Media Home
UN Web TV
UN Audiovisual Library
UN PhotoHAITI / GUTERRES VISIT GSF UNSOH
STORY: HAITI / GUTERRES VISIT GSF UNSOH
TRT: 04:52
SOURCE: UNITED NATIONS
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGES: FRENCH / ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 13-16 JUNE 2026, PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI
16 JUNE 2026, PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI
1. Various shots, UN Secretary-General António Guterres arrival, airport
2. Various shots, UN Secretary-General visit to Vertières Base Camp, official greetings, troop Inspection
3. Various shots, UN Secretary-General meeting with Prime Minister of Haiti, Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, National Palace
13 JUN 2026, VERTIERES CAMP, PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI
4. Various shots, entrance, soldiers, Plans variés, Gang Suppression Force (GSF) armored vehicles, Vertières military base
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Steven McOwen, Director of Mission Support, United Nations Support Office in Haiti (UNSOH):
“The Gang Suppression Force depends upon us for the support from the UN, if it is to succeed in addressing the problem of gang violence in Haiti. Every member of UNSOH is working to achieve this goal and to demonstrate the world how the UN delivers, but more importantly to help the Gang Suppressions Force work with Haitian authorities and Asian security forces to deal with the problems that have plagued the population of Haiti.”
6. Various shots, secondary road within the military base, soldiers, handwashing facilities
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Juan Manuel Valesco, Chief Engineering Officer, United Nations Support Office in Haiti (UNSOH):
“The focus was always on one priority: delivering practical capability in time while maintaining safety, functionality, and continuity of operations. In strategic terms, Ex-BRABATT represents more than infrastructure, it's a critical step in enabling UNSOH’s operational support in Haiti. Supporting mandate, delivering and demonstrating that the mission can respond to urgent requirements with speed, flexibility, discipline, and results.”
8. Various shots, secondary road within the military base, soldiers, handwashing facilities
9. Boris Meyer, Telecommunications Engineer, United Nations Support Office in Haiti (UNSOH):
“This base has been built after three months of efforts and now we are reaching the 100 days of operations. The full communications capacity has been deployed for the gang suppression force to start their operations. And we are also supporting UNSOH themselves with their communications to provide logistic support to the gang-suppression force. And last, we are providing support for the BINUH operations in the country.”
10. Med shot, GSF soldiers walking
During his visit to Port-au-Prince, UN Secretary-General António Guterres visited Camp Vertières, a site hosting the Gang Suppression Force. UNITED NATIONS
UN Secretary-General António Guterres arrived in Haiti Tuesday (16 Jun) morning.
He was greeted at the airport in Port-au-Prince by Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé.
He then went on to visit Camp Vertières, a site hosting the Gang Suppression Force.
He began the visit by a tour and a briefing by the UN Support Office for Haiti explaining the operational and logistical support they provide to the Force, in accordance with Security Council resolution 2793.
While there, the Secretary-General was also briefed by the Force Commander of the Gang Suppression Force.
The GSF is receiving logistical, operational and technical support, including the supply of rations, medical care, and transportation from the recently established UN Support Office in Haiti (UNSOH).
It plays a critical role in enabling the force to operate effectively, in its main tasks to neutralize gangs, protect vulnerable populations, and support humanitarian access.
It’s base, known as Camp Vertières, is in the process of being equipped to receive some of the 5550 personnel, which the Security Council mandated.
Troops deployed from multiple countries are currently living on base and offices are being established in shipping containers.
Later in the day, the Secretary-General met with the Prime Minister.
He also met with Haitians impacted by the violence in the country, with representatives of civil society, and UN colleagues on the ground.
Two distinct mechanisms play a key role in Haiti: The United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) and the United Nations Support Office in Haiti (UNSOH).
While both operate in the Haitian context, their mandates—established through separate resolutions of the United Nations Security Council—are based on different frameworks and objectives.
Established by Security Council Resolution 2476 (2019), BINUH is a special political mission. It supports the Haitian authorities in strengthening political dialogue, organizing credible elections, promoting and protecting human rights, and advancing disarmament, dismantlement, reintegration, and community violence reduction strategies (DDR-CVR).
Its work is grounded in strategic advice and institutional capacity-building. BINUH has no military component.
Created by Security Council Resolution 2793 (2025), UNSOH is mandated to provide logistical, technical, and administrative support to the Force de Répression des Gangs (FRG), known in English as the Gang Suppression Force (GSF).
The FRG is a non-UN force. Although authorized by the Security Council, it is not a United Nations peacekeeping mission. It operates autonomously, under its own chain of command.
Steven McOwen, Director of Mission Support at the United Nations Support Office in Haiti (UNSOH), said, “The Gang Suppression Force depends upon us for the support from the UN, if it is to succeed in addressing the problem of gang violence in Haiti. Every member of UNSOH is working to achieve this goal and to demonstrate the world how the UN delivers, but more importantly to help the Gang Suppressions Force work with Haitian authorities and Asian security forces to deal with the problems that have plagued the population of Haiti.”
Juan Manuel Valesco, UNSOH Chief Engineering Officer, talked about the rehabilitation of existing buildings in the Ex-BRABATT Camp in Vertières base.
He said, “The focus was always on one priority: delivering practical capability in time while maintaining safety, functionality, and continuity of operations. In strategic terms, Ex-BRABATT represents more than infrastructure, it's a critical step in enabling UNSOH’s operational support in Haiti. Supporting mandate, delivering and demonstrating that the mission can respond to urgent requirements with speed, flexibility, discipline, and results.”
Boris Meyer, UNSOH Telecommunications Engineer, said, “This base has been built after three months of efforts and now we are reaching the 100 days of operations. The full communications capacity has been deployed for the gang suppression force to start their operations. And we are also supporting UNSOH themselves with their communications to provide logistic support to the gang-suppression force. And last, we are providing support for the BINUH operations in the country.”
Download
There is no media available to download.
Related Content
HAITI / GUTERRES PRESSER AND IDP CAMP
UN / HAITI
UN / HAITI HUMAN RIGHTS
UN / HAITI BINUH
UN / HAITI
