UN member states agreed to impose an arms embargo on Haiti in 2022. So what went wrong? Here are five things you need to know.
How many weapons are there in Haiti?
Haiti does not manufacture firearms or ammunition, but according to the latest figures published by the UN human rights office, it is estimated that there are between 270,000 and 500,000 illegal weapons in circulation.
Not only are they in the hands of the numerous murderous gangs that control most of the capital, but they are also common among the growing number of “justice” groups trying to protect people and property in Port-au-Prince’s troubled neighborhoods.
The impact of so many weapons in a metropolitan area of ​​around 2.6 million people is devastating. According to the UN, in 2024 alone, more than 5,600 people died due to gang-related activities.
In just five days in early December 2024, at least 207 people were killed by gangs controlling the Jérémie wharf area of ​​the capital.
Thousands of people have died in Haiti due to gang warfare.
Human rights violations and abuses documented by the UN have included mass killings, kidnappings for ransom, rape and sexual exploitation, destruction of property, and severe restrictions on access to essential services, particularly healthcare and education.
What firearms are in circulation?
It is difficult to accurately estimate the number of illegal firearms in the hands of gangs and vigilante groups, but there are indications that more sophisticated and deadly weapons are being used.
Haitian authorities are having limited success in stemming the flow of weapons. A weapons shipment acquired in Miami, United States, and intercepted in the Dominican Republic in February 2025 included a Barret M82 heavy semi-automatic rifle, sniper rifles, an Uzi submachine gun, and more than 36,000 rounds of ammunition.
A man is being treated for serious burns in hospital after gangs attacked and started a fire at the petrol station where he worked.
What does the embargo say?
The arms embargo, as well as travel bans and asset freezes on individuals, were authorized by the UN Security Council in October 2022.
Directed specifically at gangs and individuals considered responsible for threatening the peace and security of Haiti, it calls on UN Member States to prohibit the supply, sale or transfer of weapons and related materiel of all types, including technical assistance, training and financial support related to military activities.
Recognizes that the situation in Haiti poses a threat to regional peace.
How is the embargo circumvented?
Well-established trafficking routes from the United States continue to be exploited, primarily from Miami – but also from New York via the Dominican Republic – often due to poor customs enforcement and corruption.
Some shipments are being intercepted by US authorities before they reach Haiti.
Weapons seized by US police authorities that were destined for Haiti are on display.
There is also evidence of arms shipments from Venezuela and other South American countries.
Weapons are often hidden within mixed shipments or declared as humanitarian or commercial goods to evade inspection.
There is also growing concern that assault rifles originally registered for private security companies operating in Haiti will end up in the hands of gang members.
What needs to be done to ensure the embargo is respected and how is the UN helping?
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), which works on trafficking issues, has said ensuring compliance requires a “comprehensive and coordinated approach at the national, regional and international levels.”
That means providing Haitian customs, port and border control authorities with the technical capacity to detect, intercept and investigate illicit arms shipments. Currently, there is not even a large format scanner in all of Haiti that can efficiently identify the contents of a container or truck.
Given that most weapons enter Haiti through maritime routes, it is essential to improve maritime and port security – including inspections – as well as work more effectively with law enforcement authorities in countries of origin.
Providing more resources along the porous border with the Dominican Republic, which shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti, would help stop illicit trafficking through unofficial crossings.
The UN is helping to coordinate Haiti and other countries in the region to ensure compliance, as well as providing technical assistance to strengthen weapons tracing, customs controls and financial investigations.
“The fight against corruption and illicit financial flows also remains fundamental to compliance with the embargo,” UNODC said.
Since Haiti does not make guns or ammunition, cutting off the supply of bullets alone would effectively end gangs’ ability to fight each other and terrorize communities.