Haiti’s transitional presidential council has approved a 275.86 million dollar (36 billion gourdes) wartime budget in an effort to stop spiraling gang violence and restore basic security in Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince. The decision to approve this budget comes after severe deterioration in national stability, with armed criminal gangs controlling a large percentage of the capital and spreading into rural towns. 40% of this budget is going towards security and military forces, while the rest of it will be directed towards emergency social services and border security. With targeted killings, over 1,500 deaths, and mass prison breaks in the first few months of 2025 alone, this decision shows the government’s recognition and understanding that extraordinary measures have become necessary to prevent even more societal deterioration.
Reactions to this newly approved budget have been mixed. According to the Associated Press, the National Human Rights Defense Network criticized the government’s approach, stating: “By ignoring the central region’s collapse, the transitional authorities show they have no real plan to restore citizens’ rights and public safety.” The group stated that rather than being strategic, security forces have become reactive, only intervening after areas have fallen under gang control. According to Haiti Libre, a Haitian news outlet, the Director General of the Budget stated that “there are no issues with the credits to finance security,” but also emphasized that the problem is not funding, but its execution. The government sectors in charge of security do not have solid plans in place for how they will use the new budget. These reactions depict growing skepticism on if the wartime budget will bring meaningful change despite its oversight and lack of clear execution.
While the wartime budget does show overdue recognition of Haiti’s extreme security crisis, it is unclear if the funds will be distributed effectively and equally. Investments in the military alone, without addressing the root causes of this crisis such as poverty and corruption, may lead to short-term solutions but not long-term peace. To build peace, community-based reconciliation efforts, the rebuilding of institutions, and disarmament programs must be implemented. The government must ensure that civil rights are not sacrificed in the name of prioritizing security, as abuses could worsen the already unstable public distrust. To build lasting peace, the government should pair emergency measures with inclusive governance and structural reforms.
Haiti has experienced instability for decades, worsened by the catastrophic earthquake in 2010, frequent changes in government, and political assassinations. The assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021 triggered further distress, causing criminal gangs to fill the power vacuum that was left behind. These gangs have since taken control of key ports, police stations, and hospitals, all while exploiting the Haitian population. Efforts to organize foreign intervention have slowed, leaving Haiti struggling to cope with the internal violence. In March 2025, coordinated attacks by gangs broke out thousands of inmates from prisons, inciting international alarm and calls for urgent intervention and response.
The wartime budget represents a very important moment in Haiti’s ongoing struggle to reclaim both its control and its future from violent gang activity. That being said, lasting peace will require more than just military funding. This funding could worsen inequalities and deepen the mistrust in the government. Human rights protections, coordinated international support and a transparent government will be key in Haiti’s recovery. As Haiti faces the possibility of total state failure, this budget does offer a chance, a risky one, to push back against anarchy and violence, and rebuild the structures that are necessary for democratic resilience, peace, and justice.
