Haiti calls for urgent regional gang-fighting support as US shies off funding
May 22 (Reuters) - Top Haitian ministers called for urgent security support from neighbors at a meeting of the Organization of American States (OAS) on Thursday, while the U.S. signaled it would not continue current funding aimed at holding back the nation's armed gangs.
Powerful gangs, armed with guns the U.N. believes are trafficked largely from the United States and across the land border with the Dominican Republic, have taken control of most of the capital and expanded to the central plateau and agricultural heartlands, displacing over 1 million people.
"While we remain determined to assist the Haitian people achieve the peace, security and prosperity they deserve, the United States cannot continue shouldering such a significant financial burden," U.S. Caribbean Affairs deputy assistant secretary Barbara Feinstein said at the meeting.
The U.S. has cut much overseas aid and frozen some funding it earlier pledged to support a U.N.-backed mission in Haiti, and earlier this week Secretary of State Marco Rubio suggested that OAS should play a greater role in supporting Haiti's security, such as mobilizing a force.
"The OAS is uniquely positioned not only as a forum for diplomacy, but as a vehicle for coordinated, concrete action," Feinstein added.
A handful of countries have pledged troops to the mission, but only a fraction of these have deployed. The Kenyan-led force remains under-resourced and has had little success in helping police hold off gangs' advances in and beyond the capital.
OAS special advisor Jared Genser recommended that unless the mission is proven capable of providing security for Haitians, the U.N. Security Council should vote to convert it to a formal peacekeeping mission - a measure repeatedly requested by Haitian leaders but opposed by veto members China and Russia.
Haitian Defense Minister Jean-Michel Moise said the situation was being fueled by gangs profiting off cocaine trafficking from Colombia to buyer nations and arms trafficking from the United States by sea and across the Dominican border.
"This criminal economy fuels a local war machine," he said. "Haiti is on the brink of being fully controlled by criminal gangs and we cannot allow that to happen. We desperately need the help of the international community."
Haiti counts about 12,000 police and 1,000 military officers for a population of nearly 12 million, officials said.
Moise also called for restrictions - including some based on implications in human rights abuses - on selling arms to Haiti's government to be eased, citing gangs' easy access to militarized weapons.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Sky News
an hour ago
- Sky News
Trump's new travel ban: The notable countries omitted - amid anger over 'moral disgrace'
Why you can trust Sky News Donald Trump has banned people from 12 countries entering the US, in a move he said protects against "foreign terrorists" and other security threats. Some countries are subject to a full travel ban, while others are under a partial ban - with the order allowing countries to be removed or added from the list. The proclamation is due to come into effect just after midnight on 9 June local time. The ban echoes one in 2017 that Mr Trump implemented in his first term in the White House. This banned citizens from seven predominantly Muslim countries - Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen - from travelling to the US. Here is everything you need to know. 1:51 Which countries are affected? The proclamation bans nationals from the following countries to travel to the US: • Afghanistan • Myanmar • Chad • Republic of the Congo • Equatorial Guinea • Eritrea • Haiti • Iran • Libya • Somalia • Sudan • Yemen. The following seven countries are affected by a partial ban: • Burundi • Cuba • Laos • Sierra Leone • Togo • Turkmenistan • Venezuela. Both bans will affect foreign nationals from the designated countries who are outside the US on 9 June or do not have a valid visa. Visas issued before 9 June when the law comes into force will remain valid, the proclamation states. Are there any exemptions? Mr Trump said on Thursday that policy was a "key part of preventing major foreign terror attacks on American soil". His new list notably leaves out Syria, after Mr Trump met its leader recently on a trip to the Middle East. Athletes competing in the 2026 World Cup, 2028 Olympics and other major sporting events will also be exempt. The ban also does not apply to the following individuals: • Diplomats travelling on valid non-immigration visas • Immediate family members who hold immigrant visas • People who have been adopted • Afghan nationals holding special immigrant visas - generally people who worked most closely with the US government during the two-decade war there • People who hold immigrant visas for ethnic and religious minorities facing "persecution in Iran" • Dual nationals who have citizenship in countries not included in the travel ban Why has the ban been introduced? The proclamation states that America must ensure people entering don't have "hostile attitudes toward its citizens, culture, government, institutions, or founding principles" - and don't support terror groups. In a video posted to social media, Mr Trump said an attack in Colorado, in which eight were injured, had shown "the extreme dangers" of "foreign nationals who are not properly vetted, as well as those who come as temporary visitors and overstay their visas". The suspect in the attack is from Egypt, a country that is not on Mr Trump's restricted list, but homeland security claimed he had overstayed a tourist visa. The list was put together after the president asked homeland security officials and the director of national intelligence to compile a report on countries whose citizens could pose a threat. The White House said some of the named countries had a "significant terrorist presence" and accused others of poor screening for dangerous individuals and not accepting deportees. What has the reaction been? International aid groups and refugee resettlement organisations have condemned the new travel ban. "This policy is not about national security - it is about sowing division and vilifying communities that are seeking safety and opportunity in the United States," said Abby Maxman, president of Oxfam America. The inclusion of Afghanistan has also angered some supporters, who have worked to resettle its people. Over a 12-month period to September 2024 there has been an estimated 14,000 arrivals from Afghanistan. Mr Trump suspended refugee resettlement on his first day in office. Shawn VanDiver, president and board chairman of the organisation #AfghanEvac, labelled the proclamation a "moral disgrace". "To include Afghanistan - a nation whose people stood alongside American service members for 20 years - is a moral disgrace," he said. "It spits in the face of our allies, our veterans, and every value we claim to uphold." Meanwhile, the Iranian government offered no immediate reaction to being included on the list. What happened in 2017? Mr Trump's first travel restrictions in 2017 were criticised by opponents and human rights groups as a "Muslim ban". It led to some chaotic scenes, including tourists, students and business travellers prevented from boarding planes - or being held at US airports when they landed. Mr Trump denied it was Islamophobic, despite calling for a ban on Muslims entering America in his first presidential campaign. The ban faced legal challenges and was modified until the Supreme Court upheld a third version in June 2018, calling it "squarely within the scope of presidential authority".
