Haiti Linked for Ten Years to Erik Prince's Private Military Company
By La Rédaction · Port-au-Prince
· 2 min read · Updated 24 April 2026
Translated from French — AI-assisted and reviewed by the editorial team. The French version is authoritative. Read the original · About our translation policy
PORT-AU-PRINCE. — Faced with the rise of armed gangs and persistent insecurity, the Haitian government has signed a ten-year contract with the private military company Vectus Global, led by American Erik Prince, founder and former head of Blackwater. The announcement was made by Prince himself, in an interview with Reuters.
Considerable Military Resources
According to the terms of the agreement, Vectus Global commits to deploying a private force in Haiti comprising snipers, air units equipped with helicopters, and naval assets. Their mission: to regain control of national roads and counter the expansion of gangs, particularly those affiliated with the Viv Ansanm coalition.
As an indicator of success, Erik Prince cited the possibility of traveling from Port-au-Prince to Cap-Haïtien in a light vehicle, without being intercepted by toll booths imposed by armed groups.
Security and Taxation: An Unprecedented Partnership
Beyond the military aspect, the agreement includes cooperation on taxation. By securing major road axes and the border with the Dominican Republic, Vectus Global will also have to ensure the collection of taxes on imported goods. The government presents this measure as a way to strengthen its public revenues, often diverted by criminal networks.
First Deployments Underway
According to official sources, Vectus Global's first operations reportedly began in March 2025, notably with the use of drones, in coordination with a task force led by Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé. Several hundred American, European, and Salvadoran combatants, specializing in shooting, intelligence, and communications, are expected to be deployed in the most exposed areas, in support of the Haitian National Police.
A Decisive but Controversial Choice
For the authorities, this contract illustrates the transitional regime's desire to combine security reforms and economic recovery. But the agreement is already sparking strong controversies, particularly concerning national sovereignty and the role entrusted to a foreign private army in public security.
Its proponents see it as a pragmatic response to the security emergency. Its detractors, however, denounce an excessive delegation of Haitian sovereignty to foreign private actors. Some bitterly recall the American occupation of 1915, believing that 'granting foreigners the management of tax collection itself amounts to resurrecting the worst memories of the past'.
Jean Mapou
