Country Risk Report
Haiti
Port-au-Prince
French and Haitian Creole (official)
Haitian gourde (HTG)
Executive Summary
Haiti is classified as an EXTREME risk destination in a state of near-total collapse. Criminal gangs, allied since February 2024 under the Viv Ansanm coalition, control an estimated 90 per cent of Port-au-Prince and have expanded into the Artibonite, Centre and Ouest departments. Around 300 criminal groups operate nationwide, and the UN has recorded more than 16,000 people killed since January 2022, including over 8,100 in 2025 alone. Nearly 1.5 million people are displaced and 6.4 million, more than half the population, need humanitarian assistance. The Transitional Presidential Council's mandate ended in February 2026, with Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aime recognised as head of the transition and elections tentatively planned for August 2026. The Kenya-led Multinational Security Support mission has been replaced by a UN-authorised Gang Suppression Force, whose first contingent, from Chad, arrived in April 2026. Kidnapping for ransom is endemic, gangs use sexual violence as a weapon, and control of ports, roads and the capital's airport severely disrupts movement and aid. The health system has collapsed, cholera and other diseases circulate, and hurricanes and earthquakes recur. Cover is available on request only. Standard travel insurance is invalid.
Risk Matrix
| Category | Risk Rating | Commentary |
|---|---|---|
| Armed Conflict | Extreme | Gang coalition controls most of the capital and is expanding; effectively an urban war. |
| Terrorism | Moderate | Dominant threat is organised gang violence rather than terrorism, though civilians are targeted. |
| Kidnapping | Extreme | Kidnapping for ransom is endemic; foreigners are high-value targets. |
| Crime | Extreme | Pervasive armed robbery, extortion, sexual violence and looting amid collapsed order. |
| Civil Unrest | High | Protests, roadblocks and vigilante violence occur amid political vacuum. |
| Health & Medical | Extreme | Health system has collapsed and cholera circulates. Serious cases require evacuation. |
| Internal Travel | Extreme | Gang control of roads, ports and the airport makes movement extremely dangerous. |
| Digital / Cyber | Moderate | Limited infrastructure and monitoring; connectivity disrupted by the crisis. |
Essential Precautions
Security Situation
Haiti is in a state of collapse with no reliably safe area in the capital and violence spreading nationwide. Gangs control most of Port-au-Prince, the state has lost effective control, and an international force is only beginning to deploy against entrenched armed groups.
Port-au-Prince and the Metropolitan Area
The Artibonite Department
The Centre and Ouest Departments
The South and Provinces
Detailed Risk Assessment
Armed Conflict
The situation amounts to an urban war between the Viv Ansanm gang coalition, the Haitian police, and a newly deploying international Gang Suppression Force. Gangs conduct coordinated assaults on infrastructure, and counter-gang drone operations have caused civilian deaths.
The capital is the main battleground, with gang assaults and counter-operations.
The Artibonite sees armed gang offensives against communities.
The Centre and Ouest see spreading gang conflict.
The provinces face growing pressure as gangs expand.
Terrorism
The dominant threat is organised gang violence rather than terrorism, but gangs deliberately target civilians, infrastructure, schools and hospitals to control territory and instil fear, with effects comparable to those of a terrorist campaign.
The capital sees systematic gang violence against civilians and infrastructure.
The Artibonite has suffered mass-casualty gang attacks.
The Centre and Ouest see attacks tied to gang expansion.
The provinces face a lower but rising threat.
Kidnapping and Detention
Kidnapping for ransom is endemic and a defining feature of the crisis. Gangs abduct Haitians and foreigners alike, including officials, and use abduction alongside sexual violence to control populations. Aid workers and anyone perceived to have resources are at high risk.
The capital has the highest kidnapping risk, on roads and at chokepoints.
The Artibonite carries a high abduction risk amid gang control.
The Centre and Ouest carry rising abduction risk on routes.
The provinces carry abduction risk on inter-city roads.
Crime and Lawlessness
Order has collapsed, and armed robbery, extortion, looting and sexual violence are pervasive. Gangs run checkpoints, control commerce and manipulate aid, and there is effectively no functioning civil protection in gang areas.
The capital is dominated by gang crime and extortion.
The Artibonite sees armed predation and looting.
The Centre and Ouest see rising crime with gang expansion.
The provinces have comparatively more order but growing crime.
Internal Travel
Movement is extremely dangerous. Gangs control key roads, the main ports and the approaches to the capital's airport, which has been attacked and periodically closed, cutting Haiti off. Road travel through gang territory carries an extreme risk of ambush and abduction.
Movement in the capital is severely constrained and high risk.
The Artibonite has dangerous, gang-controlled routes.
The Centre and Ouest have increasingly cut routes.
The provinces are reachable but often isolated by gang control of arteries.
Health and Disease
The health system has collapsed, with hospitals attacked, looted or closed. Cholera has returned and circulates, malnutrition is widespread, and serious cases require international evacuation, which is extremely difficult given the insecurity and airport disruption.