Sky News
2 hours ago
- Sky News
What you need to know about Trump's travel ban
Why you can trust Sky News Donald Trump has banned people from 12 countries entering the US, in a move he said protects against "foreign terrorists" and other security threats. Some countries are subject to a full travel ban, while others are under a partial ban - with the order allowing countries to be removed or added from the list. The proclamation is due to come into effect just after midnight on 9 June local time. The ban echoes one in 2017 that Mr Trump implemented in his first term in the White House. This banned citizens from seven predominantly Muslim countries - Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen - from travelling to the US. Here is everything you need to know. 1:51 • Afghanistan • Myanmar • Chad • Republic of the Congo • Equatorial Guinea • Eritrea • Haiti • Iran • Libya • Somalia • Sudan • Yemen. The following seven countries are affected by a partial ban: • Burundi • Cuba • Laos • Sierra Leone • Togo • Turkmenistan • Venezuela. Both bans will affect foreign nationals from the designated countries who are outside the US on 9 June or do not have a valid visa. Visas issued before 9 June when the law comes into force will remain valid, the proclamation states. Are there any exemptions? Mr Trump said on Thursday that policy was a "key part of preventing major foreign terror attacks on American soil". His new list notably leaves out Syria, after Mr Trump met its leader recently on a trip to the Middle East. Athletes competing in the 2026 World Cup, 2028 Olympics and other major sporting event will also be exempt. The ban also does not apply to the following individuals: • Diplomats travelling on valid non-immigration visas • Immediate family members who hold immigrant visas • People who have been adopted • Afghan nationals holding special immigrant visas - generally people who worked most closely with the US government during the two-decade war there • People who hold immigrant visas for ethnic and religious minorities facing "persecution in Iran" • Dual nationals who have citizenship in countries not included in the travel ban Why has the ban been introduced? The proclamation states that America must ensure people entering don't have "hostile attitudes toward its citizens, culture, government, institutions, or founding principles" - and don't support terror groups. In a video posted to social media, Mr Trump said an attack in Colorado, in which eight were injured, had shown "the extreme dangers" of "foreign nationals who are not properly vetted, as well as those who come as temporary visitors and overstay their visas". The suspect in the attack is from Egypt, a country that is not on Mr Trump's restricted list, but Homeland security claimed he had overstayed a tourist visa. The list was put together after the president asked homeland security officials and the director of national intelligence to compile a report on countries whose citizens could pose a threat. The White House said some of the named countries had a "significant terrorist presence" and accused others of poor screening for dangerous individuals and not accepting deportees. What has the reaction been? International aid groups and refugee resettlement organisations have condemned the new travel ban. "This policy is not about national security - it is about sowing division and vilifying communities that are seeking safety and opportunity in the United States," said Abby Maxman, president of Oxfam America. The inclusion of Afghanistan has also angered some supporters, who have worked to resettle its people. Over a 12-month period to September 2024 there has been an estimated 14,000 arrivals from Afghanistan. Mr Trump suspended refugee resettlement on his first day in office. Shawn VanDiver, president and board chairman of the organisation #AfghanEvac, labelled the proclamation a "moral disgrace". "To include Afghanistan - a nation whose people stood alongside American service members for 20 years - is a moral disgrace," he said. "It spits in the face of our allies, our veterans, and every value we claim to uphold." Meanwhile, the Iranian government offered no immediate reaction to being included on the list. What happened in 2017? Mr Trump's first travel restrictions in 2017 were criticised by opponents and human rights groups as a "Muslim ban". It led to some chaotic scenes, including tourists, students and business travellers prevented from boarding planes - or being held at US airports when they landed. Mr Trump denied it was Islamophobic, despite calling for a ban on Muslims entering America in his first presidential campaign. The ban faced legal challenges and was modified until the Supreme Court upheld a third version in June 2018, calling it "squarely within the scope of presidential authority".
