WASHINGTON, DC - The Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), Albert Ramdin, has reiterated a call for the international community to provide immediate global attention to the situation in Haiti.
OAS Secretary General, Albert RamdinRamdin, who had participated in the first Group of Friends of Haiti meeting, earlier this week, said that the international community must provide support and resources commensurate with the urgency of the security and humanitarian situation in the French-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM country.
In addition, he said that all efforts would remain strictly within the mandate provided by the OAS Charter.
Haiti has not held presidential elections since 2016 when Jovenel Moise was elected as head of state. Moise was assassinated on July 7, 2021 and the country has not held legislative or presidential elections.
Since the death of Moise, criminal gangs have sought to overthrow the interim governments, and they have all but control the capital, forcing people to flee their homes.
The United Nations has said that the gangs are responsible for the deaths of thousands of people in Haiti.
Over 1.3 million Haitians have been displaced because of this violence, representing the largest displacement due to political upheaval in Haitian history, the UN said, noting that food insecurity among displaced Haitians is rampant, with Haiti being one of five countries worldwide which is experiencing famine-like conditions.
As of March 2025, the violence has also expanded into previously untouched areas of the country, specifically the Artibonite and Centre Departments where 92,000 and 147,000 people have been displaced respectively.
On Thursday, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said armed groups in Haiti are expanding their presence and activities in the Artibonite region which has sparked waves of displacement.
Last Monday, violence linked to armed groups flared in the town of Liancourt, where a vehicle and several homes were set on fire. This followed a week of violent clashes. As of 19 July, nearly 15,000 people have been displaced across four communes in Artibonite. They are staying with host families, many of whom were already finding it hard to meet basic needs.
OCHA said response efforts are underway, led by local humanitarian partners. They have distributed hygiene kits to more than 500 displaced households and host communities, as well as hundreds of hot meals.
The Group of Friends of Haiti is a platform to informally share information on the situation and ongoing cooperative activities as they evolve in Haiti.
Ramdin said that by promoting a space for information sharing among relevant stakeholders, the hemispheric body is seeking to facilitate greater coordination and alignment of efforts to better respond to the urgent critical situation in Haiti.
Ramdin provided an update on the preparation of a Roadmap for Haiti, resulting from an OAS General Assembly resolution 3039, which calls for the development, in consultation with the government of Haiti, the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH), and the Multinational Security Support (MSS) Mission, of a consolidated Action Plan addressing the security, humanitarian, political and development challenges.
“The Roadmap is grounded in the belief that restoring Haiti’s stability requires a clear and unified strategy, one that promotes Haitian ownership, delivers real results for the population, and ensures that every partner knows where and how to contribute,” said Ramdin.
It will be structured around five strategic pillars: security stabilization, humanitarian response, political consensus, electoral legitimacy, and sustainable development.
The meeting was attended by key stakeholders, representatives of international organizations, OAS Member and Observer States. Haiti’s Permanent Representative to the OAS, Myrtha Désulme, provided information on the grave security and humanitarian situation in Haiti and made a call for solidarity and urgent action for the Haitian people.
The meeting also discussed the urgent need for comprehensive support to Haiti, highlighting security, humanitarian, and development priorities.
The OAS said the key points included the call for increased funding and operational planning for the Multinational Security Support mission (MSS), improving healthcare access amid widespread system collapse, addressing food insecurity through agricultural development, and expanding economic opportunities.
