Where are Haiti’s gangs getting their weapons? | The Lid is On Series

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Published Jun 22, 2024

The Haitian economy may be on its knees, but the gangs that control much of the capital Port-au-Prince seem to have little trouble obtaining guns, mainly from the USA.

The country is awash with weapons: according to experts convened by the UN Secretary-General, these “deadly arsenals” mean that gangs have “firepower that exceeds that of the Haitian national police,” and the problem is getting worse.

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), has reported an increase in the trafficking of increasingly powerful and sophisticated weapons into the country since 2021, such as AK47, AR15 and Galil rifles.

Sylvie Bertrand is the UNODC Regional Representative for Central America and the Caribbean and oversees the research teams tasked with documenting the sources, routes and distribution patterns of the illicit firearms fuelling violence in Haiti.

She spoke to Felipe de Carvalho from UN News about UNODC strategies to make a significant dent in the flow of arms to the beleaguered country.

Photo Credit © UNOCHA/Giles Clarke