S/PV.6510 Security Council

Under rule 39 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I invite His Excellency Mr. William J. Clinton, United Nations Special Envoy for Haiti, to participate in this meeting. Under rule 39 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I also invite His Excellency Mr. José Miguel Insulza, Secretary General of the Organization of American States; His Excellency Mr. Luis Alberto Moreno Mejía, President of the Inter-American Development Bank; and His Excellency Mr. Percival Noel James Patterson, Special Representative of the Caribbean Community for Haiti, as requested by the Permanent Representatives of Chile, Colombia and the Bahamas to the United Nations, respectively, in their letters of 4 April 2011. Under rule 39 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I invite the Acting Head of the Delegation of the European Union to the United Nations, His Excellency Mr. Pedro Serrano, to participate in this meeting. I wish to welcome warmly the President of Haiti, the Secretary-General, the Ministers and other representatives participating in today’s meeting. Their presence in the Chamber affirms the importance of the topic under consideration. The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. I wish to draw the attention of Council members to document S/2011/183*, which contains the report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti. I also wish to draw the attention of Council members to document S/2011/218, which contains a letter dated 31 March 2011 from the Permanent Representative of Colombia addressed to the Secretary- General, transmitting a concept paper on the item under consideration. I shall now make a statement in my national capacity. “Men anpil chay pa lou”. Allow me to begin this statement using a language that is not one of the official languages of the United Nations but is part of the lives of several million inhabitants of the Caribbean. “Men anpil chay pa lou” is a Creole proverb that means “Many hands make the load lighter”. Today, before the body responsible for the maintenance of international peace and security, in the presence of such noteworthy guests, I wish to say that the hands of the world can make Haiti’s load lighter. I say it in Creole because our heart today speaks the language of that island. On assuming the presidency of the Security Council, Colombia wishes to promote an open debate on Haiti that renews the impetus towards the stabilization and strengthening of the rule of law in that country. This is not specifically to congratulate ourselves for the good that we all have done. The meagre results achieved require us to reflect on the way in which we are carrying out our work. Haiti’s social and economic problems and its reconstruction problems are not new, although they were exacerbated by the tragic earthquake of 12 January last year. Haitians themselves say that it is necessary to rebuild their country, physically and institutionally, and the international community has the moral duty to contribute to that end. However, we must do so in a coordinated and coherent manner, seeking concrete, sustainable and long-term achievements and leaving aside the chaos of well-intentioned but short- term cooperation without lasting outcomes. Today, the proliferation of organizations acting on the island without coordination among themselves or with the Haitian authorities undermines any effort to strengthen institutions and affects the ability to undertake long- term initiatives, preventing these efforts from yielding concrete results. What is worse, the feeling of failure feeds the vicious cycle of poverty and corruption. During my visit to Haiti last year, I realized that if we truly wish to help, we must do so in different manner. Haitians yearn to be heard. An international community that does not take Haitians’ views of their problems into account does not serve Haiti. In this we must be clear. We know that the primary responsibility — the central responsibility for reconstruction — falls to the Government of Haiti and to Haitian leaders. We also know that the tragedy suffered by Haitians will not end if local efforts are not complemented by foreign help. Likewise, if Haitians accept renewed support from the international community, we propose that it be built on foundations that guarantee the effectiveness of our joint action. These foundations would include the development of concrete projects with transparency measures that truly lead to an improvement in the quality of life; the elaboration of a long-term development strategy; a commitment to accountability; and ownership by all Haitians of their common destiny. It is necessary to combat the enemies of development and stability, such as institutional weakness, the absence of laws or the failure to comply with them, and the fragile control and supply of basic services by the State, including the provision of justice. We have to believe in and think about Haiti in the long term to contribute to solving these pressing problems, which we must admit we have not achieved in the current cooperation framework. As I said in September last year before the General Assembly (see A/65/PV.15), we must all commit to a different vision for rebuilding Haiti. If we use the available resources in a more efficient and effective manner, ensuring economic and social welfare, we will be able to take more concrete and coherent measures, including through resort to existing structures such as the Interim Haiti Recovery Commission. I also believe that we should go beyond the discussion about whether or not the mandate of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) should be modified. At some point we will have to do so, as it is clear that Haiti’s peace and security problem will be resolved only if that country achieves economic and social development. Meanwhile, the medium- and long-term development goals set by Haiti should become the required point of reference for coordinating the activities of MINUSTAH and United Nations agencies — a task in which the work of the Special Representative of the Secretary- General is essential. I take this opportunity to highlight and recognize the good work of Mr. Edmond Mulet, who assumed that position and the leadership of MINUSTAH after the earthquake and has achieved much in the midst of difficult conditions. Now we believe that, even working within MINUSTAH’s agreed mandate, we can contribute in areas that are essential to the Haitian population. Let us consider what could be achieved if, rather than having a high percentage of military personnel, the Mission had more civilian personnel and engineers who could coordinate priority matters, such as debris removal — a task in which, fortunately, significant progress can already be seen thanks to the efforts of Haitian authorities. On the one hand, the pre-earthquake landscape would begin to re-emerge, restoring the sense of normalcy that would lead Haitians to believe that things can change; on the other, employment opportunities would be generated, a vital goal for the viability of our common efforts towards recovery. Let us look at this matter from a practical standpoint. If we already have a United Nations operation in Haiti, why not use it to address immediate needs and begin to lay the foundations for its transition towards development? Another vital project that can be implemented by the international community is the rebuilding of housing, which we could undertake through bilateral and multilateral projects, with the support from start to finish of donors with their architects, engineers, environmentalists and landscapers. In supporting the construction of dignified and well-planned housing that elevates the population’s quality of life, not only would jobs be generated, but the situation of thousands of people still living in tents would be resolved. The one-plus-one framework, which involves both the Government and the society of Haiti in their own recovery, is the only viable one if we want to strengthen its institutionalism. It is Haitians themselves who can and should help us to prioritize the resources which, within that framework, are aimed at the long- term recovery of Haiti. And this should be the same framework that we apply to the other sectors that need to be reorganized. Health, agriculture, education, and the construction of roads and infrastructure, such as aqueducts, must be a part of this comprehensive support. Health and education, for example, cannot remain in the hands of foreign charity organizations, but must be progressively transferred to the leadership and management of the Haitian State itself, with the decisive cooperation and support of the international community. We are talking about training a population of which 60 per cent are young people, who cannot depend on sporadic aid. When donor funds fail to arrive and the organizations that provide these services are gone, what will happen to Haitian children and youth? Ultimately, I also want to reiterate my country’s resolute commitment to strengthening Haiti’s security institutions. We understand that security is a necessary condition for the rule of law, healthy democratic institutions, and the achievement of sustainable development, and that is why we are contributing to strengthening the Haitian National Police. We have 31 Colombian police officers cooperating with the Haitian police, and we renew our commitment to having them fulfil their support mission. I do not wish to conclude without acknowledging President René Préval for the progress made in the country, for his respect for liberties, and for ensuring a peaceful and orderly electoral process, which, according to the preliminary results reported by the Organization of American States and the Caribbean Community, have yielded Michel Martelly as the winner. In the coming months, a new Government will come into office on the island, and this is an ideal opportunity to reorganize our cooperation with Haiti and our contribution to its sustainable development, because peace is not built by increasing dependency and welfarism. To paraphrase the Liberator Simon Bolivar, whom Haitians helped in a very difficult — and perhaps the most difficult — moment in his life, providing him refuge and supporting him in his military campaign, we could say that peace and the development that makes it possible “will come about not through divine providence but through sensible planning and well-directed efforts”. That is why today, as Colombia presides over the Security Council, we call on the other countries that make up the Council and the Organization to reflect on what we have done so far in Haiti and on how we can implement new methods and concepts in rebuilding the country. Let us think about building a better Haiti, not just today or tomorrow but for the next 25 years. We must imagine the Haiti of the future and lay the foundations so that it is Haitians themselves who continue its reconstruction. I am sure that this task is not beyond our capacities or the resources that we have already committed and the ones we are willing to commit in a more coordinated cooperation framework. I would like to conclude with a central message. Let us not give in. Let us not leave Haiti behind. Let us not forget Haiti because we feel that no effort is enough. Let us retake the course of our contribution with clear, precise and executable goals. Today, I call on the international community to look at Haiti in a different way. I also call on Haiti to welcome a new cooperation strategy that fulfils a basic precept, namely, that cooperation through the United Nations system is successful only as long as there are exit strategies and progress is made towards a horizon where the assisted country can live without that cooperation and without the omnipresence of the system. It is time for Haiti to rise up, make progress and take on the task of building its future — with international cooperation and with the decisive efforts of Haitians themselves. As I said at the beginning, many hands make the load lighter. I now resume my functions as President of the Council. Under rule 39 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I very warmly welcome His Excellency Mr. William Jefferson Clinton, United Nations Special Envoy for Haiti. We are very grateful for his participation at today’s meeting. I now give the floor to His Excellency Secretary- General Ban Ki-moon.

First of all, I would like to thank President Santos Calderón of Colombia for convening this high-level debate during his country’s presidency of the Security Council. At a time when the world faces multiple crises, it is important that we reaffirm our collective commitment to Haiti. I am particularly grateful to the Group of Friends of Haiti and the countries contributing troops and police for their unwavering support. I also wish to express my deep appreciation to my Special Representative, Mr. Edmond Mulet, for his leadership and dedication, as well as to President Clinton, United Nations Special Envoy, for his contributions to Haiti’s reconstruction and his inspiring advocacy on the country’s behalf. We meet as Haitians and their international partners look to consolidate progress following last month’s presidential and legislative elections. We are all very encouraged that the second round of polling was peaceful. I commend the people of Haiti for that important step towards the consolidation of democracy. That achievement builds on the gains Haiti has made, with the support of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti towards security, respect for basic freedoms and an end to the State-sponsored violence that was carried out with impunity for so long. Today, the Haitian press enjoys greater freedom than at any point in the country’s history. Urban slums are no longer controlled by criminal gangs. The National Police has become a capable and trusted institution. I commend President Préval and his Administration for their role in those advances. As President Préval will leave the presidency next month, I would like to take this opportunity to express to him my deepest appreciation for his leadership and valuable contribution in building his country after many difficult challenges, including last year’s earthquake. I urge the next Government of Haiti to build on this legacy of political tolerance and respect for human rights. Recovery and reconstruction are slowly gathering momentum. More than 20 per cent of the estimated 10 million cubic metres of rubble has been removed. The number of earthquake-affected people living in camps has decreased, from more than 1.5 million in July of last year to 680,000 today. Unfortunately, some of that reduction has not been entirely voluntary, and many camp dwellers are at risk of forced eviction. The cholera epidemic appears to have stabilized. The number of new cases has decreased, and the nationwide mortality rate stands at 1.8 per cent. However, only large-scale investments in Haiti’s water and sanitation system will protect against another outbreak, and the withdrawal of some humanitarian agencies from cholera-treatment centres and camps risks creating a shortage in the provision of services. The cholera appeal is 45 per cent funded, with the overall Haiti appeal having received only 10 per cent of the funds requested. Additional financial support is urgently needed. Strong coordination between United Nations agencies, the Interim Haiti Recovery Commission and the new Government will also be crucial. While important progress has indeed been achieved, Haiti continues to face daunting challenges. The country’s economy is on its knees. Public institutions are barely able to deliver essential services. Millions of Haitians remain dependent on the assistance of non-governmental organizations to meet their most basic needs. Too many women and girls live in fear of sexual violence. Without the rule of law, lasting peace and prosperity will remain elusive. Haiti’s judicial system is deeply dysfunctional. Its prisons remain dangerously overcrowded. Property records are unreliable or non-existent. Public expenditures often lack transparency. As a result, citizens have lost confidence in the State and investors remain reluctant to do business in Haiti. Rule of law reform must be a top priority for Haiti’s next President. The people of Haiti are looking to the next Government and Parliament to deliver. As a signal of its commitment to change, the incoming Parliament should complete the process of amending the Constitution before the next President is inaugurated. The international community must also seize this opportunity to make a fresh start. Assistance should empower Haitian actors and institutions, not prolong their dependency. The United Nations will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with the Haitian Government and people in the noble and necessary work of building a more just and prosperous future.

