February 16, 2026
The UN Security Council has decided to extend for one year the arms embargo targeting Haiti, a measure established in 2022 to curb the rise in gang violence. This decision also includes the addition of two new individuals to the list of sanctioned persons.
The embargo does not apply to Haitian law enforcement forces or to the international police support mission deployed in the country. The objective remains to limit armed groups’ access to weapons and ammunition that fuel clashes in the capital and surrounding areas.
However, a report by experts published in June questioned the actual effectiveness of these sanctions. According to the report, despite the restrictions, gangs continue to obtain the weapons they need to maintain their firepower.
The Council also renewed the targeted sanctions regime, which includes asset freezes and travel bans for identified individuals. This approach aims to weaken the financial and logistical networks of gang leaders.
Among the newly sanctioned individuals are Dimitri Hérard, former head of presidential security, and Kempes Sanon, a gang leader. The list now includes eleven entities, among them the Viv Ansanm group led by the notorious Jimmy “Barbecue” Chérizier.
