Relationship dossier
Haiti
United States
Relationship assessment
A consequential relationship combining US assistance and security involvement with recurring disputes over sovereignty, migration and political influence.
Haiti toward United States
+15Haitian governments have cooperated with US maritime and security efforts, including through a 1981 agreement enabling US Coast Guard interdiction of vessels suspected of drug trafficking. In 2021, Haiti's government requested US security assistance following the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse.
United States toward Haiti
+15The United States led the 1994 military intervention that restored President Jean-Bertrand Aristide to office and provided substantial emergency assistance after Haiti's 2010 earthquake. US involvement has also included the 1915–1934 occupation, contributing to longstanding sensitivity about Haitian sovereignty.
Overall relationship
+10The relationship has been shaped by a marked power asymmetry, substantial US aid and repeated US security involvement. Maritime cooperation and US support during crises have coexisted with the legacy of occupation and recurring Haitian concerns about sovereignty and political influence. Migration policy has also been a persistent source of friction.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Haiti and the United States have a long, consequential relationship marked by extensive US assistance and repeated security involvement, alongside disputes over sovereignty, migration and US influence in Haitian political affairs. Haitian governments have cooperated with US-led maritime and security efforts and sought US support during crises. The relationship has therefore involved concrete cooperation as well as recurring friction.
Areas of tension
- Haitian sovereignty concerns arising from the US occupation of 1915–1934 and subsequent US political and security involvement.
- US immigration enforcement and the treatment and return of Haitian migrants.
Key developments
The United States occupied Haiti from 1915 to 1934.
A US-led intervention restored President Jean-Bertrand Aristide to office.
The United States provided emergency assistance after Haiti's devastating earthquake.
Following President Jovenel Moïse's assassination, Haiti's government requested US security assistance.
Major uncertainties
- The scope and implementation of current bilateral security and migration cooperation are unclear.
- The extent to which Haitian governments have shaped or endorsed US involvement in political crises has varied over time.