By Sarah Morland (Reuters) -Colombian President Gustavo Petro arrived in Haiti's southeastern city of Jacmel on Wednesday afternoon in a rare visit by a foreign head of state to the Caribbean nation,

The transitional government should prioritize governance over competing personal and political interests. Now is not the time for political infighting.’

Haiti is showing signs of progress on the political front despite serious setbacks in terms of security, the Special Representative and Head of the UN office in the country, BINUH, told the Security Council on Wednesday.

Haiti's capital could become overrun by criminal gangs if the international community does not step up aid to a UN-backed security mission to the Caribbean nation, United Nations chief Antonio Guterres warned in a report Wednesday.

More than 5,601 people in Haiti were killed in Haiti last year as a result of gang violence, about a thousand more than in 2023, the UN said.

The latest attacks occurred a day after gangs shot up an armored vehicle belonging to the U.S. Embassy in Haiti.

The United Nations chief issued a warning in a report released on Wednesday about the escalating threat posed by gangs in Haiti, emphasizing that without additional international support for the

Colombian President Gustavo Petro made a historic visit to Haiti's city of Jacmel amidst Haiti's struggle with armed gangs. His meeting with Haitian officials aimed at strengthening ties and addressing security challenges.

Petro is one of only a handful of heads of state that have visited Haiti recently given a surge in gang violence that has prompted a growing number of leaders in the international community to call for a U.N.-peacekeeping mission in the Caribbean country, noting that the current Kenyan-led mission lacks funds and personnel.

The U.N. migration agency says internal displacement within Haiti has tripled over the last year and now surpasses 1 million people.

For all their charm, the pristine beaches of the Caribbean have always been slightly at odds with the reality of life in the region. This situation is helped by the fact that tourism remains the lifeblood of local economies – and is typically insulated from the high crime rates,

An additional 217 Kenyan police officers landed in Haiti on Saturday to bolster a multinational force seeking to restore order to the violence-ridden Caribbean island.