Haiti's political crisis and gang control exacerbate famine, putting over a million at risk, with child malnutrition akin to war zones. The dire situation in Haiti is a result of a combination of factors, including political instability, economic collapse, and gang violence. 

Port-au-Prince

The United Nations has issued a warning concerning a deepening food crisis in Haiti, which is severely affected by the country's continuing political turmoil and the dominant control of gangs. This crisis places over a million individuals at risk, with cases of child malnutrition reaching levels comparable to those found in war-torn regions. The catastrophic state Haiti is facing is attributed to an amalgam of political instability, economic downturn, and rampant gang violence. These factors have collectively contributed to pushing the nation towards a critical humanitarian emergency, with heightened concerns over the well-being of its most vulnerable populations.



UN warns of food crisis in Haiti as gangs reign

While Haiti's political crisis plays out, more than a million people are now on the brink of famine. That's coming from the World Food Programme, which is struggling to feed them. It's a losing battle because the country, and especially the capital, are cut off from outside supplies. Port-au-Prince is essentially in a bubble. The roads in and out of Port-au-Prince have been controlled by armed groups for a long time. These past few days, the ports have been closed and there have been no incoming flights. And we're seeing food prices rise, we're seeing scarcity of some food items. Gangs are in control of vast swathes of the capital. It's them choking off the entryways. They've been doing it for years, but it's escalated in recent weeks as they've clamoured for Prime Minister Ariel Henry to quit. Now he says he'll go as soon as an interim prime minister is named. But as that political crisis plays out, people are struggling to provide for their families. Goucher Reginald lives in Sandsville, one of the poorer parts of the capital. They've been especially affected by food shortages. The problem of hunger is very difficult for me and for all Haitians. I live with five children as well as my mother, all of whom I take care of and feed every day. It's no small matter. This is the worst experience in life. We live in a country where people's rights are not respected. Haitian children especially are at risk. Even before the recent escalation in violence, one in four suffered from chronic malnutrition. And the World Food Programme says it's now running through its reserves. Once those give out, things could get worse. The children in Port-au-Prince, the most vulnerable part of the population, are at greatest risk. In the commune of Croix-de-Bouquet in Port-au-Prince, you've got malnutrition rates that are as high as they are in war zones. The hope of some is that once a transition government is established, the country can reopen and supplies can get where they need to be. But that appears to depend as much on the gangs as the politicians, a powerful, unpredictable force in the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. John Holman, Al Jazeera, the Dominican Republic.

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