I thank the Secretary-General for his statement. I now give the floor to His Excellency Mr. William J. Clinton. Mr. Clinton: Let me first of all thank you, Mr. President, for having brought this issue before the Council and for Colombia’s genuine friendship with the people of Haiti. You mentioned the police officers from Colombia; they are part of a contingent of 49 nations providing police, and then there are the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) forces, about 18 nations. Your country has also disbursed 100 per cent of its pledged aid and helped the Haitian people to rebuild their economy, particularly through the work you have done through the coffee sector. For all that, we are very grateful. I would also like to thank President Préval for many things, but one I think is important. Every day we pick up the newspaper with worry about what is happening in Côte d’Ivoire, or whether more civilians have been killed in Libya. Haiti, for all of its troubled past, is overseeing now the peaceful transfer of power, after a devastating earthquake which took out virtually 20 per cent of all the public employees of the entire country and devastated more than half its gross domestic product (GDP). Sometimes we focus so much on the problems that we forget to acknowledge the small miracles of human nature in concern for the future of a country. I personally believe that this is a remarkable thing, and I thank you, President Préval, and the people of Haiti for undertaking this election with hundreds of thousands of people living in tents and under tarps, with the almost impossible task of verifying where people live and getting their identification up. It is a remarkable thing. On most days, I have been grateful to the Secretary-General for asking me to be the Special Envoy to Haiti, although it has turned out to be a more challenging task in the aftermath of the quake. I am very grateful to President Préval for asking me to serve as the co-Chair of the Reconstruction Commission, with his Prime Minister, Jean-Max Bellerive. I will do what I can if the new Government wishes me to continue, but my position on this has always been that the future of Haiti should be for the Haitian people to determine. Having said that, let me make a few observations about the questions that have brought us here today. We were making good progress on development after the Secretary-General asked me to work in Haiti, before the earthquake. Let me remind the Council that before the earthquake, there had been a series of hurricanes that had taken out about 15 per cent of Haiti’s GDP, which occasioned the involvement of the United Nations there and MINUSTAH before the quake. The quake was a dramatic setback to daily life and to development, but it also presented some new opportunities. In a little less than eight months, the Reconstruction Commission established by the President and the Parliament has taken a number of important steps. First, for the members of the Security Council who have not followed this, this is really a unique body, because it is the only one, in my experience, in which one half of the members of the Commission represent every major element of Haitian society, including local governments, the private sector, the non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the legal sector, and one half of the Commission represents the international community — the major national donors and the multinational donors. The Commission seeks to approve all substantial projects that are a part of the reconstruction, including, voluntarily, the projects undertaken by NGOs in Haiti. There has never been any attempt before to coordinate the work of the Government of Haiti with that of the donors and the NGO community. We have approved more than 87 projects that, when completed, will help 2 million Haitians. The idea is to take the Haitian Government’s own development plan and make sure that all the projects approved are consistent with that, then to offer transparency through a website that will show what projects have been approved, who is funding them, who got the money and what the progress of the project is, and offering a performance audit at the end of that. This is essentially modelled on what was done through the Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Agency (BRR) in Indonesia after the tsunami in South Asia. Because the burden imposed by the earthquake on the capacity of the Government of Haiti was so much greater, I think that, with all of its frustrations, it has worked pretty well. The Commission does not have the authority to implement projects, only to approve them. There are several significant questions which, quite properly, have been left to the Haitian Government, for example how to resolve the land issues, which the Secretary- General mentioned, necessary to do large-scale housing construction outside the area impacted by the quake. Other questions include: what will be the basic economic structures? What kind of energy sector will they have, what kind of education sector will they have, what kind of health-care sector will they have, what kind of array of ports and airports will they have? There are some other questions that I think are very important, for example, the granting of dual citizenship to the Haitian diaspora, which I believe would dramatically increase the level of investment and involvement in Haiti — something that President Préval has supported but which requires a specific and rather extended constitutional process. I have worked on this through the office of Special Envoy, through the staff resources of my foundation, and through the fund I established at President Obama’s request with former President Bush. We have now, with the approval of the Haitian Government, established the beginnings of a mortgage process, which the Haitians have never had before, and a systematic small-business loan process. Haiti has had microcredit and big finance, but never really a vigorous small-business loan system. So my goal and that of President Bush is to make this work and then give it to the people of Haiti — give it to a bank, or whoever the Haitians determine after a couple of years. Through the Global Initiative, we have a business group there headed by Denis O’Brien, the head of Digicel, who just funded the restoration of Haiti’s remarkable Iron Market. It was restored to the condition it was in in 1891, and there are now nearly 100 people who make a living there every day thanks to the support of the Government. You may think these are symbolic things, but it is quite a symbol. If you have seen it, it is a stark contrast to the abject difficulties people are facing. We are also working with Partners in Health and the Ministry of Health to help Haiti rebuild its health system. I would say to all present that, notwithstanding the cholera epidemic, that Haiti is probably further along in building a sustainable health system than in any other major challenges, in terms of modernizing the educational system and making it universal and the energy system and doing some other things that have to be done. So I am very grateful for what has been done. Mr. President, you wanted to talk about peacekeeping today. That is not my purview. I do want to say, however, that I think that MINUSTAH has done a great job, under the leadership of Brazil and supported by the Argentines and so many other countries. They have been great. I agree with you, Sir, that one cannot have peace over the long run without development. I leave it to others to decide how the allocation of responsibilities should be done, but I will say to Mr. Mulet and all the other people who work there on a daily basis that I think they have done remarkable things to try to help deal with the emergency situation. I would like to offer a few brief recommendations before other speakers take the floor. Once a new President is inaugurated and a new Administration has responsibility for reconstruction, I think it will be more important than ever that we keep up the coordination that President Préval has endorsed between the Haitian Government, donors, non-governmental organizations and, increasingly, when we begin building houses, the many people who will have contracts to build them. It is very important that all this be done in a way that builds the long-term capacity of the Haitian Government and that includes the transparency set up by the Commission, so that donors have real confidence and the people of Haiti can see the houses going up, the Haitians being hired and the Haitian businesses being brought into partnership. This is an enormous opportunity to rebuild the Haitian economy even as we move people out of tents. But I think that it is important that we do it in a way that strengthens the capacity of the Government of Haiti and the confidence of people in the process. That means that we also will need some more funding. As I have said, the Commission has approved 87 projects, which are valued at $3.26 billion. In fairness to donors, our goal has always been to have the Commission ahead of donors. Otherwise, we would be failing. If we could not do that, we could not coordinate, we could not give any direction to donors and we could not follow the lead of the Haitian economic plan. I am not being critical of the fact that we have approved more money than has been provided — that is what we are supposed to do. On the other hand, once it happens, we need the funding. Participants should have before them a one-page document from the Office of the Special Envoy that states that 37.2 per cent of the money pledged more than a year ago here in New York has actually been disbursed. Now that there has been an election and the international community has accepted the results and verified and participated in the oversight of it, I think greater donor disbursements are important. I think they go a long way towards speeding up the reconstruction and delivering other improvements. The Haitians have an education plan for the first time that would put all their children in school and give them one nutritious meal daily. In the past, no more than half the kids have gone to school. Many of those here today, and many Members of the United Nations, have talked to me over the years about the so-called restavec system, where Haitian children are in effect sold into labour for other families, often just so that poor families in Haiti can send the rest of their kids to school and feed them. If Members implement and fund this education programme, which the Haitian Government has recommended, 90 per cent of the restavec system will vanish in a matter of weeks. So we have to begin this. There are other things that everyone is concerned about, such as housing. It always takes longer to address housing than anything else, but the Haitian Government has approved a process that includes a housing exposition. We have already had one big meeting on housing in Haiti. There will be an exposition in a few weeks’ time that will include actual demonstration homes, with priority on earthquake and hurricane resistance. This is the first time we have ever had a building code — ensuring energy efficiency; providing sanitation; looking at alternatives to centralized electricity and sanitation systems that work and that are more cost-effective; and making maximal use of recycled materials, including the rubble that is now being crushed neighbourhood by neighbourhood in Port-au-Prince. All of this is going to be done. After the exposition is over and people have made their presentations according to the standards established by the Commission and the Government of Haiti, it will be very important that we begin to move. We can move hundreds of thousands of people out of tents in a hurry once the exposition is over and people are approved for final consideration as contractors. I urge that this be done. Secondly, I would urge donors, insofar as they possibly can and consistent with their own policies, not to earmark the contributions that they make to the reconstruction fund, but to allow the Haitian Government to spend funds in support of the goals established in coordination with the Reconstruction Commission, which, as I said, includes all the major donors. For example, debris management is not a particularly glamorous topic. This may be the first time that the Security Council has ever discussed it. But if one spends any time in Port-au-Prince, they will know that Haiti cannot bring the country back until all the rubble has been crushed and either used on site as a base to rebuild streets or homes, recycled as building material or carted away. We cannot build schools, organize the energy system or decide on the most cost- effective way to do good sanitation so that there will never be another cholera outbreak unless we get the rubble out of the way. As the Secretary-General has said, 2 million cubic metres have been removed, but we have a lot left to go. We can destroy it all much quicker than anybody thinks, and use it in the reconstruction process. But we have to have the machinery to do it. Bringing rubble to rock crushers also provides work for the people of Haiti, which we are trying to do on a neighbourhood-by-neighbourhood basis. Thirdly, while most large non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have been registering their projects with the Interim Haiti Recovery Commission, I once again ask all NGOs to do so. NGO involvement in Haiti has been remarkable and a blessing in many ways, but also occasionally a curse, because the President has never had a comprehensive record of all NGO activities in Haiti. The great thing that happened after the tsunami in Indonesia was that, for the first time, NGOs came forward to say, “Okay, we want to be helpful here, but we want it to be consistent with the Government’s plan”. I think that it is really important that the Commission is trying to leave the Haitian Government, when we are all gone, with the capacity to coordinate further NGO activities and adequately run the country and have in place a transparency system that the whole world accepts as not just adequate but good. Finally, let me say that I think that donors, the Government, NGOs and United Nations agencies will have to continue to work together. I think we still do not know exactly how we are going to resolve all these questions. I am convinced, if one looks at the progress that has been made — the hospitals that are being built, the health networks that are being built out, the education plan that the Government has adopted and the options that Haiti actually has to set a model for the Caribbean when it comes to a mixed energy system that will be largely self-sufficient and less expensive — that these are really important things. The Caribbean as a whole — and the members of the Security Council may find this surprising — has the highest electricity rates in the world, because it has no indigenous energy sources. But most Caribbean islands, including Puerto Rico, which is part of the United States, where I have worked, and Anguilla, where I have helped people, and others, could almost all be energy self-sufficient. Haiti can lead the way. It has sunshine, wind and the capacity for biomass, which can all be employed. I ask everyone here to think about this. We are not just helping Haiti here if we support the plan; we may be helping the developing countries of the world to imagine a whole different way of building sustainable economies. It could be relevant to Africa; it could be relevant to South-East Asia; it could be relevant to all kinds of places. And it is really important that we do it in a way that empowers both local communities as well as the national Government. As I said, I think we are doing well with health care. They have a really good education plan, but it is not funded. They are doing much better with the economy. President Préval announced recently, along with the United States and a Korean company, the biggest investment in Haitian history and the first ever textile mill onsite in Haiti. I think we can do much better with tourism and other things, but a good beginning has been made. None of this is going to happen unless we get rid of the rubble and start building the homes and clean out the tents. That will do more than anything else to empower people and to make them believe that this whole thing is real. Again I say, the democratic transition of power, for any one who understands the history of Haiti, is a cause for celebration. And as we all see in Côte d’Ivoire, the people who are leaving probably deserve more credit than the people who are coming in. I think that this Commission will work, but only if it is funded. If anyone has any suggestions for how we can do better, I would be glad to have them.

I thank His Excellency Mr. Clinton for his briefing. I give the floor to His Excellency Mr. René Garcia Préval, President of Haiti. President Préval (spoke in French): I thank you wholeheartedly, President Santos Calderón, for giving me the opportunity to speak one final time to a United Nations body as President of Haiti, in particular since this meeting has been specially dedicated to the situation in my country. The 25 years of Haiti’s political life following the 1986 departure of the Duvalier dictatorship have been characterized by so much instability that, I am sad to note, in one-quarter of a century I am the only President to have completed a first and then a second constitutional term and the only one in 25 years to never have been jailed or exiled. My first term was inaugurated in 1996 with the presence of the United Nations Support Mission in Haiti; in 2000, with security and stability apparently restored, United Nations troops left Haiti. These events qualify me, I think, to make a modest contribution to the discussion this morning with respect both to my compatriots and to the United Nations, which it is my pleasure once again to thank for assisting Haiti during our difficult moments past and present. To my compatriots who are living with the legitimate pain of the presence of foreign soldiers on our soil, I say that the United Nations peacekeeping operations were made necessary each time by instability created by the citizens themselves. Foreign interventions on our soil have always been preceded, for example in 1993, by a military coup d’état, or in 2004, by internal fighting that led to the breakdown of the democratic process resulting from the toppling of the constitutional President. I therefore call on Haiti’s future executive and legislative leaders emerging from the recent elections to govern in a spirit of peace, openness, inclusion, dialogue and respect for the rights of association and expression. I also call on the opposition to adopt a positive attitude of cooperation, even in its role as Government critic. I call on all Haitian civil society organizations, and in particular our press, to make better use of a freedom that has cost so much, yet remains incompletely mastered. Allow me to commemorate within this forum the memory of a courageous journalist, Mr. Jean Dominique, who was assassinated on 3 April 2000 in a cowardly manner. Eleven long years later, we still await the conclusion of the judicial investigation of that crime. Finally, I say to the people that stability also requires a realistic understanding of the serious challenges to be addressed by the new entering Government, especially following the disaster of 12 January 2010. On 31 March 2010 here at United Nations Headquarters, the international community promised to provide significant resources for Haiti’s reconstruction. The Interim Haiti Recovery Commission referred to by President Clinton has made progress. I call on donors to hasten disbursements because, in spite of the courage and patience of the Haitian people, patience has its limits. To the United Nations system, and particularly to the Security Council, I would suggest some reflection on the effectiveness of interventions that have led to nearly 11 years of military presence in a country where no war is being fought. Since 1993, Haiti has seen successively the United Nations Mission in Haiti, the United Nations Support Mission in Haiti, the United Nations Transition Mission in Haiti, United Nations Civilian Police Mission in Haiti, the International Civilian Support Mission in Haiti, and, since 2004, the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH). Apart from MICIVIH, established in 1993 pursuant to General Assembly resolution 47/20 B with the mandate of observing and promoting human rights, all the other missions were established by the Security Council with a peacekeeping objective. While it is true that in 1993 the first peacekeeping mission risked clashing with the Haitian armed forces that had carried out the bloody coup of 1991; and that in 2004 another had to contend with heavily armed organized groups, then that possibility justified a significant military presence. But once the danger of violent confrontation had passed, the peacekeeping operations did not adapt quickly enough to the new situation. Instability in Haiti is, as President Santos Calderón stressed, fundamentally due to underdevelopment — in other words, unsatisfied elementary socio-economic rights. Tanks, armoured vehicles and soldiers should have given way to bulldozers, engineers, and more police instructors and experts in support of the judicial and penal systems. On 14 May 2006, at my swearing-in ceremony, I emphasized that need, but unfortunately my words went unheard. I hope that after 11 years we will be able to draw the conclusions that can help strengthen stability in Haiti in the way that I have just noted. Clearly, reorienting peacekeeping missions does not exclude the work of other specialized institutions, such as the World Bank, or United Nations funds and programmes, such as the World Health Organization, UNESCO, the Food and Agriculture Organization, the World Food Programme, UNICEF, the United Nations Development Programme, the United Nations Development Fund for Women, and so forth. Let me repeat that military deterrence is only one aspect of the quest for stability and should not be mistaken for the whole. Stability will be achieved only by Haitians themselves, with, of course, the solidarity of the international community, which can assist them in building those institutions essential to the rule of law. The drug problem remains another source of political instability in Haiti. Haiti neither produces nor consumes drugs. As long as there is a demand for drugs in northern nations, the producers and traffickers will continue to use weaker countries for their manufacture and transit, and will strive to weaken those countries further by fostering corruption, destabilization and violence. Haiti is thus a victim of countries that consume drugs, as are the producer and other transit countries. The consumer nations should therefore institute a policy of reducing demand, at the same time as or even before combating drug trafficking, whether in Haiti or the producer and transit countries. No demand means no production and no supply. It is time that the drug problem was tackled globally and that drug reports no longer merely stigmatize the producer and transit countries that are victims of the demand. I cannot say how many times I have appealed to the United States authorities, particularly the Drug Enforcement Administration, for strengthened cooperation in the fight against drug trafficking. In this regard, I am a firm supporter of resolution 1892 (2009), which, in paragraph 11, invites “Member States, including neighbouring and regional States, to strengthen their engagement with the Government of Haiti” to address cross-border trafficking, not only of drugs but also of arms. In conclusion, I would like to emphasize that Haiti’s psyche has been drastically affected by the enormous number of crimes against individuals that our people have suffered during the past 50 years without receiving justice, from the establishment of the Duvalier dictatorship to the present day. That impunity is still intolerable and continues to present an obstacle to the quest for social pacification. There is no question that justice must take its course, and it is urgent that the Haitian State work to strengthen the judicial system so that independent authority can accomplish its constitutional mission. It is also extremely important that the truth be revealed in all its nuances. To that end, civil society should be mobilized, I suggest, through a memory, truth and justice commission to be set up and implemented by an independent organization — a national office for the protection of citizens. I would like to thank the Secretary-General for noting in his report of 24 March that: “It will also be incumbent upon the incoming Administration to build on the achievements of the Préval presidency, which put an end to State- sponsored political violence and allowed Haitians to enjoy freedom of association and expression” (S/2011/183*, para. 82). My wish, in fact, is that the democratic gains be maintained and that the people of Haiti, both the governing and the governed, with the support of the international community, take up the tremendous challenges of the reconstruction and re-establishment of our country resulting from our endemic poverty and especially from the consequences of the natural disasters that hit us in 2010. I thank Mr. Mulet very much and congratulate him on the work done by MINUSTAH under his leadership.

