Three months of state of emergency declared in the departments of Ouest, Artibonite, and Centre to combat insecurity. This brings the total number of states of emergency declared in thirteen months to three.<\/i><\/p>

The government has established a state of emergency in the departments of Ouest, Artibonite, and Centre for a period of three (3) months, from September 18 to December 18, 2026. To justify this decision, the government cites, among other things, "the criminal actions of armed gangs, followed by civil war and genocide," as well as the negative impacts of the security situation on the productive sectors of the country, "particularly on agricultural and food products, services, and on the mobility of people and goods."<\/p>

As part of this state of emergency, the government authorizes itself to take a series of measures aimed at restoring public order, strengthening security, and ensuring a return to normalcy. The decree, published in the official journal Le Moniteur<\/i> on September 17, 2026, notably provides for the acceleration of fund release procedures, the execution of deemed necessary expenditures, and the reallocation of certain budget credits (with the exception of those allocated to salaries, allowances, and pensions). It also authorizes the authorities to enter into contracts according to expedited procedures outlined by public procurement regulations, to order the closure of establishments, and to impose special circulation rules in the affected areas.<\/p>

From a security and humanitarian perspective, the planned provisions include strengthening security measures, deploying the Armed Forces of Haiti (FAd'H) in support of the National Police of Haiti (PNH), as well as implementing special safety measures. The government may also order the evacuation of people when their protection requires it, requisition emergency resources and private shelter locations if public resources are insufficient, and make arrangements to accommodate and supply displaced populations.<\/p>

The decree also provides for the establishment of financial assistance programs for victims, the mobilization of national and international resources, and, if operations require it, the suspension of certain essential services, notably road, maritime, air, and telephone communications.<\/p>

The decree will be implemented by the ministries of Justice and Public Security (MJSP), Interior and Local Authorities (MICT), Defense (MD), Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Rural Development (MARNDR), Public Works, Transportation and Communications (MTPTC), Economy and Finance (MEF), Planning and External Cooperation (MPCE), Commerce and Industry (MCI), as well as Public Health and Population (MSPP).<\/p>

This state of emergency is the third to be declared for these three departments in thirteen months. The first two were adopted respectively between August 9 and November 9, 2025, for the first, and between June 3 and September 3, 2026, for the second. While these exceptional measures are supposed to provide the state with more resources to act, particularly against insecurity, the situation remains concerning. Between July and August 2026, according to UNFPA, nearly 2,600 people were displaced in Kenscoff and about 6,250 others in Artibonite, following deadly attacks by armed gangs, even as the departments of Ouest and Artibonite were under a state of emergency.<\/p>

The declaration of a state of emergency has become a recurring practice in recent years. Between 2024 and 2025, this exceptional measure was repeatedly declared under the governments of Ariel Henry, Garry Conille, and Alix Didier Fils-Aimé. As early as March 2024, a state of emergency was declared under the government of Ariel Henry for the department of Ouest, before extending to several municipalities in Artibonite from July 2024, and then to the entire national territory in September of the same year, until January 2025. In all cases, these declarations have always been justified by the deterioration of the security situation. Nevertheless, the results remain increasingly mixed.<\/p>