On Thursday, December 18, 2025, Nicole Kouassi, the Humanitarian Coordinator in Haiti for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), officially launched the 2026 Humanitarian Response Plan for Haiti.

Violence perpetrated by armed groups has forced 1.4 million people (as of September 2025), representing 12% of the population, to flee their homes. 69% of the displacement recorded between January and September 2025 occurred in the provinces, particularly in the Centre and Artibonite regions, indicating a deterioration in security beyond the capital.

5.7 million people suffer from severe food insecurity daily, placing Haiti among the top six hunger hotspots in the world. Basic services, including health and education, are subject to regular attacks and continue to close.

"I am deeply concerned by the relentless cycle of violence and the extreme brutality that Haitians continue to endure [...] Every day, 27 women and girls suffer gender-based violence, most often rape, including gang rape. Armed actors forcibly displace thousands of innocent civilians, if they do not kill them, and destroy homes and critical infrastructure. Armed groups also forcibly recruit children and young people, who now make up as much as half of their ranks.”

With a budget of US$880 million, the Plan seeks to assist 4.2 million people who rely on life-saving humanitarian assistance.

The 2026 Humanitarian Response Plan prioritizes urgent, multi-sector interventions in the departments of Ouest, Centre, and Artibonite, where armed violence and migrant deportations drive severe humanitarian needs. The response aims to reduce immediate risks to affected populations, stabilize households most impacted by repeated shocks, and restore access to essential services. In more stable areas of the Grand Sud and the Grand Nord, which host large numbers of internally displaced people, humanitarian partners will support local integration, ease pressure on host communities, and prevent social tensions, working closely with development actors.

"I call on all humanitarian and development partners, donors, and the Haitian authorities to support the 2026 Humanitarian Response Plan,” said Nicole Kouassi. “Together, we can protect lives, uphold dignity, and ensure that hope remains possible for future generations in Haiti," emphasized Nicole Kouassi.

HL/ HaitiLibre