The United Nations Security Council voted on Wednesday to keep its sanctions regime on Haiti in place for another year, renewing an arms embargo, travel ban and assets freeze. Resolution 2831 passed with 14 votes in favor while Russia abstained.
The text reaffirms that UN member states must take appropriate steps to prevent illicit trafficking and diversion of arms and related materiel in Haiti. It also asks states that sell or donate firearms and ammunition to Haitian authorities to help those authorities strengthen physical security, stockpile management and post-delivery controls, so the weapons do not end up in the wrong hands.
The resolution calls on Haitian authorities to improve their management of weapons and ammunition and to tighten border and customs controls.
The measure also gives a role to the multinational Gang Suppression Force (GSF). It confirms that the force should help the Haitian National Police and armed forces record and dispose of illicit arms, ammunition and other materiel seized in offensive operations or in the course of its mandate.
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The GSF is also asked to report any diversion of weapons and ammunition, including through loss and theft, to the Panel of Experts that assists the Council’s Sanctions Committee.
The Council extended the Panel of Experts’ mandate for 13 months. The panel must deliver an interim report by March 28, 2027, and a final report no later than September 1, 2027.
The Council first imposed sanctions on Haiti in October 2022. The 2025 renewal, adopted as Resolution 2794, passed unanimously, was drafted by Panama and the United States, and came just weeks after the Council authorized the GSF to replace the Kenya-led Multinational Security Support mission. This year’s abstention by Russia therefore marks a break from that unanimity.
Last year’s resolution expressed grave concern over extremely high levels of gang violence, including kidnappings, homicides, trafficking in persons and sexual violence, as well as ongoing impunity. This year’s resolution focuses on controlling weapons and on reporting by the GSF and Haitian authorities.
This year, a “UN partner reported treating over 2,400 survivors of sexual violence in Port-au-Prince between January and May. Most were women and girls and 16 per cent were minors. Cases involving children as young as eight were also reported.”
