Haiti Absent From Hemispheric Forum on Cartels and Narco-Terrorism

Haiti was conspicuously absent from a hemispheric forum on operations against cartels and narco-terrorist organizations held in the Dominican Republic on October 26 and 27, 2026, according to Le Nouvelliste. The newspaper reported that no Haitian representative appeared in the event's official photograph. The forum, hosted in Santo Domingo, brought together defense and public security leaders from 19 nations across the Western Hemisphere. Le Nouvelliste noted the absence as significant given Haiti's security situation: the country's gangs have been designated as terrorist organizations by the United States, and Haiti figures on lists of drug transit countries. The outlet referenced United Nations assessments describing Haiti as a hub for drug trafficking. The report drew attention to the gap between Haiti's exposure to organized crime and narco-trafficking and its non-participation in a regional forum convened to coordinate responses to those threats. The newspaper did not specify a stated reason for Haiti's absence from the gathering. Additional context in the coverage referenced regional developments, including drug seizures in Panama bound for the United States.