UN launches US$880 million plan to assist 4.2 million people in Haiti

CNW – The United Nations has officially launched the 2026 Humanitarian Response Plan for Haiti, appealing for US$880 million to assist 4.2 million of the country’s most vulnerable people amid escalating violence, displacement and hunger.

The plan was unveiled by Nicole Boni Kouassi, United Nations Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator in Haiti, who warned that worsening insecurity and humanitarian conditions are placing millions of lives at risk.

“I call on all our humanitarian and development partners, donors, and the Haitian Government to support the 2026 Humanitarian Response Plan, to preserve the life and dignity of every Haitian, and to keep hope alive for younger generations,” Kouassi said.

According to the UN, violence by armed groups has displaced 1.4 million people — about 12% of Haiti’s population — forcing families to flee their homes. At the same time, 5.7 million people are experiencing severe food insecurity, placing Haiti among the six largest hunger hotspots globally. Essential services, including health care and education, remain under constant threat and are frequently disrupted or shut down.

“I am deeply concerned about the unrelenting cycle of violence and the extreme level of brutality endured by Haitians,” Kouassi said. “Every day, 27 women and girls experience gender-based violence, most of which are rapes, including gang rapes. Thousands of innocent civilians are forcibly displaced, if they are not killed, and see their homes and other infrastructure destroyed. Youth and children are forcibly recruited into armed groups, to the point that they make up as much as 50% of their members.”

The 2026 Humanitarian Response Plan prioritizes urgent, multi-sectoral interventions in the departments of West, Center and Artibonite, where armed violence and migrant deportations have created the most acute humanitarian needs. The plan seeks to reduce immediate risks to affected populations, stabilize households facing repeated shocks, and strengthen access to essential services.

In relatively more stable areas of the Grand South and Grand North, where many internally displaced people have sought refuge, the response will focus on supporting local integration, easing pressure on host communities and preventing social tensions. These efforts will be carried out in close coordination with development partners to ensure longer-term impact.

UN officials say the plan is critical to sustaining life-saving assistance in Haiti as the country faces one of the most severe humanitarian crises in its history.