Instability prevails and the risk of severe famine in Haiti

On March 12, the World Food Program (WFP) warned that Haiti is on the brink of a serious food crisis, as Prime Minister Ariel Henry officially submitted his resignation while armed groups controlled the capital Port-au-Prince.

WFP Executive Director Cindy McCain stressed that widespread violence is preventing aid workers from reaching communities in need.

Meanwhile, financial aid to Haiti is running out. Only 2% of the $674 million the United Nations has requested to help Haiti has been raised.

Ms. McCain added that WFP and partners initially provided 2,000 meals a day to newly displaced people in Haiti, but that has now increased to nearly 14,000.

On the same day, the head of the WFP office in Haiti, Mr. Jean-Martin Bauer, warned that hunger is present in this country, especially the level in the capital Port-au-Prince is equivalent to war zones around the world.

According to him, Haiti is one of the places facing the most serious food crisis in the world.

Four million people face “severe food insecurity” and about 1.4 million of them are on the brink of famine.

Martin Bauer also warned that a recent surge in gang violence had made the situation worse and forced an additional 15,000 people to flee in the capital Port-au-Prince during the first weekend of March alone.

The total number of people displaced in Haiti - a country of more than 11 million people - is more than 360,000, 50% of whom are children.

Mr. Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the UN Secretary-General, assessed that the shortage of goods and resources in Haiti is getting worse as the country's economy is already in a precarious state.

Mr. Dujarric emphasized that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on relevant parties in Haiti to act responsibly, and appreciated the efforts of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and its partners to promote a solution to help resolve the political crisis in Haiti through a fair agreement, notably the appointment of an interim Prime Minister.

Regarding the situation in Haiti, US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller expressed confidence that Haiti will establish a Transitional Council within the next 24 to 48 hours and that this council will agree to appoint a new prime minister after Prime Minister Ariel Henry resigns.

On the same day, Kenya announced it was postponing the deployment of 1,000 police to support Haiti due to concerns about a power vacuum in the Caribbean country following Prime Minister Henry's resignation.

Kenyan Foreign Minister Korir Sing'Oei said the situation in Haiti had changed "dramatically" following Mr Henry's announcement.