The Independent
2 hours ago
- The Independent
How airlines are managing the risk of missile threats and airspace closures
Airlines are facing an increasing burden on operations and profitability due to the rise in global conflict zones, industry executives have warned. Carriers are struggling with the threat from missiles and drones, airspace closures, location spoofing, and the risk of passenger flights being shot down. These challenges are leading to increased costs and loss of market share due to flight cancellations and expensive, last-minute re-routings, forcing the industry, which prides itself on its safety performance, to also invest more in data and security planning as a result. "Flight planning in this kind of environment is extremely difficult … The airline industry thrives on predictability, and the absence of this will always drive greater cost," said Guy Murray, who leads aviation security at European carrier TUI Airlines. With increasing airspace closures around Russia and Ukraine, throughout the Middle East, between India and Pakistan and in parts of Africa, airlines are left with fewer route options. "Compared to five years ago, more than half of the countries being overflown on a typical Europe-Asia flight would now need to be carefully reviewed before each flight," said Mark Zee, founder of OPSGROUP, a membership-based organisation that shares flight risk information. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the Middle East since October 2023 has led to commercial aviation sharing the skies with short-notice barrages of drones and missiles across major flight paths, some of which were reportedly close enough to be seen by pilots and passengers. Russian airports, including in Moscow, are now regularly shut down for brief periods due to drone activity, while interference with navigation systems, known as GPS spoofing or jamming, is surging around political fault lines worldwide. When hostilities broke out between India and Pakistan last month, the neighbours blocked each other's aircraft from their respective airspace. "Airspace should not be used as a retaliatory tool, but it is," Nick Careen, International Air Transport Association (IATA) senior vice president for operations, safety and security, told reporters at the airline body's annual meeting in New Delhi on Tuesday. Isidre Porqueras, chief operating officer at Indian carrier IndiGo, said the recent diversions were undoing efforts to reduce emissions and increase airline efficiencies. Worst-case scenario Finances aside, civil aviation's worst-case scenario is a plane being hit, accidentally or intentionally, by weaponry. In December, an Azerbaijan Airlines flight crashed in Kazakhstan, killing 38 people. The plane was accidentally shot down by Russian air defences, according to Azerbaijan's president and Reuters sources. In October, a cargo plane was shot down in Sudan, killing five people. Six commercial aircraft have been shot down, with three near-misses since 2001, according to aviation risk consultancy Osprey Flight Solutions. Governments need to share information more effectively to keep civil aviation secure as conflict zones proliferate, IATA Director General Willie Walsh said this week. Safety statistics used by the commercial aviation industry show a steady decline in accidents over the past two decades, but these do not include security-related incidents such as being hit by weaponry. IATA said in February that accidents and incidents related to conflict zones were a top concern for aviation safety, requiring urgent global coordination. Tough choices Each airline decides where to travel based on a patchwork of government notices, security advisers, and information-sharing between carriers and states, leading to divergent policies. The closure of Russian airspace to most Western carriers since the outbreak of war in Ukraine in 2022 put them at a cost disadvantage compared to airlines from places like China, India and the Middle East that continue to take shorter northern routes that need less fuel and fewer crew. Shifting risk calculations means Singapore Airlines flight SQ326 from Singapore to Amsterdam has used three different routes into Europe in just over a year, Flightradar24 tracking data shows. When reciprocal missile and drone attacks broke out between Iran and Israel in April 2024, it started crossing previously avoided Afghanistan instead of Iran. Last month, its route shifted again to avoid Pakistan's airspace as conflict escalated between India and Pakistan. Flight SQ326 now reaches Europe via the Persian Gulf and Iraq. Singapore Airlines did not respond immediately to a request for comment. Pilots and flight attendants are also worried about how the patchwork of shifting risk might impact their safety. "IATA says airlines should decide if it's safe to fly over conflict zones, not regulators. But history shows commercial pressures can cloud those decisions," said Paul Reuter, vice president of the European Cockpit Association, which represents pilots. Flight crews typically have the right to refuse a trip due to concerns about airspace, whether over weather or conflict zones, IATA security head Careen said. "Most airlines, in fact, I would say the vast majority of them, do not want crew on an aircraft if they don't feel comfortable flying," he said.
