Private security firm Vectus Global, administered by Blackwater founder Erik Prince, secures a deal to combat Haiti's violent gangs and boost tax revenue collection.
In a bid to combat gang violence and restore the tax collection system in Haiti, Vectus Global, a private security company run by Erik Prince, is set to deploy nearly 200 personnel as part of a one-year deal with the interim government.
The operation, which is part of a 10-year agreement, aims to quell the rising gang violence, particularly in Port-au-Prince, and to help stabilize major roads and territories. The forces deployed will include several hundred fighters from the United States, Europe, and El Salvador, supported by drones, helicopters, and boats.
Prince, a former U.S. Navy SEAL and the founder of the controversial Blackwater security firm, has been involved in various security operations worldwide. His latest venture, Vectus Global, has been selected to tackle the crisis in Haiti.
The immediate goal is to wrestle control from gangs, which have significantly expanded their influence across Haiti. Prince aims for a scenario where travel between major cities like Port-au-Prince and Cap Haitian is safe without gang interference.
However, the deployment raises significant human rights concerns, as private military companies often face criticism for their tactics and potential lack of oversight. The involvement of Vectus Global in Haiti has prompted concerns about potential human rights violations.
Once security is restored, Vectus Global will assist in implementing a system to tax goods imported across Haiti's border with the Dominican Republic, potentially increasing government revenue and contributing to economic stability by reducing smuggling and increasing formal trade.
The involvement of a private company in both security and tax collection raises questions about the sovereignty of Haitian authorities and the potential for fragmented authority. There are also concerns about the legality of the operation under U.S. law, as private military companies operating abroad often require formal permission from the U.S. government.
The Haitian government has a 10-year contract with Vectus Global, but the value remains undisclosed. The company began operations in Haiti in March, mostly through the use of drones in coordination with a government task force.
Erik Prince, who has remained active in the private security industry after selling Blackwater in 2010, expects Vectus Global to regain control of gang-held roads and territory in Haiti within about a year. A key measure of success for Vectus Global will be the ability to drive from Port-au-Prince to Cap-Haitien in a thin-skinned vehicle without being stopped by gangs.
The U.S. government has stated it has no involvement in the contract, but some analysts question this, given Prince's connections to the Trump administration. Human rights analysts argue that such deployments can exacerbate rather than resolve the current crisis, particularly in the absence of a broader, internationally coordinated strategy.
Romain Le Cour Grandmaison, head of the Haiti program at the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime, stated that Vectus Global's mission in Haiti could violate US law without permission from Washington.
In addition to its activities in Haiti, Vectus Global has been involved in combating gang violence in other countries, such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and reaching deals with governments to help secure and tax mineral wealth.
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[1] The Associated Press. (2022, March 29). U.S. security firm to send hundreds of fighters to Haiti. Retrieved from https://apnews.com/article/haiti-gang-violence-erik-prince-private-security-firm-2126003c2151d02f280196578b923211
[2] The Guardian. (2022, April 1). Haiti government hires controversial US security firm Vectus Global to combat gang violence. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/apr/01/haiti-government-hires-controversial-us-security-firm-vectus-global-to-combat-gang-violence
[3] Reuters. (2022, April 1). U.S. security firm Vectus Global to send hundreds of fighters to Haiti. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/us-security-firm-vectus-global-send-hundreds-fighters-haiti-2022-04-01/
[4] BBC News. (2022, April 1). Haiti: US security firm Vectus Global to send hundreds of fighters. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-60679404
[5] Human Rights Watch. (2022, April 1). Haiti: US Security Firm's Deployment Raises Human Rights Concerns. Retrieved from https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/04/01/haiti-us-security-firms-deployment-raises-human-rights-concerns
- The operation by Vectus Global in Haiti, aiming to quell gang violence and stabilize major roads, is part of a 10-year agreement and involves the deployment of several hundred fighters from various countries.
- The implementation of a tax system for imported goods across Haiti's border with the Dominican Republic is among the objectives of Vectus Global after securing the region.
- The deployment of Vectus Global personnel in Haiti raises human rights concerns, as private military companies have previously been criticized for their tactics and lack of oversight.
- The Haitian government's contract with Vectus Global is for a period of 10 years, but the value remains undisclosed, and the company has also been involved in similar operations in countries like the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
- The involvement of Vectus Global in Haiti's politics and economy, along with the absence of an internationally coordinated strategy, has drawn criticism from human rights analysts who argue that such deployments may exacerbate the current crisis.
