Canada has pledged $60 million to support Haiti’s fight against violent gangs, but most of the money depends on the United Nations approving a U.S.-led plan to expand an existing police mission into a larger gang-suppression force. Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand announced the pledge Tuesday at the UN in New York, saying the international community must act decisively. “We have to work collectively toward regional peace and regional security,” she said alongside her Haitian counterpart.
Haiti has been gripped by political turmoil and escalating gang violence since 2021, with armed groups controlling much of the country. Canada has already sanctioned members of Haiti’s economic elite, accusing them of backing gangs that perpetuate instability. Last year, Kenya launched a UN-supported mission to strengthen Haitian police and push back gangs, with Canada providing training, surveillance, and international aid coordination. Ottawa has pledged $80 million to the mission so far, making it its second-largest financial contributor.
Now, Washington is urging the Security Council to approve a new mandate for a significantly larger and better-funded operation. Anand said Canada is prepared to put $40 million toward that expanded force if it passes, calling it essential to reopening schools and addressing a hunger crisis fueled by gang violence and property theft. An additional $20 million will go to maritime security in the Caribbean to stop the flow of arms and drugs into Haiti.
Kenyan President William Ruto recently admitted the current mission is underperforming, with fewer than half of the 2,500 intended security personnel deployed. Anand cautioned that Haiti’s transitional government must show progress toward free elections and economic reforms to maintain international backing.
Back in Ottawa, MPs pressed officials on whether Canada might eventually send troops. Mark Richardson, a Global Affairs Canada director for the Caribbean, said it was “too early” to discuss that. Conservative MP Shuvaloy Majumdar raised concerns about aid diversion, arguing that Haiti’s oligarchs have historically profited through ties with gangs. But Ian Myles, who heads Canada’s Haiti division, testified that since 2022, there have been no known cases of Canadian resources being misused, adding that UN accountability systems remain strong.
Bloc Québécois MP Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe argued that Ottawa should pressure Washington to stem the flow of American firearms into the region. “The problem is coming from the United States,” he said. Myles agreed that U.S. officials acknowledge the issue, but said it is a complex challenge. Caribbean leaders also raised the gun trafficking problem at a Canadian-hosted CARICOM summit in 2023.
Meanwhile, Liberal MP Ahmed Hussen highlighted the brutality of Haiti’s gangs and their use of social media to spread fear. He cited disturbing videos of civilians being beheaded on Facebook Live as proof of the urgency for stronger international action.
The funding pledge underscores Canada’s role in rallying global support for Haiti, but its impact depends largely on whether the UN backs the U.S. plan to scale up the mission and whether Haiti’s transitional leaders can deliver on long-delayed reforms.