"We are in very active discussions with countries in the region and elsewhere. We're also in active discussions with the United Nations [...] Part of it is to make sure that countries commit to playing a significant role in this force, in particular by identifying a country that would play the lead role. Again, we're very actively engaged in that," said Blinken.
"We have a great sense of urgency about this country. We have been working hard on several lines of action," he added.
"As you've heard from the leaders of Haiti, the Haitian people [...] there is a consensus on the need for some sort of multinational force to support police work and try to create a safer space and climate," the Secretary of State said.
The government must be able to regain control without being dominated by gangs, as is the case in many parts of the country", he argued.
Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry has been calling for international intervention for almost a year, but no country has yet declared itself ready to lead an intervention force.
Mr. Blinken, who met Mr. Henry on Wednesday evening on the sidelines of the CARICOM summit in Trinidad and Tobago, called on the "international community" to "come together".
At least 264 people accused of belonging to gangs have been killed by groups of self-proclaimed vigilantes since April in Haiti, the UN said on Thursday in the crisis-hit country.
Faced with the inability of the police to deal with the unprecedented gang violence that control a majority of Port-au-Prince, some residents have decided to take justice into their own hands.
"The Haitian population is trapped in a waking nightmare," commented UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who visited Port-au-Prince on Saturday, earlier in the day.
"The humanitarian situation is beyond appalling. Cruel gangs have taken control of the population of Haiti", he added.
Translated by CHIP editors
Posted July 9, 2023