I thank His Excellency President Préval for his statement. I now give the floor to the members of the Council.

I would like to begin by congratulating the Government of Colombia on its timely initiative of convening the Security Council for an open debate on the situation in Haiti. It is an honour to participate in this meeting, presided by His Excellency President Juan Manuel Santos Calderón. It is also a pleasure to see here high-level representatives from Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as representatives from various quarters of the globe who have lent their best efforts to support Haiti’s struggle for a better future. Let me acknowledge in particular the presence of President René Préval, who is leading his country through times of great historic significance with an unwavering commitment to democracy. (spoke in French) His two mandates as executive Head of State in Haiti have contributed to the creation of a central political equilibrium in that country that has depolarized the system. President Préval has defused the mechanisms of violence in Haitian politics and has guaranteed freedom of expression and of the press. Thanks to his work, Haiti will see for the first time in its history a peaceful transfer of power to an opposition candidate. We can hope that this will be the beginning of the end of the winner-takes-all culture. (spoke in English) We are all united by the important task of contributing to the stability and development of Haiti. Brazil has been firmly committed to Haiti from the outset on three different levels, namely, the multilateral, bilateral and regional. On the multilateral level, as the main contributor of troops to the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) and as the country responsible for commanding its military component, we are proud of the harmonious and constructive interaction our men and women in uniform have managed to develop with the local population, which has been made possible, to a large extent, by our shared historical roots and cultural affinities and by the positive footprints that our peacekeepers have sought to leave in the country. Haitians often refer to Brazilian troops as “bon bagay”, the Creole expression for good people. This close relationship, to which the implementation of quick- impact projects is a key contribution, has important consequences when it comes to implementing MINUSTAH’s mandate and maintaining a secure and stable environment. On the bilateral level, Brazil has consistently offered Haiti different modalities of cooperation, in agriculture, health, energy, job creation and institution- building, among other areas. As recently as last February, Ambassador Antonio de Aguiar Patriota, Minister of External Relations of Brazil, had the opportunity to visit Haiti and personally convey to the Haitian authorities the readiness of the Government of President Dilma Rousseff to renew our engagement on all those fronts. At the regional level, the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) has been implementing a cooperation programme with Haiti that was approved by our region’s heads of State and Government in 2010. A $100 million pledge to support its implementation has been approved, in addition to the newly established UNASUR office in Port-au-Prince. Brazil is confident that, in line with the commitment to Haiti expressed here today by His Excellency President Santos Calderón, UNASUR Secretary-General María Emma Mejía of Colombia will help us to advance Haiti’s cooperation agenda. It is Brazil’s belief that the active engagement of Latin America and the Caribbean in Haiti is not only a demonstration of solidarity towards a sister nation, but also a powerful message as to the willingness and capacity of our societies to live up to their international responsibilities. In that context, let me express Brazil’s gratitude to the Special Representative of the Secretary-General to Haiti, Ambassador Edmond Mulet of Guatemala. His remarkable knowledge and understanding of the characteristics and specific needs of our sister nation of Haiti have allowed him to make a critical contribution to the country. We should also mention at this juncture that the Organization of American States has played a decisive and effective role in supporting the electoral process that is about to be concluded. We would also like to praise the effective work of Mr. Colin Granderson in supporting the Haitian authorities in the electoral process. This open debate is taking place on the heels of the announcement of the provisional electoral results in Haiti. In spite of a number of difficulties, the democratic determination of the Haitian people has prevailed. We look forward to the successful completion of the electoral process, which will lead to strengthened institutions and more inclusive governance. With a new Government in Haiti, the stage will be set for reconstruction efforts to move forward, in keeping with the urgent needs of Haitians. We trust that, with the final results of the electoral process and the transfer of power to the new Government, we will be able to concentrate our efforts on reconstruction tasks that will pave the way for Haiti’s development in an environment of sustainable peace and political stability. It is true that much progress has been made to date. Key structures are in place and technical assistance is being provided. But major challenges remain unmet. Those challenges include the need for more financial aid from the international community. The resources disbursed so far represent only approximately 30 per cent of the pledges made for the 2010-2011 period. Brazil urges donors to redouble their efforts. We need the necessary financial means to do what it takes to promote Haitian reconstruction and development. We advocate for resources to be channelled primarily through the Government of Haiti, whose ownership of the reconstruction process is of the essence. This is an especially appropriate occasion for the Security Council to reaffirm its commitment to Haiti. This commitment, as emphasized in the debate Brazil had the privilege to chair last February (see S/PV.6479), should take into account the interdependence between peace, security and development. This is why Brazil and others have, since the beginning, advocated a truly multidisciplinary approach for MINUSTAH, with parallel actions aimed at promoting security, reconciliation and development. Stability and security are paramount to attracting investment and sustaining growth. The promotion of the rule of law and social and economic progress are mutually reinforcing parts of our work in Haiti. For Haiti to attract investment and generate critically needed jobs, it must be able to provide energy that is clean and conducive to sustainable development, as expressed by Special Envoy Clinton here today. In that context, Brazil considers the construction of the Artibonite 4C hydroelectric plant to be a key element in generating a virtuous cycle of stability and prosperity in Haiti. The basic project developed by the Brazilian Army, an undertaking of $5 million dollars, is ready. The full project has already been approved by the Interim Reconstruction Commission and recommended to receive $40 million funding from the Haiti Reconstruction Fund. We encourage additional sponsors to join us in this endeavour. The promotion of the sort of the multidisciplinary approach that is needed depends on our capacity to achieve better coordination at all levels. In that connection, allow me to highlight the positive prospects stemming from joint efforts by MINUSTAH and the Interim Haiti Recovery Commission. Enhanced cooperation between these two bodies can and will generate greater benefits for Haiti. We will continue to support the work of the Interim Commission towards its goal of converting it into a national development agency. This is the time for the international community to convey a message of confidence in all Haitians. This is the time for us to reiterate our readiness to lend continued support to Haiti, including through MINUSTAH, and always in accordance with the very priorities established by the country’s democratically elected Government. (spoke in French) In conclusion, I wish to express my admiration for the Haitian people, their courage and their dignity in the face of such adversity. The nation of Haiti can always count on the solidarity and support of Brazil. Together we have before us a historic opportunity in this veritable national reconciliation process, which will create stable conditions for the just and sustainable reconstruction of the country. Long live Haiti.

I would first like to express the thanks of my Government to the Secretary-General, President Clinton and President Préval for their briefings today. I would also like to join with my Brazilian colleague in expressing our appreciation for the priority that you personally, Mr. President, and the Government of Colombia have given to the future of Haiti in bringing forward this debate this morning. We welcome the debate not just on the strengthening of democracy in Haiti but also on the role of United Nations peacekeeping. In the latter context, I would like to take this opportunity to express the condolences of the British Government to the Secretary-General on the deaths of United Nations peacekeepers and civilian staff in recent days in Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Côte d’Ivoire. The fate that they suffered is an important and sobering reminder to us of the dangers that United Nations personnel face every week worldwide as they go about their work on behalf of all of us. The United Kingdom welcomes the preliminary results of the second round of the presidential elections in Haiti, and we are encouraged by the initial positive assessment by the joint electoral observation mission of the Organization of American States and the Caribbean Community. We look forward to the announcement of the final result on 16 April and urge the authorities to meet that deadline. As Haiti enters the final stage of this electoral process, we call upon all parties and all candidates to continue to demonstrate their commitment to democracy and the rule of law. We believe that the newly elected president, in partnership with the new Parliament, should push forward with an agenda to rebuild the administrative capacity of the Government of Haiti and to provide the necessary platform for international investment and for job creation. We want to see the highest priority given to a continued commitment by the new authorities in Haiti to inclusiveness, accountability and impartiality, and a demonstrable willingness to engage constructively with the international community. The humanitarian situation is improving, but Haiti continues to face very serious challenges in meeting basic needs, principally permanent shelter, clean water and sanitation, as President Clinton said to us this morning, as well as in fighting cholera. The new Haiti President will need to demonstrate strong leadership in order to address those challenges. The lack of capacity of the Haitian National Police continues to have a worrying impact on the safety and security of vulnerable Haitians, including women and children. The Haitian Government must reach a position where the troops of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) are no longer the main providers of security in Haiti. MINUSTAH, for its part, should continue to do its utmost to support the development of local policing capabilities. Building the capacity of Haiti’s own police is the only sustainable solution in the long term, as MINUSTAH cannot stay in Haiti forever. We therefore look forward to the next police reform plan, which will map out this essential capacity-building work for 2012 and beyond. My Government also believes that it is vital that Haiti’s State institutions be afforded the same attention and priority. A fully functioning judiciary and other rule-of-law institutions, with — as President Préval pointedly reminded us — no room for impunity, are paramount. The rehabilitation of the Haitian corrections system is another key element in the recovery process, and donors, including the United Kingdom, have channelled their efforts into making valuable progress in this important area. We continue to underline the importance of the role that the international donor community has to play in helping to re-establish Haiti’s institutions and to invigorate its economy. We would like join with other Member States in calling for all outstanding pledges to be fulfilled without delay. I would like to take this opportunity to thank, on behalf of the British Government, President Clinton and his colleagues for their work on the Interim Haiti Recovery Commission. We urge the Commission to redouble its efforts to achieve efficiencies in the donor coordination process and increase the pace at which donor assistance is able to get to those places where it is most desperately needed. MINUSTAH continues to play a fundamental role in maintaining peace and security in Haiti and is a crucial deterrent in the fight against violent crime and civil disorder. As we reach the end of 2011, we hope to see the conclusion of MINUSTAH’s two-year surge period. We hope that political stability and improved security will enable a drawdown of the additional military personnel that were deployed to MINUSTAH early last year as part of the United Nations immediate disaster response. This improved stability and security should create space for the private sector to play a more prominent role in the efforts to create employment and rebuild the country. Of course this effort has to be led by the Government and the people of Haiti themselves, but private enterprises from across the international community, including from the United Kingdom, stand ready to assist and invest. My Government’s view is that the United Nations must now begin to reassess the nature of our longer- term support for Haiti. We need to explore how the development role of donors and United Nations agencies and programmes can best supplement and complement the peacekeeping role of MINUSTAH. Finally, I would like to place on the record our thanks to the men and women of MINUSTAH for their ongoing efforts in Haiti. In particular, I want to pay tribute to the Special Representative of the Secretary- General, Mr. Edmond Mulet, for his outstanding contribution, including driving the United Nations response to the devastating earthquake of January 2010.

