Haiti: The transition countdown has begun, warns the UN

With less than four months until the end of the transition's mandate, the United Nations calls on Haitian political actors to accelerate electoral preparations to avoid an institutional vacuum. PORT-AU-PRINCE.— As February 7, 2026, marking the official end of the political transition in Haiti, rapidly approaches, the United Nations is sounding the alarm. Before the Security Council on Wednesday, October 22, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Carlos G. Ruiz, warned that “the transition countdown has begun,” expressing serious concerns about the absence of a clear roadmap towards a return to democratic governance. “In a context of persistent security challenges, the political process has entered the final months of the current transitional governance arrangements, which provide for the transfer of power to elected officials by February 7, 2026,” the diplomat stated. “I am concerned that no clear path towards the re-establishment of democratic governance has yet emerged,” he added. Efforts, certainly, but still insufficient While expressing his concerns, Carlos G. Ruiz welcomed the initiatives undertaken by the Transitional Presidential Council (CPT), which is increasing consultations with political and social forces to avoid an institutional vacuum at the end of the transitional mandate. “I commend the steps taken by national authorities to reach an agreement on the necessary conditions for holding elections and to prevent any breakdown of legitimacy after February 7, 2026,” he affirmed. The UN representative also highlighted the Haitian government's decision to forgo constitutional revision and the organization of a referendum, considering it reflects a shift in direction towards a priority electoral process. According to him, the continuation of inter-Haitian dialogue remains essential to forge a renewed consensus on the way forward, a role that the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) continues to facilitate. Technical support and budgetary constraints Under BINUH's coordination, the United Nations is currently offering technical and logistical support to the Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) to accelerate election preparations. This assistance, however, comes within a tight budgetary context: the Haitian government has allocated 5.4 billion gourdes for electoral activities and 3 billion gourdes for support to political parties in the 2025-2026 national budget. A report from the UN Secretary-General, dated October 14, 2025, specifies that the CEP submitted a revised operational plan accompanied by a budget of 136.5 million dollars for the first phase of the electoral process to the executive on August 5. This amount notably includes additional costs related to insecurity, logistical investments, and accumulated salary arrears. A transition under tension and international pressure As the February 7 deadline approaches, the international community is cautiously observing the evolution of the Haitian political process. Between internal pressures, electoral uncertainties, and persistent insecurity, the success of the transition still appears fragile. According to the UN, the country's stability will depend above all on the willingness of national actors to combine their efforts to guarantee credible elections and avoid a new cycle of political instability. Jean Mapou