UNITED NATIONS – Prime Minister Garry Conille has urged the international community to stand by Haiti, warning “If we fail, it will not only be Haiti that will sink, but the entire region that will bear the scars”.
Prime Ministers Justin Trudeau (Left) and Garry Conille in discussions ahead of the ECOSO meeting on HaitiAddressing the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Haiti, Connille said it was important that the international community to act now and keep its commitments to Haiti, where efforts are being made to restore peace and security following the July 7, 2021 assassination of then president Jovenel Moise.
Prime Minister Conille, who met with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau ahead of the ECOSOC meeting where both noted that it is important for international partners to fill the investment gap in the United Nations authorized Kenya-led Multinational Security Support(MSS) Mission, which aims to provide much-needed respite to the Haitian people.
“We must be clear-headed. After these 100 days, a bitter truth has emerged: the Haitian crisis, in its security, humanitarian, social, economic and political components, has been largely underestimated,” Conille said.
“The gangs we are facing are not just disorganized gangs; These are real armed groups, often well-equipped and determined, with transnational ramifications. In some cases, the situation we are facing is nothing less than an urban war, forcing our law enforcement agencies to act house by house, because buildings and neighborhoods are often transformed into death traps.
“We need more sophisticated weapons, more substantial resources, and increased training for our forces to respond sustainably to this threat that sometimes takes on the appearance of a civil war.”
Conille told the more than 40 representatives of countries and international partners at the ECOSOC meeting that “it is imperative that the international community stand by our side, with resources that match the stakes, warning “if we fail, it will not only be Haiti that will sink, but the entire region that will bear the scars”.
During the ECOSOC meeting, the President of Guatemala Bernardo Arévalo, whose country was participating for the first time in ECOSOC, spoke about the political, humanitarian and security crisis that Haiti is currently facing.
He stressed that it is essential to seek a comprehensive solution to end this difficult situation.
“The path to Peace in Haiti requires both security and economic and social progress. We will continue to support the Special Advisory Group and all efforts to seek inclusive and sustainable solutions,” said the President, who announced that 150 Guatemalan military officers will be deployed to Haiti as part of the MSS adding “this reflects our commitment to stability and peace in the region.”.
In her address to the meeting, UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed, said the security situation in Haiti remains extremely preoccupying” and poses major threats not only to the people of Haiti but also to peace and security in the region”.
She said gang violence continues to ravage the country with heavily armed gangs attacking police stations, looting hospitals, occupying courthouses, and destroying other critical installations.
“These are deliberate efforts to erode state authority, sow chaos and make it easier to prey on vulnerable communities.”
Mohammed said that between January and the end of August, the United Nations has documented more than 3,400 people killed and 1,600 others injured in gang violence – with over a 1,000 people kidnapped by these groups.
She said other shocking human rights abuses have been amply documented, including rape, forced recruitment, and exploitation. More than 578,000 people are internally displaced, over half of them children.
Nearly half of the population are food insecure and lack access to clean drinking water.
“The proliferation of armed gangs in the capital has led to an alarming rise in sexual and gender-based violence mainly against women and girls. In some areas, health service providers have reported receiving 40 rape victims a day. The perpetrators of these heinous crimes must face justice.”
Mohammed said many children are victims of crossfire, exploitation and trafficking, forced to join gangs and increasingly used to carry out attacks and that UNICEF estimates that 30 to 50 per cent of gang members are children.
“Haiti’s situation exemplifies a vicious cycle where decades of development deficits are deepened by ongoing insecurity and political instability. This cycle has severely hampered any progress towards sustainable development, deeply affecting the socio-economic fabric of the nation.
“Haiti also has one of the highest infant and maternal mortality rates in the Western Hemisphere,” the UN official said, noting that “these daily horrors must stop”.
She said the Haitian National Police face significant shortages of human, material and financial resources.
“They need sustained and generous international support to equip and empower them to tackle the escalating gang violence and to protect Haitians from violence. The deployment of the Multinational Security Support mission in June is a welcome development,” she said, adding “I salute the commitment of Kenya, Belize and Jamaica, who have currently deployed personnel to the MSS”.
Mohammed said that the UN Trust Fund for the MSS has received US$67 million in voluntary contributions from member states, out of a total of US$84 million pledged.
“Still, much more is needed to ensure the MSS can fulfil its mandate. This is why the Secretary-General has consistently urged member states to contribute to the MSS. However, addressing security concerns alone is insufficient.”
She said enhancing educational opportunities, healthcare access, social protection and economic development is crucial to breaking the cycle of poverty and instability and foster a resilient society.
But Mohammed acknowledged that breaking the cycle of violence requires both political solutions and security measures – in parallel.
“Progress on the establishment of transitional bodies is urgently to ensure that the elections timeline agreed by Haitian stakeholders and the restoration of democratic institutions by February 2026 does not slip.
“I call on all political stakeholders in Haiti to reaffirm their commitment to the political accord and roadmap to re-establishing democratic institutions.”
Earlier, Prime Minister Trudeau welcomed what he described as the “slow, but real progress being made” in Haiti towards restoring democracy, security and stability in the French-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country.
Trudeau and Connille agreed on the importance of the work underway toward free and fair elections in Haiti.
Trudeau reiterated his long-standing support for Haiti’s solutions to the ongoing crisis and underscored Canada’s commitment to help restore peace and security in Haiti and looked forward to making further progress during Canada’s presidency of ECOSOC in the 2024-2025 session.