The United States is honoured to participate in this important debate on Haiti. We would like to thank you personally, Mr. President, for your leadership at this meeting and for your efforts to sustain international attention to the situation in Haiti during Colombia’s presidency of the Security Council. We are pleased to welcome Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and President Clinton and thank them both for their briefings. We also welcome President Préval and the many distinguished Ministers of Government who are here today. The United States supports the draft presidential statement that has been proposed by the Colombian delegation. As a member of the Group of Friends of Haiti, we join with the statement that Uruguayan Minister Almagro will deliver on behalf of the Group. Progress in the reconstruction and development of Haiti is crucial to achieving the future that the people of Haiti deserve. To achieve sustainability, it is important that the international community work through Haitian institutions and thereby strengthen those institutions for the benefit of the people of Haiti. We call on countries that have pledged assistance to fulfil those commitments and to work through the Interim Haiti Recovery Commission (IHRC), the coordination body for reconstruction activities in Haiti. We commend the IHRC for its leadership of the strategic planning process, helping to focus donor efforts on the top four priorities in Haiti’s action plan for national recovery and development: debris removal, water and sanitation, health, and housing. To date, the Commission has approved a total of 87 projects, representing a long-term investment of over $3 billion. Haitians continue to face enormous difficulties. However, through their hard work and determination and with the support of the international community, the people of Haiti are making progress and rebuilding their lives and their country. I would like to briefly highlight a few areas where we have seen results. First, with respect to debris removal, the earthquake of 12 January 2010 in Haiti created an estimated 10 million cubic meters of rubble in 30 seconds, which is enough debris to fill dump trucks parked bumper to bumper halfway around the world. The United States remains the leading donor in the area of debris removal. We reiterate the call of the IHRC for more donor attention to that sector. Through short-term rubble-removal jobs programmes, the United States Government has cumulatively employed more than 350,000 people in rubble removal work, creating more than 3.5 million person-days of work. To date, those programmes have injected nearly $19 million into the local economy. On average, 40 to 50 per cent of those jobs are being filled by women. We applaud United Nations agencies — in particular the United Nations Development Programme, the United Nations Human Settlements Programme and the United Nations Office for Project Services — as well as the International Labour Organization, for working with the United States in implementing this top priority of the IHRC, as we heard from President Clinton. Secondly, with regard to water and sanitation, in October, when cholera was first confirmed in the Artibonite region of Haiti, the leadership of the Haitian Ministry of Health and Population was crucial in the planning of what became a nationwide response. The United States provided Haiti with $45 million in emergency funding for immediate efforts. The Government of Spain and the Inter-American Development Bank have also been particularly active in the water and sanitation sector. Despite the challenges, especially in sanitation, the people of Haiti have seen rapid progress with respect to the availability of safe drinking water. The IHRC target was to increase the rate of sustainable access to potable water from an original 2 per cent to 50 per cent by October 2011. Today, the IHRC estimates that one third of Haiti’s population has access to potable water, thanks to chlorination efforts, and that Haiti will meet or exceed the 50 per cent goal by October 2011 — a major accomplishment that is ahead of schedule. Thirdly, with regard to the health sector, the long- term investments planned by the United States build upon the partnership with Haiti’s Ministry of Health and Population. The United States is working with Haiti to reduce infant and maternal mortality rates, increase contraceptive prevalence, lower the prevalence of infectious diseases, reduce levels of severe malnourishment in children and improve sanitation and hygiene practices. Fourthly, with regard to housing, population density rates in some areas of Port-au-Prince are four times those of New York City, but without the familiar high-rise buildings. From a high peak of 1.5 million people living in camps, the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) estimates that approximately 680,000 continue to live in those spontaneous settlements today. Major long-term challenges remain in that sector. The IHRC has expressed a need for the Government of Haiti to establish a framework for the identification of property owners and to identify beneficiaries of housing programmes. The United States recently joined with the Clinton-Bush Haiti Fund and the World Bank Group to create a new housing finance facility, which President Clinton described. Fifthly, with regard to job creation, despite the many challenges Haiti faces, its economy offers cause for guarded optimism. A strategy that links development to trade is paramount for this Caribbean nation. The creation of a new industrial park near Cap-Haïtien, a combined effort of the Government of Haiti, the United States and the Inter-American Development Bank, is projected to create 20,000 permanent export-oriented jobs by the first tenant of that park alone, Sae-A, a global textile firm. The United States applauds the nations of the Caribbean Community for providing duty-free access to Haitian goods. We urge the international community, especially those here in the Americas, to support Haiti’s long-term development through aid and trade. Sixthly, with regard to security, a secure and stable environment is critical for Haitians to continue rebuilding their lives. The international community’s support, through MINUSTAH, is a critical contribution to that stability. We applaud the commitment of all those nations that have contributed troops and police to MINUSTAH. We urge MINUSTAH to continue assisting the Government of Haiti in providing protection to the civilian population, especially in the context of the ongoing electoral process. The United States joins with other partners of Haiti in working to help strengthen Haitian institutions, which is a critical element of Haiti’s ability to assume responsibility for its own security. Finally, with regard to elections, we applaud the cooperation between MINUSTAH and the Haitian National Police, which provided a secure environment during the second-round election on 20 March. The United States supports a timely conclusion to the electoral process based on a fair and transparent procedure and a peaceful and democratic transition of power by early May. The United States remains committed to assisting the people and the Government of Haiti in their efforts to rebuild their country. We welcome today’s open debate as a contribution to, and continuation of, that process.

We are pleased to welcome the President of Colombia to the Security Council for our discussion of topical issues regarding the situation in Haiti. We also welcome the presence here today of President Préval. Over the past year, Haiti has had to confront serious trials. The destructive earthquake was followed by the outbreak of a cholera epidemic and a difficult period in the country’s political development. It is significant that, thanks to the collective efforts made, those problems are gradually being overcome. International assistance provided to the country, in which the United Nations has played a leading role, is greater and more united than ever before. Russia has participated in rescue operations and has provided $8 million towards Haitian recovery efforts through the channels of various international organizations, especially United Nations funds and programmes. The conduct of the second round of presidential and parliamentary elections in a peaceful and calm environment shows that the situation has stabilized. We congratulate the people and Government of Haiti on that major event. We look forward to the publication of the official election results and hope that it will be possible to form competent national organs of authority within the established time frame. We are pleased that the security situation is generally calm. Much credit is due to United Nations peacekeepers and the Haitian National Police. However, the political, socio-economic and humanitarian situation in the country remains complex. Recovery processes will take some time. About 700,000 Haitians are still living in tent camps. We agree that international efforts to provide comprehensive assistance to Haiti, including humanitarian aid, must be continued. We believe that international assistance should be provided with unconditional respect for Haitian sovereignty and for the lead role of national institutions of authority in the country’s recovery. The key thrust of external assistance should be to strengthen Government agencies. Over the long term, that will give Haitians an opportunity to independently deal with issues related to the country’s reconstruction and national development. We support the work of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), which has been in constant contact with all political forces and which is carrying out important work in supporting law and order, protecting the civilian population and strengthening the national security forces. We thank the head of the Mission, Mr. Mulet, and his staff for their dedicated work under complex circumstances. MINUSTAH also has a number of Russian peacekeepers on duty. We welcome the constructive contribution of regional organizations in Latin America and the Caribbean in providing multilateral assistance to Haitians. We deeply appreciate the efforts of the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Haiti, President Clinton. The Russian Federation will continue to provide assistance to the people and Government of Haiti to ensure the conditions for a peaceful, stable and sustainably developing State. We also support Colombia’s draft presidential statement.

Allow me to welcome you, President Santos Calderón. I thank you, Sir, and your Government for convening this timely and important debate. Also allow me to thank Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon and the United Nations Special Envoy for Haiti, President Clinton, for their comprehensive briefings and contributions to today’s debate. We also welcome the participation of His Excellency President Préval in today’s meeting. Bosnia and Herzegovina appreciates the opportunity to express its support and encouragement to the people of Haiti in their efforts to overcome difficulties and rebuild their country. The successful conclusion of the presidential elections and the establishment of a legitimate Government are an important component of Haiti’s ongoing recovery as well as a significant step towards long-term stability and development. We therefore welcome the ongoing electoral process in Haiti and encourage the Haitian authorities to conclude the process in a credible manner. We praise the role of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) and the Organization of American States and their commitments in assisting Haitian authorities in the electoral process. A new Government in Haiti will face many challenges, bearing in mind the existing conditions on the ground. Along with reconstruction, the Government will have to address outstanding issues in many areas, particularly in security, the rule of law and institutional reform. Haiti needs to strengthen its governance structure and put in place basic services in order to improve the conditions and alleviate the suffering of its population. It is therefore of the utmost importance that during this crucial period in determining the future of the country all political actors are united by their common goal: a stable and prosperous Haiti. Political instability, on the other hand, may divert their country from the road to recovery and development. It is also imperative that MINUSTAH and its international partners extend their indispensable support to the national authorities in those endeavours. Haiti’s reconstruction and recovery will be a very complex task, requiring the full commitment of the national Government and its institutions. This process will inevitably be accompanied by challenges and obstacles, which should be addressed with increased resolve and intensified efforts. The determination of the Haitian Government and its people to build a better Haiti is the crucial ingredient that, with the continuing support of the international community, will additionally reinforce efforts to achieve that goal as soon as possible. In this context, we commend the work of the Interim Haiti Recovery Commission and the Haiti Reconstruction Fund for their pivotal role in long-term reconstruction. It is essential that the international community coordinate its activities with the Interim Haiti Recovery Commission to make international assistance more efficient. We plead with all donors to continue fulfilling their commitments and providing resources necessary for Haiti’s reconstruction and development. We are deeply concerned about the dire living and economic conditions of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Haiti. We consider it crucial that national authorities, with assistance from their international partners, continue to provide services to IDPs and create an environment conducive to resettlement of that vulnerable population. All activities related to IDPs must be carried out with due sensitivity. Bosnia and Herzegovina fully supports the efforts of MINUSTAH and the assistance it provides to the national authorities in the protection of civilians, in particular IDPs. During these difficult times for Haiti, the United Nations and MINUSTAH have played a critical role. It is important that partnership between the Haitian people and the United Nations be further strengthened in order to preserve positive developments and meet remaining challenges. The international community should remain with the Haitians and help them in shaping the future of their country. This is a long-term commitment, and both sides must be patient and devoted until the ultimate goal is achieved. In conclusion, on behalf of Bosnia and Herzegovina, I would like to praise the United Nations and MINUSTAH personnel for their tireless efforts and the important work they are carrying out in Haiti.

Let me lend my voice to those who have congratulated you, Mr. President, and the delegation of Colombia for initiating this important discussion on Haiti. Your effort speaks to the fraternal and long-standing relationship your nation shares with Haiti and the vital role Colombia continues to play in supporting Haiti’s efforts to overcome its daunting challenges. We want to welcome President Préval to the Security Council and to thank him for all his efforts for the survival of Haiti. The presence among us of the Ministers of the Organization of American States (OAS) and of European States speaks to their integral role in Haiti’s recovery. I also wish to thank the Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon, for his comprehensive report and statement. I especially thank the United Nations Special Envoy for Haiti, President Clinton, for his very insightful remarks. I intend to address the political, security and humanitarian aspects of Haiti’s progress and the role of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) in that endeavour. The response of the international community to the Haitian earthquake of 2010 was both remarkable and swift. However, Haiti’s recovery efforts have been especially complicated by the outbreak of cholera, insecurity and political instability. In our view, Haiti can overcome those obstacles only through a comprehensive programme of institutional reform, including inclusive political dialogue and economic development, as we have heard this morning. Notwithstanding major obstacles, Nigeria recognizes Haiti’s potential for growth and stability. That is why we welcome the news of the preliminary results of the elections, and we believe that it reflects the will of the people. Indeed, the elections, which were regarded as largely free and fair, mark an important milestone for Haiti as the Government and people confront the enormous challenge of rebuilding their nation. The interdependence between peace and security and development is indisputable in today’s world, as we have heard this morning, and that fact should be the guiding principle of all our efforts in Haiti. In fact, peace and security can be sustained only when we relinquish leadership of the process of development to the Haitian people. The very fabric of Haitian society must be restored. The economy is in dire need of restoration at the local and national level. Social infrastructure such as schools, hospitals, prisons and courts must also be rebuilt as societal missions, as well as with bricks and mortar. Public spiritedness, justice, opportunity and respect for human rights must also be fostered as a matter of top priority. That seems to be a tall order for any society, and not least for one that is only now recovering from a massive natural disaster, but it can be done. In order to rejuvenate Haitian society, it is also imperative that Haiti’s legislative and executive branches of government engage genuinely and constructively. That cooperation will ensure political stability in the current challenging environment and indeed will buttress the maturation of Haiti’s democratic experience. In that connection, we urge the new Parliament to ratify the constitutional amendments of September 2009 and affirm the consensus that they represent. Further, we encourage Parliament to renew the emergency law of 15 April 2010 and extend the mandate of the Interim Haiti Recovery Commission to enable it to fulfil its mission. Those charged with governing the Haitian people should do so with an attitude of transparency and vocation. Such is the enormity of their task. As aptly noted in the Secretary-General’s report (S/2011/183*), the sustained support of the international community will have a major impact on Haiti’s prospects. While the funds pledged to date are urgently needed on the ground, a great deal of care must be exercised to manage, coordinate, prioritize and effect the distribution of those funds in accordance with Haiti’s own stated priorities. As friends of Haiti, we should also promote capacity-building measures in the country to enable Haitians ultimately to drive their own renaissance. That goal, however, does not preclude international assistance. Haiti needs long-term partners on its road to recovery. As President Santos reminded us this morning, many hands make the load lighter. Turning to Haiti’s security environment, Nigeria notes with regret that the security situation continues to simmer. That was particularly evident in the violence following the first round of elections. The Haitian National Police maintained order during the run-off, and should be commended. Nonetheless, they need continued support to combat organized crime, drug trafficking, kidnapping and armed robbery, among others. We are also dismayed at the ongoing violence, particularly against women, within internally displaced persons (IDPs) camps. The time has come to strengthen Haiti’s capacity to meet those and other core security challenges. MINUSTAH’s active role as a guarantor of peace and security must be recognized. We acknowledge that the force has been a critical actor, engaged under an appropriately broad mandate. Its important work on behalf of the international community should be lauded. Despite the efforts of MINUSTAH and other actors, there are still many humanitarian issues to be addressed. We commend the United Nations country team for providing humanitarian and recovery assistance, including the return and relocation of IDPs, and for responding to the hurricane season and cholera epidemic. We look forward to successful collaboration between MINUSTAH and the United Nations country team in establishing the integrated strategic framework, which will facilitate the Haitian Government’s national action plan for recovery and development. I want to state that Nigeria was among the early responders to Haiti’s call for assistance in 2010. We will continue to support efforts to provide humanitarian and other forms of assistance to Haiti. We were there for the Haitian people at the beginning of the process. We will stand with them until their aspirations are fully realized.

