UNITED NATIONS – United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres is taking note of the political developments in Haiti where a new prime minister has taken up office replacing Garry Conille who held office for just four months.
United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres (Photo courtesy of UN)The spokesperson for the Secretary-General, Stéphane Dujarric, said that Guterres has reiterated his call for all Haitian stakeholders to work together to work constructively towards expediting the political transition and the restoration of democratic institutions in the country.
Haiti’s new Prime Minister, Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, took up office on Monday emphasising the critical need for security in the French-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country where criminal gangs continue to show disregard for law and order.
“The first essential task that will determine the success of the transition is to re-establish the security of people, property and infrastructure, food security, and freedom of movement throughout the country,” said the 52-year Fils-Aimé.
TPC president, Leslie Voltaire, who had a public disagreement with Conille, congratulated the former government for the work accomplished while reminding the new prime minister of the major challenges he will have to face and which cannot wait.
Dujarric said sustaining and increasing security support for Haiti remains urgent and critical. He said ensuring that the Kenya-led Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission receives the adequate strength, funding and equipment to effectively support the Haitian National Police is essential for the MSS to implement its mandate and to expand its deployment and operations.
“And on a note on that, yesterday our Under-Secretary-General of the Department of Operations, Atul Khare, attended a ceremony at the German House up First Avenue to receive pledge from Germany of 10 million Euros (One Euro=US$1.29 cents); the Trust Fund has now received a total of US$96.9 million in pledges and US$85.3 million in cash.
“We thank all the member states who have contributed to the fund in support of the MSS Mission in Haiti and we encourage all those who have pledged – as we do in all our appeals – to turn those pledges into cold cash,” Dujarric said.
He told the daily news briefing that on the humanitarian front, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs is warning that escalating violence is worsening an already dire humanitarian situation.
“Armed groups took to the streets of the capital, Port-au-Prince yesterday, with at least 20 armed clashes reported and several roadblocks erected, limiting movement across the city – that’s what our partners are telling us, and you could imagine the impact that it has on our own humanitarian operations, not to mention the lives of the civilians in Port-au-Prince.”
Dujarric said that following a Spirit Airlines was shot at on its final approach at the airport in Port-au-Prince, the airport has now been closed until November 18.
“As a result, all UN flights have been suspended, obviously limiting the flow of humanitarian aid and humanitarian personnel into the country. The movement of 20 trucks of critical food and medical supplies to the south was also postponed.”
He said the seaport remains open from the sea, but road access to the port is currently not possible.
“Our partners report that all schools in Port-au-Prince have been closed. Additionally, operations providing cash assistance to 1,000 people in Carrefour area had to be cancelled amid the ongoing violence.
“We are doing all we can to ensure the continuation of operations amidst this challenging environment, including shifting UN flights to a second airport in the north of country, in Cap Haïtien.
“We call for an end to the escalating violence, to allow for safe, sustained and unimpeded humanitarian access, as well as for the protection of people,” said Dujarric.
