Haiti expands nationwide emergency amid violence

Haiti, Sept 5: The Haitian government has extended its state of emergency to encompass the entire country as it continues to grapple with violent gangs that have taken control of much of the capital, Port-au-Prince, and are now spreading to other regions. The announcement was made by a spokesperson for Prime Minister Garry Conille on Wednesday, signaling a worsening security situation in the Caribbean nation.

Initially, the Ouest department, home to Port-au-Prince, was placed under a state of emergency on March 3 during the tenure of Conille’s predecessor, Ariel Henry. The city saw a dramatic surge in gang violence, which led to chaos, including two significant prison breaks where thousands of inmates escaped. Since then, the emergency status has been renewed multiple times, eventually expanding to include other areas such as Artibonite, a farming region that has experienced some of the country’s most severe violence, as well as the Centre department and the southern peninsula’s Nippes region.On Wednesday, Conille announced the deployment of resources and weapons to bolster the Haitian army and national police efforts to retake territories controlled by gangs. This declaration comes on the eve of a visit by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, highlighting the international focus on Haiti’s deteriorating security landscape.

The U.S. has been a key financial supporter of the U.N.-backed security mission requested by Henry in 2022. The mission aims to help the Haitian government combat gangs and reclaim control of key territories. A contingent of 400 Kenyan police officers arrived earlier this year, in June and July, with pledges from several other countries to contribute an additional 2,500 troops. However, these troops have not yet arrived, and the mission’s mandate is set to expire in early October, adding urgency to the situation.

As a result of the ongoing conflict, nearly 580,000 people have been displaced within Haiti, and hundreds of thousands have been deported back to the country. The violence has also exacerbated the nation’s hunger crisis, with close to 5 million people facing severe food shortages.

Prime Minister Conille’s efforts to address the spiraling violence will be under intense scrutiny, both domestically and internationally, as Haiti’s stability remains precarious. The U.N. mission and international support will be crucial in the coming months as the government struggles to regain control and provide relief to the suffering population.