The ongoing violence in Haiti impacts nearly every aspect of society,  making it harder to access healthcare, do business and live safely, with certain sectors increasingly coming under gang control. The UN Human Rights Office reports that in 2024 over 5,600 people were killed, which represents an increase of over 1,000 killings compared with 2023.

One of the key drivers of Haiti's escalating crisis is corruption. Corruption corrodes the system at every level and in every sector, including the justice sector, and it fuels the existence of criminal armed actors in the country. When basic services fail and criminal justice systems are shuttered, communities become more susceptible to the influence and control of armed groups that exploit the state's weaknesses.

Amidst these challenges, the Anti-Corruption Unit of Haiti (ULCC) continues to lead the fight against corruption in the country.  The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) sat down with Joseph Hans Jacques Ludwig, General Director of ULCC, to talk about the pursuit of justice and fostering a culture of accountability and transparency in Haiti. UNODC works closely with ULCC to enhance Haiti's anti-corruption framework.

"In July 2020, when I received a phone call from the President of the Republic [of Haiti], Jovenel Mose, the President who was cowardly assassinated, he offered me the position of Director General of the ULCC. So, I took a little time to think about it, to fully understand the role and the scope of the mission that would be mine. And I agreed on the spot to carry, as I often say, this burden on behalf of a generation, especially at that time, which called for accountability," he explains.

In Haiti, the humanitarian crisis is deepening, with over 48 per cent of the population living in conditions of food insecurity, as he further explains. This reality reflects a population enduring widespread poverty and deprivation, with few resources and virtually no access to essential services like healthcare or social support. His prognosis is not optimistic: 

"We are experiencing a situation of disintegration, to the point where we cannot even guarantee that in 10, 20 or 30 years, there will still be a Haitian nation, as this strikes a fatal blow to even the concept of living together as a community."

The situation is further exacerbated by corruption. Haiti's national security is severely compromised by systemic corruption among public officials, allowing high-calibre weapons to enter the country through weak borders and customs checkpoints.

"If you see how high-calibre weapons are covertly entering our borders, breaching our checkpoints and controls, it's because corrupt officials are involved. These officials accept bribes or abuse their positions to allow harmful individuals access to these significant weapons and to enter the country. Beneath it all, corruption is always at play.'

At the heart of the ULCC's mission is an ambitious vision to promote "positive peace" - a peace that involves deep-rooted societal transformation, justice and sustainable reform. The ULCC has been instrumental in sending 50 investigation reports over the past three years to the Prosecutor's Office (Commissaire du Gouvernement) on suspicions of corruption crimes - a figure that exceeds the total number of reports submitted in the previous 17 years combined.  However, with limited resources, it faces immense challenges in seeing these cases through the justice system.

Part of fostering "positive peace" is ensuring that the young generation is equipped with the values that foster a culture of integrity. Equally, without legitimate economic opportunities, young people are more likely to be recruited by gangs, fueling a cycle of violence.

"We are investing in the future; this is a long-term effort that must begin with education, a fundamental social service. I've mentioned the need for minimal living conditions. How can we expect a child, whose understanding and conscience are still developing, and who is exposed to all kinds of hardships, who cannot eat, cannot grow properly, and lacks even basic shelter - how can we expect such a child not to be vulnerable to temptation?"

In 2023, ULCC, in cooperation with the Ministry of Education, launched two integrity clubs at Lycee National de Petion-Ville and Canado-Hatien college. The General Director of ULCC reports that the aim is to create such clubs in every educational institution across the country, encouraging young people to join the fight against corruption.

"Young people need to understand as well: when you hold a position of responsibility, you have an obligation to be accountable. This is the culture we are trying to instil from the start, beginning in their adolescence and childhood. This is the ambition driving us: to offer the country a new ethical generation, a new virtuous generation."

As Haiti navigates these turbulent times, the work of ULCC stands as a beacon of hope and integrity.

"UNODC's involvement on the ground is vital to us, both in terms of strengthening our institutions and bolstering our human resources. They consistently support training sessions led by UNODC experts who train our investigators on key topics that are essential to us: investigative techniques, methods for conducting inquiries and more.

We can clearly see the positive outcomes of this strong collaboration that currently exists between UNODC and ULCC, as it further motivates us and strengthens our leadership."

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This initiative has been made possible thanks to the generous contributions from Canada, the European Union and the UN Peacebuilding Fund. 

Source: UNODC