Gangs in Haiti could seize the capital, Port-au-Prince, leading to a complete collapse of government power unless more international support is provided to the country's struggling police force, the UN secretary-general warned, The Associated Press reported.
Antonio Guterres said in a report released to the Security Council on Wednesday on the deteriorating situation in the Western Hemisphere's poorest country that "time is of the essence".
Further delays in providing police with additional officers for the multinational force trying to curb gang violence, or in additional bilateral aid "risk a catastrophic breakdown of national security institutions," Guterres said.
"This "could allow gangs to take over the entire capital area, leading to a complete breakdown of state authority and rendering international operations, including those supporting communities in need, in the country unviable," Guterres said.
He told the Security Council: "We must urgently do everything we can to prevent such an outcome."
Kenya is leading the multinational police force and 217 more officers arrived over the weekend, bringing the total force to more than 600, short of the 1,000 officers promised by the country's president. An additional 150 Guatemalans and a preliminary team of eight Salvadoran soldiers have also arrived, but the force remains far short of the planned 2,500 personnel.
According to the United Nations, more than 5,600 people were killed in Haiti last year.