I appreciate Colombia’s initiative to hold this open debate on the question of Haiti. I would also like to thank President Santos Calderón for his presence today to preside over this meeting. I also listened carefully to the statements made by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Special Envoy of the Secretary-General and former United States President Clinton, and President Préval of Haiti. Last year, Haiti suffered a series of setbacks as a result of the earthquake and the cholera epidemic. It now faces the long-term and daunting task of maintaining security and stability and rebuilding the country. China is concerned about the current political, security and humanitarian situation in Haiti. The international community should continue to focus on Haiti and to provide proactive assistance and support. Today, I would like to focus on four points. First, our priority for Haiti now is to drive forward its political process and to ensure a peaceful and smooth transfer of power after the election. China hopes that the second round of the presidential election will be a significant impetus to the democratic process and political reconciliation in Haiti. We also hope that the Haitian parties concerned will maintain their unity and strengthen their mutual trust so as to create favourable conditions for political stability and early reconstruction. Secondly, in ensuring security and stability in Haiti, the international community should increase its assistance to Haiti for post-disaster reconstruction and development. To date, the pace of recovery and rebuilding in Haiti remains slow. We call on the international community to pay greater attention to Haiti’s existing difficulties and real needs so as to accelerate fulfilling the commitments made at the United Nations donor conference on 31 March last year and to ensure that the resources are obtained and the projects carried out. Thirdly, the Government and people of Haiti bear the primary responsibility for maintaining their national security and stability, rebuilding their country and achieving sustainable development. The international community should respect Haiti’s ownership and leading role. China believes that the international community’s priority should be to help Haiti to maintain security and stability, to restore and strengthen the institutional capacity of the Government, and to accelerate post-disaster reconstruction. The parties concerned should improve their division of labour and strengthen cooperation and coordination. Fourthly, China appreciates the contributions made by the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) in helping Haiti to maintain security and stability. China supports MINUSTAH’s ongoing implementation of its Security Council mandate to focus on assisting Haiti to maintain security and stability, to drive forward its political process, and to support the capacity-building of Government institutions, in particular in the security, police and judicial sectors, so as to create a safe and stable environment conducive to the reconstruction and development of Haiti.

At the outset, I would like to welcome Presidents Santos Calderón, Préval and Clinton, and to thank them and the Secretary-General for their excellent introductory remarks. I, in turn, would like to make the following comments. Painful tragedies have long dwelled in the collective memory of the Haitian people. These include the natural disasters and political and economic crises of 2010, starting with the earthquake, which claimed the lives of 230,000 people and displaced more than 2 million, and the cholera epidemic, which took more than 4,500 lives and has infected more than 240,000 to date, as well as insecurity and political instability arising from problems related to the electoral process. However, our meeting today once again demonstrates the international community’s commitment to moving forward in the reconstruction of Haiti. It shows the resolve of the United Nations to establish a lasting and strategic partnership with that country to ensure that it enjoys a better future. In that regard, we commend the international community for its solidarity with and support to the people of Haiti and its Government, which continues to provide relief and support in various areas. We call on donors to honour their commitments in that respect. For its part, Lebanon has joined the efforts of the international community in relief activities, thereby showing its solidarity with the Haitian people. We welcome the positive developments this year, including improved political stability and security, the notable 50 per cent decline in the number of displaced persons, the noticeable progress in the reconstruction and rehabilitation of State institutions, and the holding of parliamentary and presidential elections. The presidential statement that the Security Council will adopt today shows the link between development and security. By highlighting that issue in preparing for this meeting, Colombia has underscored its importance and implications for Haiti’s future and prosperity. There is no doubt that economic and social crises fuel conflict and threaten international peace and security. That is a challenge for the Security Council, which is entrusted with addressing those crises. It is the role of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti, whose duties, in addition to maintaining security and stability, include tasks related to development, such as reconstruction and building State institutions. The link between development and security leads us to another issue — the link between democracy and security. Haiti has had experience of that phenomenon throughout its contemporary political history. It experienced tragedy and suffering under protracted dictatorships. On the other hand, the recent elections were held in an acceptable, calm and stable atmosphere. We congratulate the people of Haiti on that democratic achievement and call on all parties to support the formation of a new Government, which will face the same significant challenges facing the entire country. We once again commend President Préval for his wise leadership in the various crises that have beset the country. The cholera epidemic remains a source of great concern, and we call on the international community to provide immediate assistance in bringing it to an end. As the Secretary-General noted, without an immediate and broad international response, we will be unable to end that threat to the lives of hundreds of thousands of Haitians. In that respect, we welcome the establishment of a panel of experts to investigate the sources of the epidemic. In conclusion, we reaffirm our support for efforts to strengthen national capacity-building, security, development, the rule of law, good governance and respect for human rights. We also reaffirm the need for the people and Government of Haiti to assume leadership together, above all in the reconstruction of the country. As one Haitian proverb has it, a borrowed drum never makes for good dancing.

South Africa welcomes you, Madame, to the Security Council today. We would like especially to thank your country for its initiative in organizing this very important debate on the situation in Haiti. We salute your leadership in focusing the attention of the international community back on Haiti and in reminding us of the terrible tragedy that befell that nation and the ongoing challenges that still lie ahead on the road towards reconstruction and recovery. The international community should use this opportunity to reaffirm its commitments and to redouble its efforts in support of the Government and people of Haiti as they rebuild their lives for the better. My delegation wishes to extend a warm welcome to President Préval and his delegation, and to thank him for leading the Haitian people towards stability during these trying times. We also welcome the Secretary-General and his Special Envoy for Haiti, President Clinton, and thank them for their continued inspiring leadership of the recovery efforts in Haiti. We further welcome and thank all the high-level participants in today’s debate, especially from the immediate region. This high-level participation is proof of the international community’s continued solidarity with the people and the Government of Haiti during this critical juncture in that nation’s history. In January, we met in this Council (see S/PV.6471) to commemorate the anniversary of the earthquake that shook Haiti last year and caused so much devastation. We believe that, with the continued support of the international community, Haiti will be able to overcome these challenges. We assure the Council of South Africa’s continued commitment to the country’s current and future reconstruction and development efforts. South Africa will continue its bilateral support to Haiti, including through such mechanisms as the India-Brazil-South Africa trilateral mechanism. It is without doubt that the challenges facing Haiti today are interrelated. Certainly, security and institution-building in such areas as the rule of law, democracy, justice and development are mutually reinforcing and should be pursued simultaneously. South Africa welcomes the signing of the memorandum of understanding between the Government and the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), in accordance with resolution 1927 (2010), through which MINUSTAH will provide temporary logistical assistance to build capacity in Haitian rule of law institutions. This is a good example of how the international community can support Haiti’s own efforts in building a strong State. My delegation also wishes to express our appreciation to MINUSTAH, under the leadership of Edmond Mulet, for its efforts in stabilizing Haiti. South Africa welcomes the fact that the second round of presidential and legislative elections was held under generally peaceful conditions. We also take note of the announcement of the provisional results on 4 April, and congratulate Michel Martelly on his victory. As the results are still to be finalized on 16 April, we call on all parties to ensure that the electoral process runs its full course and that the democratic transition is completed within the framework provided by the Constitution and electoral law of Haiti. It should be emphasized that the legal conclusion of the electoral process is central to the legitimacy of the new Government in Haiti. It is important that all sides accept the outcome of the elections and work together in the post-electoral phase in the formation of the new Government. All parties must work together in a spirit of reconciliation and inclusiveness, which are essential to the stability of Haiti. Without a concerted effort of the international community to support Haiti in its recovery from the various humanitarian disasters that affected it last year, Haiti will not be able to achieve sustainable stability and development, regardless of its efforts to build strong institutions. My delegation remains deeply concerned about the fact that very little of the aid committed to the recovery effort has been delivered this year. We therefore call on the international community to fulfil its commitments and help rebuild the lives of the people of Haiti. In the light of the security situation in the camps and the high rate of violence, especially sexual and gender-based violence, we believe that the efforts of the Haitian National Police, MINUSTAH and the United Nations country team should be reinforced to ensure the protection of the most vulnerable. In conclusion, South Africa remains convinced that Haiti — the first black Republic in the world, from which we drew inspiration during our own struggle for freedom — has both the ability and the resilience to recover from the calamity that befell it and to rebuild itself. South Africa will do all it can to ensure that the dream of a united and successful Haiti becomes a reality.

I would like to congratulate His Excellency President Santos Calderón on presiding over the Security Council’s open debate today. It is also a matter of great satisfaction that Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, his Special Envoy President Clinton, President Préval of Haiti, the Foreign Minister of Colombia, the Vice-Minister of Brazil and the Minister of State of the United Kingdom are in our midst today. We appreciate their taking time off to address us on the situation in Haiti. Their participation in today’s debate underlines their commitment to the cause of Haiti. We have benefited a great deal from their views. The Security Council, along with the other organs of the United Nations system, has continued to pay attention to the situation in Haiti by holding regular meetings and, in this context, we are glad that the Colombian presidency of the Council has organized today’s open debate. We hope that the sustained engagement of the international community and the Council in developments in Haiti will not only reassure the people and Government of Haiti, but also bring about greater coherence in the efforts of multilateral agencies and bilateral partners in assisting the Haitian authorities. We all know well the extent of devastation that was caused in Haiti by the earthquake, which took the lives of some 300,000 and injured an equal number. While Haiti was battling to overcome this disaster, an outbreak of cholera further aggravated an already grim situation. Amidst all this, the country plunged into a political crisis with a series of electoral disputes in presidential and legislative elections. The return of erstwhile Haitian leaders from exile seemed to add to the political tensions. With a change in Government and the challenge of sustaining recovery efforts, Haiti will face testing times this year too. It is a matter of satisfaction that the preliminary results of the run-off election held last month have been announced and that Mr. Michel Martelly has been declared the winner. It is our hope that the final result of the presidential election will be announced soon and that all political actors in Haiti will accept it. In that connection, we note with appreciation the roles played by regional organizations, in particular the Organization of American States, in resolving electoral disputes during the first phase of the presidential election. It is critical that the transition of power be smooth. We also hope the political leadership in Haiti will show maturity at this difficult time and live up to the expectations of the Haitian people. Haiti requires the sustained support of the international community in its national efforts towards long-term recovery, reconstruction and development. With nearly 680,000 persons still living in camps and millions living in extremely difficult conditions, including the lack of access to clean water, sanitation and other basic services and recovery efforts, the need of the hour is not only solidarity and commitment but also an acceleration in the pace of reconstruction efforts. Simultaneously, it is also necessary to focus on governmental reforms towards good governance, the rule of law and institution-building in a process owned and led by Haiti. Better coordination between aid agencies, donors and the Government of Haiti requires no emphasis. That would not only avoid duplication but also direct aid to sectors considered most necessary by the Government and people of Haiti. The various United Nations agencies also have to work hard towards improving Haiti’s technical capacity to fully and properly utilize aid. India has made a modest contribution to the efforts of the Haitian authorities to deal with the situation there. In the immediate aftermath of the earthquake, on behalf of India, I handed a modest offering to my colleague the Permanent Representative of Haiti. India also made a contribution to Central Emergency Response Fund, which was put to good use in the earliest stages of recovery work in Haiti. We have also pledged to reconstruct one of the Government ministries, to be identified by the Government of Haiti. We await an indication as to which building we should start preparations to rebuild. In recognizing the need to provide basic amenities — shelter, drinking water and sanitation — to the Haitian people, we have joined our partners Brazil and South Africa in expanding the India-Brazil- South Africa (IBSA) trust fund for the waste management project in Haiti, both in its area of coverage and its scope to handle different types of waste. IBSA is also involved in other projects in this effort and devoting resources for the reconstruction of a community health centre in Haiti. We highly commend and support the role played by peacekeepers of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) in the humanitarian and recovery efforts in aid of local authorities in Haiti. We are proud of their sterling efforts, both on the civil and military and police sides, in the immediate aftermath of the disastrous earthquake, despite the tremendous losses that they themselves suffered. We are also happy to note the important role played by MINUSTAH in ensuring a peaceful run-off election in March. I also recall the contributions made by the Indian police officers deployed with MINUSTAH, presently numbering 470 in three contingents, two of which were deployed by India after the earthquake at the request of the United Nations. We hope that, with the support of the international community, Haiti will this year not only recover faster from the effects of last year’s disasters but also show political resilience to achieve much- needed reforms to improve the living conditions of the Haitian population. India is committed to our collective efforts to achieve those goals.

