United Nations renews its commitment to disaster prevention and protection in Haiti
The Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction and Head of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), Kamal Kishore, made an official visit to Haiti on 22 and 23 September 2026. The high-level mission aimed to strengthen dialogue with national authorities, international partners and the United Nations system on the country's priorities for disaster prevention, preparedness and risk reduction.
During his stay, the SRSG met with the Minister of the Interior and Local Authorities, Paul Antoine Bien-Aimé, accompanied by the Director General of Civil Protection, Emmanuel Pierre. He also held discussions with international cooperation partners and with the United Nations Country Team in Haiti. These meetings provided an opportunity to share progress, examine persistent challenges and reaffirm the need for coordinated action to better protect exposed populations and territories.
The mission also highlighted lessons learned from the work carried out in Cap-Haïtien under the Making Cities Resilient 2030 (MCR2030) initiative, with the support of UNDRR, UNESCO and the Directorate General of Civil Protection. This process helped identify needs related to financing, the protection of critical infrastructure, preparedness and community inclusion, while strengthening dialogue between municipal authorities and national institutions.
Against a backdrop of persistent humanitarian and security crises, Kishore's visit reflects recognition of Haiti's sustained efforts to strengthen disaster prevention and preparedness, notably through the implementation of the national roadmap of the Early Warnings for All (EW4All) initiative. During Hurricane Melissa, early warning systems and anticipatory action mechanisms worked, even though investment in anticipatory action accounted for less than 2 per cent of total humanitarian assistance. Despite the constraints facing institutions and communities, this progress demonstrates the country's determination to continue strengthening its resilience capacities.
"Haiti has shown that prevention pays off. The next step is to build on this progress and make disaster risk reduction part of everything we do in the country, from humanitarian action to development and peacebuilding. Anticipating impacts before they occur is the best way to protect communities, their schools, their hospitals and their livelihoods," said the SRSG.
The visit also confirms UNDRR's commitment to supporting Haiti in implementing the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030. In this regard, the Ministry of the Interior and Local Authorities was encouraged to pursue the steps already under way, particularly those related to financing from the Green Climate Fund, in coordination with the Ministry of the Environment.
The national implementation plan for 2024–2027 covers the four pillars of early warning systems, under the coordination of the Directorate General of Civil Protection. Progress to date includes the first tests of mobile alerts. UNDRR also continues its cooperation with the Directorate General of Civil Protection, the National Centre for Geospatial Information and the Hydrometeorological Unit to improve the quality, sharing and use of risk data.
The discussions took stock of the needs, priorities and vulnerabilities Haiti continues to face, particularly in relation to climate risks and natural hazards. Among the immediate concerns is the rainfall deficit linked to El Niño, which, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, could reduce crop yields and worsen food insecurity. The discussions also reaffirmed the commitment of the United Nations, and UNDRR in particular, to support the strengthening of institutional capacities, the improvement of governance and risk data sharing, and the planned deployment of DELTA Resilience. This tool would help consolidate data on disaster losses and better inform risk assessments, impact-based forecasting and investment decisions.
At the end of his visit, the SRSG reaffirmed the determination of the United Nations to continue supporting the Haitian authorities and their partners. This commitment aims to provide sustained support to national efforts in disaster prevention, preparedness and risk reduction, while contributing to strengthening the resilience of institutions, territories and communities.