Gangs jointly attacked the country's ports, affecting cargo transportation!

Land access to a key supply port in Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince, is being closed following an attack by an armed gang, Caribbean Port Services (CPS) said on Thursday, rendering the port unable to operate normally.

"The CPS will close all types of barriers to land transport between September 26 and 29," it said in a statement, adding that the suspension would allow the army and national police to ensure security in the area.

A shipping official said this week that ships had been shot at, preventing them from docking and unloading containers, while authorities reported the kidnapping of two Filipino crew members from a cargo ship at the port.

As a result, Maersk has decided to immediately stop any new bookings to and from Haiti to prevent containers from piling up at the transshipment terminal.

“For bookings that have been confirmed but not yet allocated containers, we kindly ask you not to place these containers until further notice to avoid further costs or losses for our customers and Maersk,” the Danish carrier said in a customer advisory.

Maersk noted that transit cargo will remain at its current ports.

Haiti's leaders addressed the United Nations General Assembly this week, warning that the security situation in the Caribbean country is deteriorating despite the partial deployment of a UN-backed security force, whose initial mandate is set to expire in less than a week.

Powerful gangs armed with weapons trafficked mainly from the United States have united into a common alliance in the capital and now control large parts of the city and are expanding into nearby areas.

More than 700,000 people are internally displaced, nearly double the number six months ago. As food becomes more expensive and hunger rates soar, many are living in makeshift camps in schools, without a regular source of income.

“This situation is not only a humanitarian emergency, but also a threat to the stability of our country,” Edgard Le Blanc-Fiers, the president of Haiti’s transitional council, told the U.N. General Assembly earlier on Thursday. “It is never too late to act.”

According to the World Food Program, food prices in Haiti rose 42% in July compared to the same period last year.

LeBlanc also urged the Security Council to consider transforming the underfunded and undermanned Kenyan-led security force into a formal peacekeeping mission to secure more stable funding, troops and equipment from U.N. member states.

Haiti's main seaport and international airport were closed for nearly three months earlier this year when violence peaked in late February, with thousands of people breaking out of prison and the then-prime minister resigning.

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2024/9/30 12:23:00