UNITED NATIONS – The United Nations Friday reported that the humanitarian situation remains dire for millions of people across Haiti and that insecurity continues to impact the capital with tens of thousands of people remaining uprooted since the escalation of violence in November.
(File Photo)The spokesperson for the United Nations Secretary General, Stéphane Dujarric, told reporters that the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports also that ongoing floods are impacting thousands of people in both the north and the south of the country.
“In the face of these challenges, the UN and our humanitarian partners are supporting authorities and providing assistance to people in need,” Dujarric told the daily news briefing.
He said in the capital, Port au Prince, over the last week, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and its partners have distributed more than 900,000 litres of water to more than 60,000 displaced people in 26 sites across the capital region.
Dujarric said for its part, the World Food Programme (WFP) has provided more than 95,000 hot meals toan estimated 24,000 displaced people across four sites in Port au Prince, adding that this week, mobile medical clinics operated by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) were made accessible to about 14,000 people at four sites for displaced people.
“In the south, we are continuing to support with our partners in coordinating with authorities the floods response and provide emergency aid, including hygiene kits and blankets and implementing cash transfer activities. For example, IOM provided emergency kits to 4,000 people affected by the recent flooding in Les Cayes.”
Dujarric said despite the ongoing efforts, “our response remains impacted by lack of funding, no surprise.
“As we enter into the last weeks of the year, the US$674 million Humanitarian Response Plan remains only 43 per cent funded, with US$290 million only received. We would love for member states to show more generosity and send us cash for this and all our humanitarian responses.
“We reiterate our call for additional funding to ensure that the dire situation does not further deteriorate,” Dujarric added.
Haii has been plunged into a crisis ever since President Jovenel Moise was assassinated at his private residence overlooking the capital in July 2021 with criminal gangs, which occupy a significant portion of Port au Prince, now seeking to overthrow the government.
The United Nations Security Council has sanctioned a Kenya led Multinational Security Support (MSS) Mission in Haiti, a police and military force, to help Haiti’s government restore law and order.
