III 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 700 

Supporting the efforts of the United States and international partners to 

facilitate a security environment that is conducive to holding free and 

fair elections in Haiti and promoting a durable return to democratic 

governance. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 21, 2024 

Mr. MURPHY (for himself, Mr. CASSIDY, and Mr. KAINE) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 

RESOLUTION 

Supporting the efforts of the United States and international 

partners to facilitate a security environment that is conducive to holding free and fair elections in Haiti and 

promoting a durable return to democratic governance. 

Whereas, on July 7, 2021, Jovenel Moı ̈se, the former President of Haiti, was assassinated in his home, aggravating 

a complex and dynamic political crisis which has debilitated the capacity of the country; 

Whereas, in the absence of a functioning and democratically 

elected central government in Haiti, criminal gangs have 

flourished, often with the backing of the country’s political and economic elites, creating a security vacuum and 

humanitarian crisis that has exposed Haitians to the 


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overwhelming threat of indiscriminate violence, including 

rampant gender-based violence; 

Whereas widespread gang violence in Haiti has culminated in 

killings and kidnappings of civilians, including at least 1 

United States citizen; 

Whereas criminal gangs have seized control of up to 80 percent of Port-au-Prince and critical infrastructure, including health care providers, schools, and transit facilities; 

Whereas, according to the International Organization for Migration, more than 350,000 Haitians are internally displaced, with gang violence accounting for 93 percent of 

such displacement; 

Whereas, according to the United Nations, 3,334 Haitians 

were victims of intentional homicide between January 1 

and September 30, 2023, while the projected homicide 

rate per 100,000 people doubled compared to the 2022 

homicide rate; 

Whereas gangs in Haiti have routinely engaged in kidnaping 

for ransom, abducting 1,787 people between January 1 

and September 30, 2023; 

Whereas, as of March 2024, there were 79,411 suspected 

cases of cholera in Haiti and the risk of a cholera outbreak has been exacerbated by the gangs’ control of critical infrastructure, including hospitals and health clinics; 

Whereas endemic corruption in Haiti, which ranked 171 out 

of 180 countries in Transparency International’s 2022 

Corruption Perceptions Index, which is worse than the 

2017 ranking of 157 out of 180, has entrenched criminal 

gangs, deprived Haitians of economic prosperity, and presents significant obstacles to lasting government reform; 


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Whereas the United Nations Office for the Coordination of 

Humanitarian Affairs issued an appeal for $674,000,000 

in February 2024 to meet the needs of an estimated 

3,600,000 Haitians who require humanitarian assistance 

(12 percent more Haitians than were supported in 2023) 

and are highly vulnerable as a result of the worsening security situation and near-collapse of basic services in 

Haiti; 

Whereas, according to the World Food Programme, 

4,950,000 Haitians were food insecure as of September 

2023, and 68 percent of the country’s population had insufficient food consumption as of March 2024; 

Whereas the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime has 

documented that illicit firearms and drug trafficking 

from the United States to Haiti have, in part, fueled the 

cycle of violence across Haiti; 

Whereas, on June 25, 2022, the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (Public Law 117–159) made gun trafficking a 

Federal offense and granted the government new authorities to hold firearms smugglers accountable and to prosecute perpetrators; 

Whereas Homeland Security Investigations, in coordination 

with the Department of State, has utilized these new authorities to set up a Transnational Criminal Intelligence 

Unit in Haiti to work with the Haitian National Police 

to investigate and prosecute transnational crimes, including firearms and ammunition smuggling, human trafficking, and transnational gang activity; 

Whereas, in July 2023, the Department of Justice appointed 

the first United States Coordinator for Caribbean Firearms Prosecutions to ensure collaboration with the DeVerDate Sep 11 2014 01:51 May 22, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR700.IS SR700

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partment of State and investigate gun-related crimes in 

the region; 

Whereas, on November 16, 2023, Haiti and the Bureau of 

Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives signed a 

memorandum of understanding to facilitate cooperation 

through the eTrace system, an investigative tool used by 

the bureau to track firearms used in criminal activity, including their purchase history and manufacturer or importer; 

Whereas the interim government of Prime Minister Ariel 

Henry was not duly elected to office and lacked the constitutional or public legitimacy to unilaterally organize 

free and fair elections; 

Whereas the expiration of the terms of the majority of the 

members of the Parliament of Haiti on January 10, 

2023, without elected officials to succeed them, led to the 

suspension of the legislature’s activities and have left the 

Haitian people without a functioning government; 

Whereas, in February 2023, the interim government appointed members to the High Transition Council, which 

is charged with facilitating a roadmap for eventual democratic elections, but progress was hampered by gang violence and a failure by Prime Minister Henry to reach political consensus with major opposition parties; 

