By: Antonio Dey | HGP Nightly News|
Haiti: UN Reports Surge in Displacement After Armed Attacks
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has confirmed that hundreds of Haitians fled their homes last week after violent armed attacks in the community of Tabarre.
According to UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq, more than 600 people were displaced following attacks on November 13 and 14.
By the end of October, Haiti had recorded 1.4 million internally displaced people—the highest ever seen, and a one-third increase compared to last year.
Haq urged all parties to protect civilians and allow safe, unhindered humanitarian access amid escalating gang violence.
This comes as gang leader Jimmy “Barbecue” Chérizier called on residents of Port-au-Prince to stay indoors, warning of confrontations with police forces.
Latin America & Caribbean: FAO Says COP30 Must Transform Global Food Systems
The Assistant Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), René Orellana Halkyer, says the ongoing COP30 summit in Brazil must produce more than climate promises—it must trigger a complete shift in how the world approaches food security.
Halkyer highlighted that in 2024, climate shocks were the primary cause of food crises in 18 countries, affecting 72 million people.
He pointed to Hurricane Melissa’s destructive impact on Jamaica, Haiti, and Cuba as a reminder of the region’s food systems’ vulnerability.
Over the past five decades, climate change has slashed global cereal yields by 2–5%, while in Latin America, maize yields have fallen by about 5%. Since 1961, global agricultural productivity has dropped by 21%, equivalent to losing seven years of progress.
United Kingdom: CARICOM Reparations Chair Criticizes British Press
Chairman of the CARICOM Reparations Commission, Sir Hilary Beckles, is calling on the United Kingdom to revisit its socioeconomic approach to the Caribbean and reject divisive narratives emerging from sections of the British press.
Beckles, speaking during a landmark visit to the UK aimed at advancing reparatory justice efforts, said some media portray Caribbean nations as seeking to “take money from taxpayers,” ignoring the region’s historic hospitality and longstanding structural disadvantages.
He reminded that when Britain ended colonial rule, Caribbean nations were left with no resources, bankrupt treasuries, and no economic strategy—yet were expected to survive “on their own.”
Sir Hilary insisted that reparations should not divide the UK and emphasized that Caribbean leaders have been raising these issues since the 1960s.