I would like to express my gratitude to the Colombian presidency for its initiative to organize today’s meeting on the situation in Haiti. (spoke in English) With Haiti currently in the final phase of the electoral process, this debate is very timely. At this critical moment, it is important that the Council reiterate its clear message of support and solidarity with the people of Haiti. Your presence, Madame President, and that of President Santos Calderón here today underscore the great importance that your country, jointly with many other countries, in particular from Latin America and the Caribbean, attaches to helping the people of Haiti recover from the horrific earthquake, which was followed by devastating hurricanes and an outbreak of cholera. I would like to thank the Secretary-General and his Special Envoy, former President William Jefferson Clinton for their reports and briefings today. I was impressed to learn of President Clinton’s initiatives in the field of economic recovery, especially the small business initiative. I also wish to join my colleagues in very warmly welcoming President Préval to the Security Council. I would like to pay tribute to him for steering his country through enormously difficult and trying times, including a peaceful transfer of power. Germany aligns itself with the statement to be delivered later in this debate on behalf of the European Union. More than a year after the devastating earthquake, the magnitude of the challenges that the people of Haiti face remains daunting. The Council will rightly reiterate that the ownership of, and the primary responsibility for, recovery and reconstruction lie with the Government and people of Haiti. At the same time, we are all aware of the fact that this will require sustained and well-coordinated support and assistance from the international community. The United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) has a complex mandate, which it is implementing in a pragmatic manner. We would like to recognize Edmond Mulet’s able leadership in that regard, as well as to thank him and his team for their unflagging commitment. I would also like to pay tribute to his predecessor, the late Hédi Annabi, who lost his life in the earthquake. I would like to focus on three aspects where MINUSTAH has an important supporting role to play, namely, elections, security and reconstruction, development and the rule of law. I should first like to turn to elections. The electoral process must be completed in a peaceful, credible and legitimate manner. In the light of the preliminary results of the presidential election, we join the call on all political leaders in Haiti to live up to their responsibilities, to contribute constructively to an atmosphere of political dialogue, to help to heal the wounds of the political battles of the past and to build together a better future for their country. Secondly, on security, MINUSTAH’s continued presence remains a prerequisite for the stabilization and development of the country. We pay tribute to all the men and women from the different nations participating in this important United Nations Mission. The security-related challenges are manifold, ranging from gang violence, drugs and human trafficking to sexual and gender-based violence. On the latter aspect, we commend the United Nations for developing an operational plan for strengthening women’s security, and MINUSTAH for launching a campaign aimed at discouraging sexual violence. We urge all relevant actors to continue all efforts aimed at enhancing the protection of vulnerable groups. Thirdly, on reconstruction, development and the rule of law, for the future of Haiti and the reconstruction and long-term development of the country, it will be essential that Haiti succeed in attracting private foreign investment. Germany would like to express its sincere gratitude to Special Envoy President Clinton for his persistent efforts in helping the people of Haiti to embark on that road of reconstruction and development and to encourage the private sector to look at Haiti as an investment opportunity. For these efforts to be successful, the rule of law must be strengthened in all areas of society and respected and implemented by all relevant actors. Institutional capacity and an adequate legal framework are prerequisites for sustainable economic development and an increase in foreign investment. We commend Special Representative Edmond Mulet for his initiative to realign resources in support of a rule- of-law compact aimed at bringing the rule of law and economic development together. We also note the Secretary-General’s call on all international partners to work with the Government and the United Nations in a concerted and cohesive effort to strengthen the rule of law. Madam President, in preparing today’s debate, the Colombian Government strongly supported a call for the enhanced and effective coordination of all international efforts for Haiti. We fully share your sense of urgency on this issue and support any initiative aimed at enhancing existing mechanisms for coordination in line with the priorities of the Haitian Government. The United Nations, including the United Nations country team and MINUSTAH, must continue to play a fundamental role in this regard. In that context, we also encourage the United Nations Coordinator for Humanitarian Affairs to continue her coordination efforts. All stakeholders, including the hundreds of non-governmental organizations working in the field, are called upon to continue to contribute constructively to these efforts in order to make real progress possible. In concluding, let me underscore that Germany remains committed to assisting the people of Haiti, both nationally and as member of the European Union.

Madam President, my delegation commends you for having convened this debate on the situation in Haiti. We would like also to thank President Clinton and the Secretary-General for the detailed information they have provided us concerning the situation there. This debate is taking place following the second round of presidential elections in Haiti, in a context of renewed hope. We welcome the presence among us of President Préval as well as the role he played in the successful resumption of the electoral process. Gabon has a particular interest in this debate. In the course of our history we have been the beneficiary of contributions from Haiti; thus we have focused our continued attention on the situation in that country since 2004, and in that spirit we made a small contribution of $1 million following the January 2010 earthquake. My delegation would also like to address the political, security and humanitarian situation there. Gabon, which has paid close attention to the information that has been provided to us, would like to acknowledge the considerable contribution made by the international community in Haiti since 2004. Our joint efforts and our contribution will be more than ever necessary to ensure a sustainable recovery in Haiti, in particular to allow that State to resume the provision of basic services to its citizens. The political environment is currently reflective of the results of the second round of presidential elections, which were announced by the Electoral Council. We commend the efforts of the political stakeholders and of the Haitian people during the particularly sensitive period between the two rounds of voting. It is our hope that the conclusion of the electoral process will enable the country’s institutions to resume functioning as normal. In addition, the conclusion of the electoral process must lead to much- desired reforms and the consolidation of the democratic institutions, which is necessary to the development of the country. This reform process requires reconciliation among the Haitian people, who have for so long lived in a context of deep social division. Gabon therefore calls on the political leadership and civil society to work jointly to that end so as to create conditions conducive to a comprehensive, sustainable recovery in Haiti. The security situation has improved in recent months, owing mainly to the enhanced operational effectiveness of the Haitian National Police, as reflected in the level of security during the electoral process. That is one of the gains achieved by MINUSTAH, which has been in place since 2004. The military and police components of the Mission, along with the Haitian National Police, worked jointly to provide security during the process as a whole. Gabon welcomes this fruitful cooperation and the results we see today. However, the security situation must continue to improve. Efforts to that end must lead not only to increased security in urban areas but also, and in a spirit of urgency, to the protection of vulnerable groups — women and children. It is therefore important to enhance security in camps for displaced persons, where many people are still staying. MINUSTAH and Haiti’s other partners must continue to provide assistance in strengthening the human and organizational capacity of the National Police so that it can tackle other security problems and other types of criminal activity in Haiti, including the uptick in gang violence and drug trafficking. MINUSTAH is today more than ever involved in the process of the recovery and reconstruction of the country’s institutions, economy and infrastructure. We wish to commend the determination and professionalism of its staff and hope to see the rapid implementation of the integrated strategic framework, whose operationalization will enhance the coordination of the activities of MINUSTAH and the United Nations country team. Similarly, we welcome the high level of regional and subregional cooperation, characterized, inter alia, by the support of the Organization of American States and of the Caribbean Community, whose contributions to the reconstruction efforts represent an important pillar. Additionally, my country deeply appreciates the added value provided by decentralized cooperation, which has allowed for the mobilization and rapid deployment of humanitarian assistance, particularly in the context of combating the cholera epidemic. We must learn from other attempts to coordinate the activities of the international community in Haiti, including the example of the interim cooperation framework and the framework for State governance and reform. The action plan for reconstruction and development must open up new prospects, in particular with respect to ownership of the process by the Haitian people, both in Haiti and abroad, and the identification of structural, institutional and sectoral priorities. But above and beyond that, it is important for the international community to honour its commitments. Haiti’s future, as well as its ability to deal with the urgent challenges facing it following the earthquake, require a democratic, peaceful transfer of power; the implementation of institutional and political reforms; strong support on the part of the international community for the new Government; and capacity on the part of the new Government to give momentum to economic development by promoting investment and creating jobs. In conclusion, Gabon reiterates its support for the efforts of the international community to assist Haiti as well as for those of MINUSTAH. Finally, we endorse the presidential statement that will be adopted at the end of this debate.

Madam President, I should like to thank Colombia for having convened this debate at a key moment in the history of Haiti. I should like also to thank President Santos Calderón and President Préval for participating in this debate. I should like in addition to welcome the efforts made by Mr. Mulet as Head of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH). The Secretary-General, in his most recent report, detailed the challenges that Haiti continues to face: a long-standing political crisis, a very slow process of reconstruction, hundreds of thousands of displaced persons, an economy that needs to be rebuilt, a weak rule of law and increased criminality, including sexual violence against women and girls in camps for displaced persons. In this difficult context, the immediate challenge is restoring political stability. Slow development undoubtedly has a negative impact on stability, but there can be no solid development without political stability. The elections that have just taken place must allow for the establishment of new institutions with which the international community will pursue its efforts for cooperation. We appeal to the candidates, the politicians and the people to respect the democratic process and to build the future of the country on that basis following Mr. Martelly’s victory. Haiti needs a calm political climate in order to move forward and resolve its problems. The future of the country will depend most of all on the key political decisions that will be made by the newly elected leaders. Indeed, the international community is at Haiti’s side, but it will not be able to provide anything of a lasting nature if the country’s leadership does not take a determined role in guiding the political process and reconstruction. Such national ownership is particularly important in terms of the rule of law. How can investments be ensured without public and legal security or without a judicial system that is up and running? How can security for the people be ensured without a police force that is competent and large enough to deploy throughout the country, and that respects its own mandate as well as human rights? We welcome the real progress made in these areas, but it must encourage Haitian politicians and the international community alike to tirelessly pursue the efforts they have undertaken. The future Haitian authorities can count on France to help them in rebuilding and developing the country. With respect to reconstruction, certain obstacles must be lifted to accelerate the pace of rubble cleanup and the reconstruction of homes, which will involve the use of heavy machinery. To that end, France has just provided 40 trucks, which are adapted to the terrain, to the Ministry of Public Works, Transport and Communications. Above and beyond this, the international community must continue its efforts and its mobilization. We must emphasize the scope of the human, technical and financial efforts made by the international community in Haiti. These efforts are the result of the relentless work of thousands of people working on the ground, in particular for the United Nations and especially in the context of MINUSTAH, which will continue to play an essential role in stabilizing the country. This involves bringing in technical expertise to build local capacities, since there will be no recovery without strengthening the competencies that have been reclaimed and developed by the Haitians themselves. It ultimately involves financial assistance, in particular the financing that has been promised and must be delivered. That has yet to happen, as President Préval and President Clinton noted. France has a presence in all areas. We contribute to MINUSTAH, including more than 70 gendarmes and police officers. We provide technical assistance, in particular through training for police and judges, amounting to more than €300 million for the 2010- 2011 period, more than half of which has already been disbursed. Our contribution is also channelled through the European Union, as will be highlighted later by the High Representative of the European Union. France aligns itself in advance with her statement. France will maintain its commitment to the people and the Government of Haiti, in close cooperation with the United Nations. We will do so within a comprehensive effort involving the State and bringing in local French communities, in particular the French Departments of the Americas, non- governmental organizations, businesses and the Haitian diaspora living in France.

Allow me to thank the Colombian presidency of the Council for having organized this very important debate, and to thank the President of the Republic of Colombia and the President of Haiti, Mr. René Préval, for their presence here today. I would also like to thank the Secretary-General and President Clinton for their briefings, which are very useful to our work. I would emphasize the presence of so many representatives of various friendly Governments, members of our Ibero- American community, whose support for this debate is eloquent testimony to our collective commitment to and solidarity with Haiti. We are conducting an extensive debate on Haiti today. It is extensive in that we must address a number of challenges confronting that country, all of which are interrelated. They include security, reconstruction, socio-economic development, the strengthening of its institutions and of the rule of law, and the promotion of human rights and civil society. This is an extensive debate because it also needs to address the underlying causes of the present difficulties, as well as a range of measures at the disposal of the international community to consolidate its support for the people and Government of Haiti. We begin, of course, with one simple observation. Peace and security in Haiti, as well as the efforts for national reconstruction and the pursuit of development, are the responsibilities first and foremost of the people and authorities of Haiti, an independent and sovereign country. The international community cannot replace this sovereign will and can only act to support the efforts to stabilize and develop that country that are being conducted by the Haitians themselves. For these reasons, we welcome the election of Michel Martelly as President of the Republic. This democratic choice of the Haitian people is an essential condition to guarantee political and institutional stability in the country and to strengthen the confidence of the Haitians and the international community in the ability of the future Government to successfully deal with a process of reconstruction and development that is indeed very complex. In this regard, I recognize all the work carried out by President Préval, the progress achieved and the transparent manner in which the presidential elections were held. The second round of the election was an important step forward in the Haitian democratic process. We would also like to thank the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) and the joint electoral observer mission of the Organization of American States and the Caribbean Community for all their work in that respect. The electoral process must now be concluded in a credible and transparent way, thus further strengthening the legitimacy of the country’s institutions. Obstacles to security and development in Haiti are long-standing and structural in nature. The terrible earthquake of 2010 merely forced us to take an unvarnished look at the scarcity and difficulties that Haitians have experienced on a daily basis for decades. Overcoming the impact of the natural disaster and accumulated deficits will take time and much effort before the Haitian people will be able to fully benefit from the security and development to which they are entitled. These efforts will require an ongoing and significant commitment on the part of the international community, as well as more effective aid coordination and greater coherence between the work of MINUSTAH, the Interim Haiti Recovery Commission, donors, the United Nations Development Programme, the various United Nations agencies, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, UN- Women and the various non-governmental organizations. I am delighted to hear from President Clinton that success has been noted in this area, but more can be done to improve this coordination. MINUSTAH has seen decisive success in supporting the work of the Haitian authorities in reconstruction, property distribution and the provision of essential services, medical care, reducing the number of displaced persons and combating epidemics. Its role also remains important, in close cooperation with the Haitian authorities, in the areas of institutional capacity- building, pursuing the reforms necessary to strengthening the rule of law, promoting human rights, fighting crime and protecting the most vulnerable groups, effectively delivering justice and putting an end to impunity. These are all elements vital to ensuring peace and security in the country and to promoting its sustainable development. Portugal enthusiastically welcomes all of the work carried out by MINUSTAH since 2004 and the dedication of the members of the Mission. In that connection, I would like to say a special word of thanks for the personal efforts made by Mr. Edmond Mulet. We encourage them to continue to work along these lines while promoting progressive ownership by the Haitian authorities of their full competencies and responsibilities in all of these areas, as emphasized by President Juan Manuel Santos Calderón. Peace requires neither dependence nor external assistance. Above all, it depends upon the will of the Haitian people, their democratic institutions and the economic and social progress they achieve. Haiti now has a new democratically elected President, and thus a real opportunity to promote a process of national reconciliation and a model of socio- economic development based on the rule of law and respect for the fundamental rights of its citizens. My delegation believes it would be useful in this new context for the Council to do some in-depth thinking on ways to strengthen Haitian institutions, the complete transfer of responsibility for the country’s reconstruction and development in terms of these institutions, as well as the future of an international presence in Haiti. We would also like for the next report of the Secretary-General to include specific proposals to deal with security challenges. Today I wish to express Portugal’s confidence in the will and determination of the Haitian people to confront and overcome the many challenges they face, as well as our belief in the commitment and solidarity of the international community to contribute to this effort to the greatest extent possible.