The capital's hospitals are overwhelmed, attacked or closed.
The Artibonite has minimal and disrupted health services.
The Centre and Ouest have limited services under strain.
The provinces have basic and often distant care.
Cultural and Religious Sensitivities
Haiti is culturally rich with strong Christian and Vodou traditions, and communities are generally welcoming, but the crisis has made any perceived affiliation or misstep dangerous. Discretion, cultural respect and reliance on trusted local guidance are essential.
The capital is tense and dangerous despite cultural warmth.
The Artibonite is traumatised by gang violence.
The Centre and Ouest are strained by displacement.
The provinces retain stronger community structures.
LGBT Travellers
Same-sex relationships are not criminalised but face significant social hostility, and the collapse of order removes any protection. LGBT travellers should exercise discretion, particularly given the pervasive violence and lack of recourse.
Diplomatic and Government Situation
The state has effectively lost control, the Transitional Presidential Council's mandate ended in February 2026, and Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aime is recognised as head of a fragile transition with elections tentatively set for August 2026. A UN-authorised Gang Suppression Force is only beginning to deploy, and consular support is minimal, with the US embassy itself having been attacked.
The capital hosts the weakened government and the limited international presence.
The Artibonite is largely outside effective state control.
The Centre and Ouest see contested and weakening authority.
The provinces retain more local governance but limited reach.
Digital and Cyber Threats
Telecommunications infrastructure is limited and disrupted by the crisis, and connectivity can fail during violence. Monitoring capacity is limited, but travellers should still practise good digital hygiene given the risk environment.
The capital has functioning but disrupted connectivity.
The Artibonite has unreliable connectivity.
The Centre and Ouest have variable connectivity.
The provinces often have limited coverage.
Vaccinations & Health Hazards
Strongly Recommended
- Cholera
Recommended given active circulation and collapsed water and sanitation.
- Hepatitis A and Typhoid
Recommended due to contaminated food and water.
- Hepatitis B and Tetanus
Recommended given limited safe medical care and trauma risk.
- Measles (MMR) and Diphtheria
Ensure boosters are current given outbreak risk.
Other Health Hazards
- Malaria: Risk is present. Take prophylaxis and bite-avoidance measures.
- Cholera: Active circulation; practise strict food and water hygiene.
- Trauma capacity: Trauma care has collapsed. Carry a trauma kit and pre-arrange evacuation.
- Natural disasters: Hurricanes and earthquakes recur and can overwhelm the response.
- Routine vaccines: Ensure all primary courses and boosters are up to date on the UK schedule. Consult a health professional four to six weeks before departure.
Choosing the Right Insurance
Standard travel insurance is invalid for Haiti. Cover is available on request only and must be specialist war-risk insurance covering emergency medical evacuation, security extraction, repatriation and kidnap-for-ransom response. Given the collapsed health system and airport disruption, evacuation and K&R cover are essential. Policies may exclude gang-controlled areas and require pre-travel approval.
Annex A - Key Risk Dynamics
Checkpoints and Detention Triggers
Gangs control roads and run checkpoints to extort, abduct and kill. Key intersections and the airport approaches are prime ambush and kidnap sites. Carry minimal documentation and a verifiable purpose; do not display valuables. Do not photograph gangs, checkpoints or security operations.Kidnapping and Detention Dynamics
Abduction for ransom is routine and targets Haitians and foreigners alike. Most abductions occur in transit, especially near the airport and on arterial roads. Gangs use sexual violence alongside abduction as a weapon of control. Locally hired staff may be coerced or complicit.High-Risk Travellers
Leisure travellers have no reason or support structure in a collapsed state. Aid workers face high abduction and attack risk. Unaccompanied individuals face extreme risk on any road movement. First-time hostile-environment travellers are unlikely to manage the urban-war conditions.Annex B - Key Preparation & Checklists
Essential Preparation and Medical
Travel only for critical purposes with specialist security support and war-risk insurance covering evacuation and K&R. Use hardened accommodation and vetted protection. Establish extraction and evacuation plans before arrival and carry a trauma kit. Prepare for hurricanes, earthquakes and cholera.Digital Security and Checkpoints
Travel with clean devices and enable remote wipe. Plan for connectivity failures during violence. Clear sensitive imagery and affiliations. Turn off geolocation and cloud sync.Movement and Operational Security
Avoid gang zones, which cover most of the capital and key routes. Treat the airport approaches and ports as high-risk corridors. Use only vetted transport and avoid predictable routines. Expect gang checkpoints and vigilante roadblocks.Conduct and Legal Compliance
Keep a low profile and do not display wealth. Defer to trusted local guidance and respect local customs. Never photograph gangs, checkpoints or operations.This report is provided for information only and does not constitute travel or security advice. Ratings are indicative and subject to change without notice. Confirm current conditions with Hotspot Cover before any deployment.
hotspotcover.com © Hotspot Cover - Country Risk Report