US considering OAS-led force for Haiti amid UN gridlock

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
14 May 2025 15:48

The US is now turning to the OAS to lead a Haiti intervention, raising questions about Washington’s willingness to bypass international consensus for regional control.

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People wait to fill their containers with drinking water from broken underground pipes in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Friday, May 9, 2025. (AP)

The United States is reportedly weighing the deployment of a peacekeeping force to Haiti under the leadership of the Organization of American States (OAS), in anticipation of a possible Russian or Chinese veto against the current UN-backed mission. The move, revealed by The Financial Times, signals a potential pivot in Washington’s strategy as Haiti’s security situation deteriorates.

The existing UN-mandated Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS), primarily led by Kenyan police, has been operating in Haiti since June 2024. Mandated to secure infrastructure and stabilize the environment, the mission has drawn criticism over its limited impact. Armed gangs continue to exert control over significant portions of Port-au-Prince and other key areas.

A Latin American advisor based in Washington told The Financial Times that the Trump administration, despite its traditional skepticism toward the OAS, now views the organization as a potential vehicle for regional peacekeeping. The shift is aimed at bypassing potential vetoes by Russia or China at the UN Security Council.

“It [the Trump administration] wants OAS members in Latin America and the Caribbean to provide the troops, while the US will provide funding. It sees this as a way for the OAS to prove its value,” the adviser said.

If implemented, such a move would represent a significant break from the OAS’s conventional role, as the organization has historically avoided direct peacekeeping mandates. Diplomats and officials have expressed doubt over whether the OAS possesses the legal framework, resources, or political unity required for such a mission.

Regional Reactions: conditional support and institutional doubt

A senior Latin American diplomat in Washington noted the OAS “has no mandate or budget for peacekeeping operations,” while a Haitian official questioned Washington’s ability to coordinate regional consensus, referencing long-standing diplomatic tensions.

Nevertheless, some regional governments are open to the idea, under strict conditions. An Argentinian official said Buenos Aires would consider participation “if the troops were well prepared.”

While exploring alternatives, the US State Department has not publicly abandoned its support for the current MSS framework. A spokesperson told The Financial Times: “The US is not discussing the deployment of US troops to Haiti. We continue to support the Kenyan-led MSS mission.”

Haiti’s security and humanitarian crisis has sharply worsened since the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moise. In February 2024, the Viv Ansanm gang coalition stormed two major prisons in the capital, releasing thousands of inmates.

More than 5,600 people have been killed over the past year, and the International Organization for Migration reports that over 1 million Haitians were displaced in 2024, triple the figure recorded in 2023. Today, over half of the country’s 12 million citizens are in need of humanitarian assistance.

As the UN framework faces potential gridlock and the MSS struggles to stabilize the situation, the idea of an OAS-led intervention is gaining traction. While contentious, some see it as a pragmatic alternative, one that could sidestep global power politics and allow regional actors to take the lead in addressing the crisis.

Whether such a force materializes remains uncertain. But with gang violence surging and international mechanisms faltering, pressure is mounting for a solution.