I have been authorized to make the following statement on behalf of the Council: “The Security Council reaffirms its strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and unity of Haiti and emphasizes that the Government and people of Haiti bear the primary responsibility for the attainment of peace and stability and for the recovery efforts in Haiti. The Council acknowledges the contribution the international community is making to support the stabilization process in Haiti, including the strengthening of its legislative, judicial and executive institutions. “The Security Council recognizes the interconnected nature of the challenges in Haiti and reaffirms that sustainable progress on security, institutional capacity-building, including rule of law, as well as consolidation of national Government structures, democracy, the promotion and protection of human rights and development, are mutually reinforcing. The Council appreciates the efforts made by the Haitian Government and the international community to address these challenges. “The Security Council welcomes the ongoing electoral process in Haiti and stresses the importance of its completion in a peaceful, credible and legitimate way which will contribute to the consolidation of democracy, allow for the completion of constitutional reform and provide a strong basis for the continuing reconstruction efforts. The Council recognizes the important contribution of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) and the Organization of American States and other international, regional and subregional organizations in supporting the political process. “The Security Council underlines that security and development are closely interlinked and mutually reinforcing and reiterates the need for security to be accompanied by social and economic development. In this context, the Security Council acknowledges that rapid and tangible progress in the recovery and reconstruction of Haiti is fundamental to achieving lasting stability. “The Security Council recognizes the various challenges in Haiti and stresses MINUSTAH’s fundamental role in supporting the Haitian authorities in creating a secure and stable environment conducive to economic recovery, including by implementing labour intensive projects and the provision of basic services in Haiti. “The Security Council expresses its concern at the situation of vulnerable groups, including internally displaced persons and children as victims of trafficking, and the increase of sexual and gender-based violence. In this regard, the Security Council encourages MINUSTAH and the United Nations country team to continue assisting the Government of Haiti in providing adequate protection to the civilian population, with particular attention to the needs of internally displaced persons and other vulnerable groups, especially women and children. “The Security Council stresses that there can be no genuine stability or sustainable development in Haiti without strengthening its democratic institutions. In this regard, the Council emphasizes the importance of promoting the rule of law in strengthening the Haitian institutions. The Council further reaffirms the responsibility of MINUSTAH in supporting the Haitian State in the fields of rule of law, good governance, extension of State authority and the promotion and protection of human rights, in accordance with its mandate. “The Security Council stresses the crucial importance of strengthening the Haitian National Police to ensure its ability to maintain law and order and to tackle violent crime, particularly sexual and gender-based violence, as well as gang violence and transnational organized crime. In this regard, the Council welcomes the continued support of the United Nations and the international community to the Haitian authorities and calls for MINUSTAH continued support in the vetting, mentoring and training of the Haitian National Police and corrections personnel and intensification of cooperation to face this challenge, including assistance in counter- narcotic efforts and training in human rights. “The Security Council recognizes Haiti’s long-term recovery challenge and calls upon the international community to continue to support Haitian authorities in order to ensure that the most vulnerable segments of the population have access to basic social services and justice. “The Security Council acknowledges the efforts of the donor community and calls upon them to fulfil without delay all pledges, including those made at the International Donors’ Conference towards a New Future for Haiti, held on 31 March 2010. The Council welcomes the work of the Interim Haiti Recovery Commission in focusing donor efforts on the top priority areas for recovery and encourages all reconstruction donors, non-governmental and international organizations to continue to channel their efforts through the Commission. “The Council reiterates the need for Member States and other stakeholders to continue to support the Haitian authorities in strengthening Haiti’s core governance structures, implementing the Government of Haiti’s national action plan for recovery and development as an efficient and coherent framework. “While acknowledging the willingness of the international community to continue to partner with the Government of Haiti in establishing future long-term security and development strategies that are mindful of a cohesive framework, the Security Council stresses the importance of consistent coordination and joint efforts among the Government of Haiti, the United Nations, the Interim Haiti Recovery Commission and other stakeholders with a view to producing sustainable results. “The Security Council welcomes the willingness of regional and subregional organizations to contribute to the ongoing process of stabilization, reconstruction and further consolidation of democracy in Haiti. In this respect, the Council calls on MINUSTAH to continue to work closely with such organizations, as well as international financial institutions and other stakeholders, among them the Organization of American States, the European Union, the Caribbean Community, the Union of South American Nations and the Inter-American Development Bank. “The Security Council expresses its appreciation to the Member States that support the recovery and stabilization process in Haiti, including the troop- and police-contributing countries of MINUSTAH. The Council expresses its gratitude to the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Haiti, former United States President William J. Clinton, and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General Ambassador Edmond Mulet and the personnel of MINUSTAH for their dedication and personal involvement in the ongoing stabilization and recovery efforts in Haiti in accordance with their respective mandates and in strong coordination with all United Nations entities and Member States.” This statement will be issued as a document of the Security Council under the symbol S/PRST/2011/7. I now give the floor to the representative of Cuba.

Barely one year ago at United Nations Headquarters, more than 150 Governments and other international actors committed to cooperating to provide substantial aid for the recovery and reconstruction of Haiti after the disaster caused by the earthquake of 12 January of that year. As a statement, it was a commendable show of solidarity. Though insufficient, the total pledged for reconstruction — $9 billion, of which $5 billion was to be disbursed in the first two years, in addition to valuable offers in kind — reflected an undeniable willingness to help. The declared principle of directing this aid with full adherence to the Haitian Government’s priorities, so as to strengthen the authority of the State, showed universal respect for the sovereignty of that beleaguered nation and its governing authorities’ prerogatives. There appeared to be a universal desire to aid that heroic nation, the first to break free of the colonial yoke and to abolish slavery in the hemisphere of the Americas. Unfortunately, what has happened since has not been consistent with the spirit that ruled the conference of 31 March 2010. Nevertheless, many of the self- proclaimed principal donors have continued to dedicate exorbitant resources to war and military intervention. The sums pledged for financial and material aid, however insufficient to the magnitude of the problem, have not been disbursed. The will of the Haitian Government has not been respected, and its priorities have not been attended to. The reconstruction of Haiti, to which we all committed, is a task that is still pending. In the months following the terrible earthquake, Haiti seemed to be being torn apart by the Governments of the most powerful and industrialized countries, which distributed their aid in an arbitrary and arrogant fashion through their voracious companies and some of their wealthiest non- governmental organizations. Even today, funds and resources continue to be directed outside the programmes and control of the Haitian Government, leading to waste, corruption and the satisfaction of very marginal or selective interests. Cuba shares the concerns expressed by the Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community in the communiqué issued at their intersessional meeting on 26 February, in which they made critical references to the working methods of the Haiti Reconstruction Fund and the Interim Haiti Recovery Commission, to the need to respect the Haitian Government’s priorities, and to the insufficient flow of pledged resources. Cuba has concentrated its efforts in the area where it can have the greatest impact — public health, a key element in Haiti’s social sustainability and stability. In full coordination with the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America, and following the directions and priorities of the Haitian Government, we have worked tirelessly to implement a programme to rebuild the national health system, aimed essentially at meeting the health needs of 75 per cent of the neediest part of the population at minimum cost. Since 12 January 2010, almost 2 million patients have been treated, more than 36,000 surgeries have been performed and almost 8,500 babies have been delivered. More than 465,000 patients have received rehabilitation treatment. Services are being provided at 23 community referral hospitals, 30 rehabilitation wards, 13 health centres, two eye surgery clinics and the Public Health Laboratory. A comprehensive programme for hygiene and epidemiology is being developed in all 10 of the country’s departments. This Cuban cooperative programme has 1,117 health workers, of whom 923 are Cuban and 201 come from the various countries educating and graduating students in Cuba, including young Haitians. The resources generously provided in solidarity by President Hugo Chávez Frías of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela have been essential, and we have worked closely with Brazil through a tripartite agreement with Haiti. Cuba has also received the backing of several countries in carrying out this health programme. Namibia, Norway, South Africa, Australia and Spain, along with groups of individual donors, have contributed just over $3.5 million. We are ready to work, in a strictly humanitarian fashion and in respect for and in full coordination with the Haitian Government, with any and all countries and organizations willing to take part in rebuilding and developing Haiti’s health system. At the same time, Cuban doctors have confronted a serious cholera epidemic. Sixty-seven units have been set up to care for more than 73,000 patients, a third of all the cases in the country. Of these, only 272 have died, for a death rate of 0.37 per cent, five times lower than that of other institutions in Haiti. Caring for these patients has required selflessness and a spirit of sacrifice, especially at night. In the past 77 consecutive days, our medical and nursing personnel have seen no deaths from cholera. The creation of active survey groups, known as Subcomuna Adentro, was a new experiment that permitted the examination of almost 1.7 million people living in communities without access to health care services, and the diagnosis of more than 5,300 cholera cases in their own homes. I mention these results in all the modesty of our people merely to cite practical examples in support of our conviction that what Haiti needs is substantial and impartial aid, closely coordinated with the Government, that contributes to its development and helps overcome the immense socio-economic difficulties and disparities affecting Haiti and hindering its people’s stability and progress. Haiti does not need an army of occupation; it is not and cannot become a United Nations protectorate. The role of the United Nations is to support the Government and people of Haiti in strengthening their sovereignty and self-determination. The forces of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) have a very specific mandate to promote stability in that country, and that should have been and should still be rigorously respected. MINUSTAH does not have the political prerogative to involve itself in strictly internal Haitian affairs, nor should it do so. It is not acceptable for it to participate in electoral choices or to pressure sovereign authorities in any way. It also has no right to speak on behalf of Haiti. Cuba is firmly convinced that the humanitarian situation in Haiti is a matter not for the Security Council but for the General Assembly, whose authority the Council frequently usurps. This is not an issue that threatens international peace and security, and it cannot be resolved by a military presence conceived for peacekeeping operations. The serious consequences of the omissions, excesses, double standards and anti- democratic procedures of the Council are also well known. The problems of this sister nation are essentially the result of centuries of colonial and neocolonial pillage, underdevelopment, the imposition of one of the longest and bloodiest dictatorships ever seen in our region, and foreign intervention. The inalienable rights of the Haitian people to independence and self- determination should finally be respected. Haiti needs resources for reconstruction and development. It needs humanitarian commitment, and not interference or political manipulation. It needs a minimum of generosity, instead of so much egoism.

I should like to state that President Clinton asked me personally to convey his thanks to the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Cuba and his country for the way in which Cuba has been cooperating in the reconstruction process in Haiti. I now give the floor to of the representative of Argentina.

Before turning to the topic of today’s debate, I wish to convey the condolences of the people and Government of Argentina to the United Nations, the Governments of the countries of the victims and to the families of those individuals who died in the service of peace in Afghanistan as a result of the attack on the United Nations compound on Friday. Once again, we see that intolerance towards others on religious or cultural grounds leads to unacceptable acts of violence. We hope that the sacrifice of those who gave their lives for international peace and security will encourage us to redouble our efforts to build a culture of peace. I would like to congratulate you, Sir, on your assumption of the presidency of the Security Council for the month of April and to thank you in particular for having convened this open debate on the situation in Haiti, which gives us the opportunity to reaffirm our robust commitment to that country, reflected in the fact that 70 per cent of the personnel deployed by Argentina in seven United Nations peacekeeping missions are serving in the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH). The international community has reiterated on several occasions its steadfast commitment to Haiti. Moreover, the successive crises caused by devastating natural disasters regularly remind us of the need to maintain continuous cooperation efforts. Following the January 2010 earthquake, the Interim Haiti Recovery Commission was established with the essential task of coordinating international assistance. We hope that the United Nations will continue playing an appropriate role, in that regard. For its part, Argentina has assumed additional specific responsibilities that we continue to fulfil in direct contact with the Haitian authorities. These include the delivery of humanitarian assistance by White Helmets, completing a total of four missions between 2004 and 2010, and the promotion of autonomous production of fresh food in household, school and community gardens through the Haiti Pro- Huerta programme, with the ultimate objective of achieving food security. Argentina’s commitment to Haiti can also been seen in our active participation in the Union of South American Nations, an organization which, among its many actions and commitments, decided in February 2010 to establish a fund for the reconstruction of the country and in August 2010 institutionalized its presence on the island with the opening of a technical secretariat in Port-au-Prince. Notwithstanding the commitment of the international community as a whole to the reconstruction of Haiti, we are aware of the dissatisfaction of some sectors of the Haitian population with the failure to deliver the humanitarian assistance promised, which has indirectly affected the perception of the entire international presence in Haiti. This has led to consideration of ways to adapt the mandate of the Mission and of ways in which the countries of our region will participate in the new phase. We are convinced that local participation is the fundamental principle to be taken into account in peacekeeping and peacebuilding endeavours. In this regard, like other countries of the region, we believe it very important to establish direct contact with the elected authorities as soon as possible so as to ascertain their position on what they expect from international cooperation as a whole and from the varied support that the States Members of the Organization can provide for reconstruction in Haiti. In this regard, a number of Ministers for Foreign Affairs and Defence from Latin America met in Montevideo on 10 March to consider this matter. Subsequently, we decided to draw up a report on the situation in Haiti and the possibilities for cooperation between the region and the new authorities, including through institutional support and MINUSTAH. Once that regional report has been finalized, we are confident that we will be able to work with the Secretariat to ensure that, in the drafting of the next report of the Secretary-General and the setting of the budget for MINUSTAH, appropriate attention is given to two important aspects. First, due attention should be paid to aspects relating to the strengthening of the rule of law and institutional reconstruction in Haiti, such as the provision of training and equipment to the Haitian National Police. It is also very important to take into account MINUSTAH’s potential contributions to peacebuilding in the country, including the possibility of stepping up the activities of the engineering component in the field of reconstruction, building on the work achieved so far. Finally, regardless of the criteria that may be applied to the mandate of MINUSTAH, it is essential that the United Nations assume further responsibility for the coordination international efforts in support of Haiti, always on the basis of the priorities set by the country itself, in order to make sustained progress towards the consolidation of a framework of stability that will allow for a progressive transfer of responsibilities to the Haitian authorities.

