AS DELIVERED
Thank you, Madam President. Special Representative La Lime, thank you for your briefing on the situation in Haiti and for ongoing efforts of BINUH and the UN Country Team. Dr. Descardes, thank you for your invaluable perspective on both the issues faced by civil society and its essential role in finding lasting solutions for Haiti’s longstanding challenges. We also welcome the participation of Haiti and the Dominican Republic in this meeting – Foreign Minister Geneus, thank you for joining us today.
Once again, this Council has before it a report from the Secretary-General highlighting gang violence, insecurity, and worrying humanitarian and economic conditions in Haiti. Once again, we will all express our concern regarding the trends highlighted in this report, as well as more recent reports of attacks on a courthouse in Port-au-Prince. Once again, we will condemn the horrific toll the ongoing violence has exacted on women and children in Haiti. And once again, we will all reiterate that it is long past time for Haiti’s stakeholders to set aside their differences, and to finally put Haiti and Haitians first.
That action can only be taken by Haiti’s leaders. Until they choose to do so collectively, years-long discussions in search of a political accord and deteriorating security conditions will remain fundamental challenges to an electoral process.
The people of Haiti deserve better. As we have repeatedly emphasized to Haiti’s stakeholders, the time is long past for Haiti’s various competing coalitions to find their way to consensus. The United States stands ready to support Haitian efforts to establish a broadly representative and inclusive Provisional Electoral Council.
In the interim, the Government of Haiti must also start the technical work needed to enable free and fair elections when conditions permit. In response to the security situation, the United States will continue to provide increased levels of capacity building assistance to the Haitian National Police, technical assistance, and other logistical support to improve citizen security.
Haiti’s ongoing political impasse, difficult human rights conditions, and high levels of poverty and food insecurity only underscore the importance of BINUH. The United States commends BINUH for its expertise, and for its coordination of the international community’s efforts in support of political progress, human rights, and security in Haiti.
We also take note of the Secretary-General’s assessment that a special political mission remains the UN’s recommended configuration to address Haiti’s most pressing challenges, his endorsement of a 12-month mandate, and his recommendations to further enhance BINUH’s effectiveness. And we look forward to beginning mandate renewal discussions with the Council and the reauthorization of BINUH’s mandate in the coming weeks.
But let us also be clear: while BINUH and a robust UN presence in Haiti are essential, they are not substitutes for meaningful reforms that can only be undertaken by Haiti’s leaders. Ultimately, only the people of Haiti can determine the way forward.
Given the challenges ahead, Haiti needs the strong support of this Council and the international community. Together with Mexico, the United States looks forward to working with all of you to help deliver that urgently needed support by renewing the mandate of BINUH.
Thank you, Madam President.
Original source can be found here.
