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On the occasion of the 56th Regular Session of the General Assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS), held in Panama City from June 22 to 24, 2026, Haiti made its voice heard.
On the occasion of the 56th Regular Session of the General Assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS), held in Panama City from June 22 to 24, 2026, Haiti made its voice heard. The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Worship, Raina Forbin, asked the member states to renew the mandate of the Gang Suppression Force (FRG). For the minister, this isn’t just another diplomatic option, but an operational necessity.The theme chosen for this year’s Assembly: Strong multilateralism for the defense of democracy, hemispheric security, and the stability of States. In her speech, Haiti’s foreign affairs chief praised the gradual deployment of the FRG while explicitly calling for ‘an acceleration of its operational deployment as well as the renewal of its mandate, in order to consolidate the progress made and sustainably strengthen security.’ This call was echoed and amplified in the thank-you speech given following the adoption of the OAS resolution titled Support for Haiti’s Stabilization Efforts and Strengthening Hemispheric Assistance Coordination.
This text, adopted with the support of the United States, Canada, Costa Rica, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Uruguay, and all CARICOM member states, expressly acknowledges the Haitian government’s efforts to strengthen its security institutions. It supports the renewal of the FRG’s mandate and its effective deployment, in accordance with international law, human rights, and the principles of transparency and accountability.For Port-au-Prince, this resolution marks a symbolically and politically significant milestone. “For my country, this resolution is much more than a diplomatic text. It reflects the collective will of our hemisphere to support Haiti in its stabilization efforts and reaffirms a fundamental principle: solutions to Haiti’s challenges must be led by Haitians, with sustained, better-coordinated, more effective international support focused on concrete results,” Raina Forbin said after the resolution was adopted.Security progress to build on
The call to renew the FRG’s mandate is based on a security record that the Haitian delegation presented as encouraging, without downplaying the seriousness of the situation. Under Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé’s government, over 2,000 police officers have been trained this year as part of the P4000 program, and the recruitment of 1,500 new soldiers for the Haitian Armed Forces (FAd’H) is underway.On the ground, the administrative center of Port-au-Prince has been partly reoccupied by state authorities. Cabinet meetings and meetings with the diplomatic corps now take place there, a sign of the gradual reclaiming of institutional spaces. The National Commission for Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration (CNDDR) has also been revitalized to coordinate security efforts with mechanisms for youth reintegration and preventing the reformation of armed groups, the minister recalls. “But security cannot be separated from development. We need to support stabilization efforts with a shift in approach, moving from aid to investment. Investing in education, entrepreneurship, jobs, and infrastructure,Offering real opportunities to young people, women, and girls is one of the most effective ways to sustainably fight against violence, forced migration, and exclusion,” the chancellor emphasized.
By invoking the legacy of the 1826 Panamanian Amphictyonic Congress and Haiti’s contribution to the continent’s struggles for emancipation, Minister Raina Forbin places Haiti’s request within a long history of hemispheric solidarity. “Yesterday, Haiti reached out to those fighting for their freedom. Today, Haiti seeks the solidarity of its brothers and sisters across the Americas,” she said in conclusion of her speech.The EU and OAS Commitment
On the sidelines of the General Assembly, Haiti also recorded an additional operational commitment. During a joint event organized by the European Union and the OAS on the theme Safer societies: EU–OAS cooperation to fight firearms trafficking, the official launch of the EU–OAS initiative for Haiti was announced. “This project aims to strengthen the operational capacities of the Haitian National Police (PNH) through the establishment of five Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) in Port-au-Prince, as part of the fight against armed gangs and organized violence,” a statement from the MAEC said.The OAS Secretary-General, Albert Ramdin, who was at the event, reaffirmed the Organization’s commitment to supporting Haiti while stressing the urgency of the ‘full operationalization of the Gang Repression Force.’ Delphine Pronk, Deputy Director-General for the Americas at the European External Action Service (EEAS), highlighted the EU’s willingness to ‘concretely contribute to creating a safe operational environment’ at ‘this decisive moment for Haiti.’
“Sustainable security cannot be ensured by force alone. It must go hand in hand with investments, job creation and opportunities, social inclusion, as well as reintegration programs aimed at offering young people credible alternatives to violence,” stressed the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
