Anthony Blinken says a multinational force is needed to help Haiti

United States State Secretary Antony Blinken and Prime Minister Ariel Henry met in Trinidad and Tobago on the sidelines of the CARICOM summit of Caribbean nations.

The two "agreed on the urgency of deploying a UN-authorized multinational force or peacekeeping operation to enable the National Police to restore peace and security," the State Department said in a statement.

Ariel Henry, for his part, told reporters that in addition to the violence "there is a worrying humanitarian crisis" in the country in terms of food insecurity, hailing Washington's aid thus far as "invaluable."

No country has yet stepped forward to lead the international force, and President Joe Biden's administration has made clear that it will not risk Americans' lives, instead prioritizing bolstering Haiti's fledgling national police force.

"The United States shares the commitment felt throughout the region to help the Haitian people shape their future to restore the country's democratic order through free and fair elections," Blinken told regional leaders at the summit.

"Haitians cannot achieve these critical goals without security," he said.

"That's why we've been and remain the largest international donor to the Haitian National Police, why we support the nation's government's call for a multinational force to help us restore security."