Haitians have faced a variety of challenges over the years, including political, security, social, and economic issues. The long-running crisis has been exacerbated by months of brutal gang violence that claimed more than 2,500 lives in the first quarter of 2024 alone.
WFP Deputy Director Carl Skau, who recently returned from his home country, told reporters at UN headquarters in New York that the crisis was the worst since the 2010 Haiti earthquake.
“Half of the population, approximately 5 million people, are experiencing severe food insecurity.” He added that more than one million people are in IPC Level 4, or critical starvation.
He emphasized that the political and security response to the crisis must be accompanied by a strong humanitarian response.
“What I saw on site was I can do this, also in Port-au-Prince, the center of the crisis. But that’s We also need to do more on resilience and development elsewhere to really break this vicious cycle.,” he added.
‘The crisis was felt everywhere’
According to the United Nations Office for the Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), there are approximately 90,200 refugees in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area, and the number continues to rise.
At the same time, in other parts of the country, trade is disrupted, inflation rises sharply, and supplies begin to run low.
Mr. Scow said, “The crisis is felt everywhere,” and called for a differentiated response.
“What we need is an emergency response in Port-au-Prince, but other types of support can continue, including development support in the rest of the region,” he said.
WFP officials noted that relief supplies on the ground were starting to run out.
“So we have to replenish our shipments as well. So we are hoping to see the international airport open for at least one flight and that this will be possible. Continued and expandedAnd also that a port will be opened in Port-au-Prince.”
Carl Skau, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations World Food Program (WFP), briefs reporters on his recent visit to Haiti.
