A United Nations agency has issued a warning that Haiti is on the verge of a major hunger crisis even as Prime Minister Ariel Henry resigned on Monday.
According to the UN World Food Programme (WFP), aid operations are at risk of “grinding to a halt” amid rampant violence as Prime Minister Ariel Henry resigned on Monday.
A UN release said armed gangs have tightened their grip on the capital, Port-au-Prince, controlling the main roads.
According to the release, gang violence has displaced more than 362,000 Haitians, over half of them children, while at least 35,000 people have fled from their homes since the beginning of 2024, trying to escape the escalating crisis.
The lack of goods and resources is worsening an already precarious economic situation, with water and essential services being “stretched to the limit,” UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said.
For her part, Cindy McCain, WFP’s Executive Director, said that spreading violence keeps aid workers from reaching communities in need at a time when donor funds are drying up.
McCain disclosed that the $674 million humanitarian response plan for Haiti is just two percent funded.
“Our humanitarian operation in Haiti is running on fumes, with funding for hot meals about to run out in two weeks,” Ms. McCain warned.
“We need donors to step up today so we can tackle the rising tide of hunger and halt the slide into chaos,” she stated.
Jean-Martin Bauer, WFP country director in Haiti, warned of an impending famine.
He observed that hunger levels in Haiti typically occur in war zones.
Bauer emphasised that 1.4 million people in Haiti were “a step away from famine”.
Are we the next Haiti? Over 20 murders in the first two months of the year. Gangs are getting more structured and recruiting our children. The overflow of weapons on island. We need to tighten national security and invest in social services. Minimum wage long has been denied, why, why are we happy to let our people work these long hours without proper pay.