Abinader to discuss Haiti crisis with Marco Rubio at UN General Assembly

Santo Domingo.- Dominican President Luis Abinader announced on Monday that he will meet with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio next week in New York during the United Nations General Assembly to discuss the ongoing crisis in Haiti. Abinader explained that the talks will address Washington’s new approach under the Trump administration to confront the insecurity and disruption caused by armed gangs. He stressed that the Haitian issue remains central to Dominican foreign policy and that the country must actively participate in these high-level discussions.

The U.S. has recently signaled a stronger role for the Organization of American States (OAS) in Haiti, with Rubio affirming that the Trump administration is prepared to lead but requires broader regional support. For its part, the Dominican Republic has fortified its nearly 400-kilometer border with Haiti by building a security fence and deploying troops to curb drug trafficking, human smuggling, and potential gang incursions.

The announcement comes as Haiti’s situation worsens. The Kenyan-led, U.S.-backed Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS), created in 2023 to assist the Haitian police, is set to conclude its mandate in October 2025. The end of the MSS mission raises new concerns about the country’s security vacuum and the urgent need for international coordination.