Fostering coordination in Haiti as security crisis spirals

Mohamed Dabo: The situation is quite volatile now. We are currently staying in a zone that is less impacted by armed groups violence, but occasional gunshots can still be heard. There are movement restrictions, and we do not go out. Our movements are limited until further notice. But we are adapting to the situation.

In early 2023, protests erupted across the country, led by citizen movements, political parties, and various armed groups – seeking a change in the existing power structure. Tensions mounted throughout January and February, reaching a boiling point on February 29th when widespread violence led by armed groups erupted in numerous neighborhoods of the capital, Port-au-Prince. The situation escalated further on March 1st when thousands of inmates, seizing the chaos, escaped from two prisons in Port-au-Prince, intensifying the overall insecurity to alarming levels. Faced with the escalating danger, thousands of residents swiftly fled the violence-affected areas in search of safety. In a few days, nearly 15,000 people were displaced by the violence.

Even before the escalation, accessing certain areas due to armed groups was challenging for humanitarian assistance. Now, similar issues persist but on a larger scale, with an increasing number of people in need. By the end of 2023, 314,000 people were displaced, and this figure rose to 362,000 – a 15% increase – in a matter of weeks. Some are trying to reach existing settlement sites that are now overcrowded, while we also observe the creation of new sites without proper reception structures.

In Haiti, most food and necessities are imported. However, recent violence has led to attacks on the airport in Port-au-Prince, suspending all commercial flights, and the main port, crucial for importing goods, has also been attacked and looted. This will undoubtedly affect the availability of food products, leading to a surge in prices due to scarcity. In addition, with limited local production, the population faces an imminent threat of hunger.

We must stay focused on coordination efforts. For a crisis like this one, we have contingency plans and strategies to follow – so we know what to do. We must keep prioritizing the tasks according to the current needs and adapt to the new conditions. For example, we are now working from home, but we have a lot of meetings with all actors and partners to coordinate efforts. Our role as IMOs remains the same: provide humanitarian partners with facts and figures to comprehend the ground reality and respond effectively to the crisis. But our best efforts won''''t be enough. What humanitarians need above all is security and constant access.