Whereas, on October 6, 2022, Prime Minister Henry and 18 

members of the Council of Ministers issued an appeal to 

the international community for security assistance and 

technical support to assist the Haitian National Police’s 

efforts to combat gang violence; 

Whereas, on October 2, 2023, the United Nations Security 

Council overwhelmingly voted to adopt Resolution 2699/ 


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2023, which authorizes the formation and deployment of 

a Multinational Security Support (referred to in this preamble as the ‘‘MSS’’) mission to re-establish security and 

the Government of Kenya has subsequently agreed to 

lead the MSS mission in close coordination with the Government of Haiti; 

Whereas United Nations Security Council Resolution 2699/ 

2023 authorizes the MSS mission to provide operational 

support to the Haitian National Police— 

(1) to support the provision of security for critical 

infrastructure and transit locations; 

(2) to help to ensure unhindered and safe access to 

humanitarian aid; and 

(3) to build security conditions that are conducive to 

holding free and fair elections in Haiti; 

Whereas the Government of Kenya has volunteered to send 

1,000 police officers to support the MSS mission and the 

Kenyan parliament has subsequently voted to approve 

this action; 

Whereas, on April 25, 2024, Ariel Henry resigned as prime 

minister and a 9-member transitional presidential council, composed of representatives from political parties and 

civil society, was sworn in and charged with— 

(1) selecting a new prime minister; 

(2) appointing members to an electoral commission 

to facilitate the election; and 

(3) swearing in a new president by February 7, 

2026; 

Whereas Caribbean Community (commonly known as 

‘‘CARICOM’’) member states are vital partners in supporting the MSS mission and Antigua and Barbuda, the 

Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Benin, Chad, Guyana, 


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and Jamaica have each publicly committed to contributing personnel or resources to the MSS mission; 

Whereas the MSS mission is not a substitute for a sustainable, professional, and well-equipped Haitian National 

Police that protects and serves the entirety of the Haitian 

people; 

Whereas Congress, through the passage of the Haiti Development, Accountability, and Institutional Transparency Initiative Act (division V of Public Law 117–103), has previously directed the Secretary of State to prioritize the 

protection of human rights and anti-corruption efforts in 

Haiti and urges the Department of State to integrate 

these priorities into oversight and accountability mechanisms for the MSS mission; 

Whereas a Haitian-led, inclusive, and sustainable political solution is the only path forward for the country to restore 

security, the rule of law, democratic institutions, and economic stability; and 

Whereas the international community and those contributing 

to the MSS mission must ensure that— 

(1) the MSS mission does not inadvertently support 

nondemocratic actors who would attempt to seize on improved security conditions to entrench their own power or 

perpetuate instability; and 

(2) lessons learned from previous international missions in Haiti, including the need to promote respect for 

human rights and promote accountability, are applied: 

Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 


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1 (1) recognizes the urgent need to restore peace 

2 and security and alleviate the humanitarian crisis in 

3 Haiti as part of an overarching strategy— 

4 (A) to promote a return to democratic gov5 ernance in the country; and 

6 (B) to ensure that Haitians enjoy their 

7 right to liberty and security of person; 

8 (2) supports a MSS mission, as authorized by 

9 the United Nations Security Council on October 2, 

10 2023, which adequately— 

11 (A) complies with international law, includ12 ing international human rights law, as applica13 ble; 

14 (B) takes all necessary steps to protect ci15 vilians and respect the rule of law; 

16 (C) maintains the popular support of the 

17 Haitian people; 

18 (D) consults with and incorporates feed19 back from impacted populations, with attention 

20 to vulnerable communities, including women, 

21 children, and the economically disadvantaged; 

22 and 

23 (E) is bound by strict time constraints and 

24 is subject to oversight and renewal by the 


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1 United Nations Security Council in specified in2 crements; 

3 (3) applauds the assistance and other support 

4 the Department of State and the Department of De5 fense have provided to secure intelligence, airlift, 

6 communications, and medical support for the MSS 

7 mission; 

8 (4) commends the support offered to-date by 

9 CARICOM and international partners, including An10 tigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Bangladesh, 

11 Benin, Chad, Guyana, and Jamaica, which is nec12 essary to operationalize the MSS mission; 

13 (5) calls on other members of the international 

14 community to pledge financial assistance, logistical 

15 and operational support, and personnel to the MSS 

16 mission to the greatest extent possible; 

17 (6) endorses international election monitoring 

18 in Haiti in support of free and fair elections; and 

19 (7) encourages additional assistance from the 

20 United States and the international community to 

21 address Haiti’s humanitarian needs, including 

22 through additional contributions to the United Na23 tions Humanitarian Appeal for fiscal year 2024 and 

24 for subsequent fiscal years. 

Æ 


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