Haiti’s crisis highlights need for accountability in peacekeeping efforts

The MSSM has faced significant hurdles since its launch. Despite an estimated $600 million needed to fund its first year of operations, only $97.4 million has been allocated, leaving critical resource gaps. Fewer than 400 personnel out of the planned 2,500 have been deployed, limiting the mission’s ability to stabilize key regions or protect civilians.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has called for greater transparency and stronger safeguards to ensure peacekeeping efforts in Haiti prioritize human rights and engage meaningfully with local communities. Without these measures, the risk of repeating the failures of past interventions looms large

Haitians have expressed mixed feelings about international interventions, emphasizing the need for respect, collaboration, and long-term solutions. Community leaders, including Pastors, have called for a peacekeeping mission that supports grassroots efforts while addressing systemic issues such as corruption and weak governance.

Haiti’s crisis underscores the importance of rethinking peacekeeping strategies for fragile states. As the UN considers transitioning the MSSM into a full peacekeeping mission, the focus must remain on building trust, ensuring accountability, and addressing the structural factors driving instability.

This moment represents not just a test for Haiti, but for the international community’s ability to adapt peacekeeping efforts to complex, evolving crises. With millions of lives at stake, the outcome in Haiti could set a precedent for future interventions in similarly fragile contexts.