates in reconstructing and adjudicating case files involving children in conflict with the law. C. Humanitarian development and socioeconomic recovery 27. Vulnerable populations continued to bear the consequence of gang violence, through displacement, food insecurity, limited access to essential services and the destruction of critical infrastructure. New incidents of armed violence during the reporting period displaced more than 17, 000 people in the Artibonite (71 per cent) and West (29 per cent) Departments. According to the International Organization for Migration Displacement Tracking Matrix, the number of internally displaced persons was estimated in August 2026 to be 1. 49 million, a 2 per cent increase compared with May. Among those internally displaced are 741, 000 children, of whom about 60 per cent are out of school or experiencing disrupted learning. Host communities, already overstretched by displacement and violence, are also impacted by forced returns of Haitians by land and by air. 28. As at 6 October, only 48. 7 per cent of the $880. 3 million of the 2026 Haiti Humanitarian Response Plan was funded. With these limited resources, between January and June 2026, approximately 2. 4 million people, or 57 per cent of the 4. 2 million people targeted, were reached by humanitarian assistance, as represented in figure V. 29. Meanwhile, the macroeconomic outlook continued to deteriorate, with the International Monetary Fund projecting a 1. 7 per cent contraction in real gross domestic product in 2026, marking a seventh consecutive year of recession, while inflation is expected to average 23. 5 per cent. The Government’s draft budget framework for 2026/27 reaffirmed security, elections and economic recovery as key priorities, despite limited fiscal space. The Government and the United Nations agreed to extend the 2023–2027 United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework to 31 December 2028 and to align its implementation around a more focused set of national priorities, including stabilization, justice, elections, youth and economic development, as validated at the meeting of the Cooperation Framework steering committee, held on 30 July. II. Conclusions and recommendations 30. Achieving lasting stability in Haiti requires sustained and simultaneous progress in restoring security and State authority, advancing the political and electoral processes and supporting socioeconomic recovery. The United Nations presence in Haiti, under the leadership of the Special Representative, will continue to encourage all national stakeholders to work collectively to address these challenges, fostering greater national cohesion and advancing the transition. Facilitating multi-stakeholder and inter-Haitian consultations – including political parties, civil society organizations, women’s organizations and youth groups – will continue to be critical in building consensus, sustaining constructive engagement and maintaining a shared commitment to bring the transition to a successful conclusion and ensure the restoration of democratic governance. 31. Sustained efforts to provide alternatives to gang violence are essential to consolidate security gains. BINUH and other United Nations entities will continue supporting the National Commission for Disarmament, Dismantlement and Reintegration in designing and implementing a Haitian-led programme and advancing justice reform. I welcome the launch of the Haiti Peace Dividends Fund, under the joint leadership of the Government and the United Nations, to mobilize and coordinate support, and I encourage Member States and partners to contribute. 32. While the continued violence perpetrated by gangs remains deeply concerning, the expansion of the Gang Suppression Force operations beyond Port-au-Prince, with UNSOH support, marks an important development in the implementation of Security Council resolution 2793 (2025). I welcome the establishment of the Force’s operational presence in Gonaïves and commend UNSOH, the Force’s contributing Member States and the Government of Haiti for enabling this expansion. I also welcome the commitment made by Member States to provide strategic airlift and other enabling support to accelerate force deployment. 33. As the Gang Suppression Force expands its presence and prepares for further operations, predictable deployment planning and close alignment of personnel, equipment, infrastructure and logistical support is imperative. The United Nations will continue to respond to these needs in accordance with the human rights due diligence policy on United Nations support to non-United Nations security forces and other applicable United Nations standards. Sustained coordination among relevant United Nations entities, the Force and national authorities will also be important, while preserving the distinct mandates and roles of political, security and humanitarian actors. 34. Sustained international support is essential to build on the momentum achieved. In this regard, the adoption of Security Council resolution 2829 (2026), in which the Council renewed the mandate of the Gang Suppression Force, is a key development, and I encourage continued support for the full deployment of the Force and the architecture established under resolution 2793 (2025), in compliance with international law, including human rights law. 35. Impunity for serious human rights abuses, including sexual violence, as well as financial crimes and corruption, has eroded public trust in State institutions and the justice system, undermining stability. Sustained technical and financial support for the two specialized judicial units is needed to address these challenges. Continued efforts to improve judicial performance and strengthen inspection services remain critical to fast-tracking and sustainably reducing pretrial detention. 36. I urge Member States and partners to provide timely and flexible resources for life-saving humanitarian assistance and investments in the country’s sustainable development. At the same time, it is paramount that these efforts be complemented by investments that can rapidly translate security gains into tangible and sustainable improvements for affected communities and the livelihoods of all Haitians.

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