I now give the floor to the representative of Chile.

Chile wishes to congratulate Colombia on its assumption of the presidency of the Security Council for the month of April and on its initiative to hold a debate in the Council on the situation in the sister Republic of Haiti, a topic at the forefront of our concerns in Latin America and the Caribbean. The participation in this meeting of the President of the Republic of Haiti, His Excellency Mr. René Préval; a great number of Ministers for Foreign Affairs from the region; the Secretary General of the Organization of American States, Mr. José Miguel Insulza; and the President of the Inter-American Development Bank, Mr. Luis Alberto Moreno, strongly underscores our commitment to addressing the needs of and challenges facing the Haitian people. It also reinforces our appeal to the international community to demonstrate its solidarity with and support for the Haitian people and their efforts to attain peace and security, political stability and economic and social development. Chile aligns itself with the statement to be delivered by the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Uruguay on behalf of the Group of Friends of Haiti, of which Chile is a member. Chile has a long-standing interest in the situation in Haiti. As a member of the Security Council when the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti was established pursuant to resolution 1542 (2004), Chile was one of the first countries to participate in the Mission. Since that time, we have supported the efforts of the Government and the people of Haiti to achieve peace and security, development, the protection and promotion of human rights and the establishment of the rule of law. We thank the Secretary-General for his report on the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) (S/2011/183*), which gives a full picture of the latest developments and indicates the areas in which our action must be strengthened. We also thank the United Nations Special Envoy for Haiti, former President of the United States Bill Clinton, for the comprehensive report submitted on the activities of the Interim Haiti Recovery Commission. We recognize and appreciate his commitment to seek productive investments that can use and enhance the national strengths of the people of Haiti, its workers, its business people and its professionals. Our special gratitude also goes to the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Ambassador Edmond Mulet, for his tireless efforts at the head of MINUSTAH. His work deserves the highest praise. As the Secretary-General’s report acknowledges, 2010 was a year of multiple crises in Haiti. Chile hopes that 2011 will be remembered as the year when there was a peaceful transfer of power, consolidation of the process of political and social stabilization and national reconstruction. In accordance with the principles underlying our foreign policy and with the priority accorded by the Government of Chile to its regional relations, our special commitment to support Haiti’s own efforts to meet the challenges of reconstruction, development and stability is based on the principle of national ownership. The interrelated nature of those challenges means that sustainable and sustained progress must cover aspects ranging from security to democratic consolidation and from the rule of law to national reconstruction, including institution-building, the promotion of human rights and economic and social development. Accordingly, the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti must continue to work towards those goals, strengthening cooperation with institutions involved in the process of stabilization, reconstruction and democratic consolidation of the country, such as the Organization of American States (OAS), the European Union, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the Union of South American Nations, the Inter-American Development Bank and international financial institutions. With regard to the country’s institutional reconstruction, I wish to highlight the electoral process currently under way and wish to note the valuable contribution of MINUSTAH and the cooperation of OAS and CARICOM, through the joint electoral observation mission headed by Mr. Colin Granderson. The Government of Chile is grateful to him and to his entire team. The role of the joint mission was crucial for the smooth conduct of the second round of elections. Chile hopes that the final vote counting will also proceed smoothly and that in May power can be transferred to a new democratically elected President who, vested with legitimacy, will tackle the challenges with the full support of the Haitian people and the international community. When it comes to the strengthening of the rule of law, as shown by the report of the Secretary-General, much still remains to be done. There must be an end to the serious upsurge in crime, armed gangs and gender- based sexual violence, as well as to the trafficking and sexual exploitation of children. My country is committed to providing the maximum possible assistance in that regard. We are currently reviewing the projects submitted by the Office of Rule of Law and Security Institutions of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, with a view to choosing the ones we will support, in addition to continuing to provide police fellowships. MINUSTAH must continue to perform its mandate for the implementation of quick-impact projects and assistance to the Haitian Government for the adequate protection of the civilian population, with particular attention being given to internally displaced persons and other vulnerable groups, especially women and children. It is a matter of particular concern that organized crime, in particular crime related to drug trafficking, is using Haiti as a base for drug distribution operations. Clearly, the precarious state of the rule of law, combined with the lack of development, provides fertile soil for crime. Accordingly, we believe in comprehensive support from the United Nations for Haiti. In due course, the Council should renew the mandate of MINUSTAH and emphasize its links with the efforts of other stakeholders relevant to the development of Haiti, in the light of existing circumstances. In order to contribute to the future of Haiti, Chile’s participation is not limited to security aspects but also includes human resources training, police training, early childhood education and technical agro- ecology instruction. In all of these areas, we hope to continue to work to enhance our contribution to the security, peace and sustainable development of our kindred nation.

I now give the floor to the representative of Peru.

I would first like to congratulate and thank you, President Juan Manuel Santos Calderón, as well as the Government of Colombia, for this important initiative of convening an open debate of the Security Council to address the situation in our sister republic of Haiti. I also wish to avail myself of this opportunity to thank President Préval for his presence here today and congratulate him on an electoral process conducted with seriousness and transparency. Peru attaches particular importance and attention to the process of stabilization and reconstruction being conducted by the Haitian Government with the support of the United Nations and other institutions of the international community. In that regard, Peru is contributing a contingent of over 300 troops to the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), including officers to the Mission’s military command. We have also expressed our intention to deploy a female contingent to that effort, which we are confident will contribute to combating a scourge currently affecting Haiti, namely, violence against women and children. In addition to its presence on the ground, Peru participates constructively in the Group of Friends of Haiti, the Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Haiti of the Economic and Social Council, the Group of Friends of Haiti of the Organization of American States and the Latin American Political Coordination Mechanism for Haiti, known as the 2x9 Mechanism. The devastating earthquake that struck Haiti on 12 January 2010 reconfigured the setting and context in which the international community’s efforts were deployed to stabilize Haiti. We face the challenge of implementing a strategy that will, under the leadership of the Haitian Government, effectively address the problems of security and development that the country faces today. More than a year after the earthquake, the challenge remains. To overcome it, it is necessary to reaffirm the principle of national ownership. Peru therefore reiterates that at all times it should be the Haitian Government itself that leads the process of reconstruction and consolidation of its institutions, in accordance with the strategy and priorities established in the consensus national action plan for recovery and development in Haiti, including the various sectors of Haitian society, intergovernmental consultation and the support of the international community. The countries of South America are firmly committed to the process of Haiti’s reconstruction and recovery. During the special summit of the Union of South American Nations on the situation of Haiti, held in the city of Quito in February 2010 under the initiative of Peruvian President Alan García Pérez, it was agreed to establish a special fund for Haiti of $100 million, which included contributions from the countries of the region. To date, 65 per cent of that amount has already been disbursed, of which Peru, which pledged $10 million, has already disbursed more than $4.5 million, nearly half of its pledge. The current situation in Haiti compels us to spare no effort in continuing to provide robust support to the Haitian people as they face the challenges that lie ahead. In that context, it is imperative to further improve coordination between the various agencies operating on the ground, be they national, regional or part of the United Nations, and the Haitian Government. Equally important and, in our opinion, essential is the development of linkages with the country’s local Governments so as to ensure the efficient use of resources and avoid duplication of efforts. International financial assistance must be channelled with maximum efficiency and coordination, in accordance with the national priorities established by the Haitian Government and the principles of national ownership, inclusiveness, the rule of law, social well-being and, of course, respect for human rights. Peru commends the Government of Haiti for its efforts to achieve political stability and economic recovery. That task should be continued, hand in hand with the international community, by the new, democratically elected Government, which will soon to take over. I reiterate that the Haitian people need ongoing support to build and strengthen solid national institutions so as to effectively establish the rule of law, close the gaps in weak institutional capacities, and remedy the country’s shortage of human and material resources. In that regard, I believe that it is important to highlight three areas that have a direct impact on the current reconstruction and recovery process in Haiti. Those are governance, security and development. Peru believes that it is important to maintain the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti so that it can continue its work with a focus on reconstruction and development, taking into account the interdependence between those tasks and security activities. My country therefore believes that, as the Security Council considers the renewal of MINUSTAH’s mandate, it should consider not only the national priorities established in the action plan for national recovery and development, but also those set forth in the new United Nations integrated strategic framework for Haiti. With that goal in mind, Peru attended a meeting of Ministers of Defence and Foreign Affairs of South American countries with troops in Haiti, held in Montevideo in March. At that meeting, an agreement was reached to assemble a special assessment mission to Haiti in order to evaluate the position and requirements of the new Haitian Government in relation to MINUSTAH, and subsequently make proposals for the renewal of the Mission’s mandate in October. We are facing a complex and difficult situation that compels us to continue supporting Haiti so as to consolidate peace and security and ensure the stable reconstruction of the country. In that regard, all actors, public and private alike, must be included in the process by means of a strategic alliance. With a view to carrying out those tasks, I wish to emphatically reaffirm that Peru will continue to provide strong, committed and unwavering support to the Government and people of Haiti.

I give the floor to the representative of the Dominican Republic.

The Dominican Republic conveys its deep appreciation to the Government of Colombia for having organized today’s meeting at this critical juncture in Haiti’s history. The Dominican Republic fully supports the presidential statement that the Council has just adopted (S/PRST/2011/7). At the same time, we thank you, Sir, for your efforts to reflect the balance of views on Haiti, which poses one of the most pressing challenges to peace and security in the Americas. We welcome the report of Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (S/2011/183*) and reiterate that all measures adopted must be in benefit of the Haitian people themselves. The Dominican Republic also wishes to reiterate its appreciation for the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), which has been no less effective in fulfilling its role, despite the heavy human and financial losses it suffered in the tragic earthquake in January 2010. Less than two months ago, in February, the Dominican Republic took part in another open debate, held here and organized during the Brazilian presidency of the Security Council (see S/PV.6479), on the need to create a peacebuilding strategy based on the interdependence between security and development in all its aspects. The Dominican Republic once again calls for a sustainable peace in Haiti that is based on sustainable human development. We call for a development process that ensures equal opportunities for all Haitians in Haiti, with political stability, harmony with the natural environment and the creation of decent jobs for all Haitians. Creating equal opportunities for all Haitians requires the Government to ensure their access to basic public services, such as water, education, electricity, health care and security. It also means that all Haitians living abroad will have an opportunity to return to Haiti and enjoy the same rights and obligations enjoyed by all Dominicans returning to their own country, and to contribute their knowledge and resources to the development process. For Haitians, harmony with their natural environment means having a non-polluting energy infrastructure, as mentioned earlier this morning, the duly remunerated and distributed use of non-renewable resources, and the preservation of forests for the enjoyment of present and future generations. Also important is job creation that enables all business entrepreneurs and workers to live in due dignity both during and after their working life. Dominican investments by Grupo M in the border area between Ouanaminthe and Dajabón have generated over 8,000 jobs for Haitians in Haiti. That was made possible through the firm support of President Préval during the past five years of his Government. Furthermore, the disbanding of the army two decades ago led to the emergence of criminal networks that have been engaging in a renewed level of activity since the earthquake. That has led to increased flows of illicit substances and illegal weapons across Haiti, as indicated by President Préval and the Secretary- General in paragraph 14 of his report (S/2011/183*). Human and financial capital has been continuously flowing out of Haiti. We are all aware that no country can develop without sufficient human and financial capital. No amount of foreign aid, even when delivered effectively and in a timely manner, can compensate for a lack of domestic capital. As we said in Montreal 14 months ago, environmental degradation continues to pose the main threat to the survival of human settlements in Haiti. Ancestral practices of slash-and-burn agriculture have depleted soil fertility. The burning of forests to produce coal has left barely 2 per cent of Haitian territory with forest cover. The result has been food and nutritional insecurity, a greater risk of floods and environmental migration. Once again we call, as we did in Montreal, for all international organizations and bilateral donors cooperating with Haiti to increase the priority they give to reversing the environmental problem. The introduction of new agricultural practices and plant varieties that can renew soil fertility requires special attention. Haitians also urgently need alternative sources of energy that would eliminate, once and for all, the use of charcoal. On the other side of the border there is an alternative to chopping down trees: the connection of Haiti to the Dominican electrical and natural gas distribution networks, to radically transform the Haitian energy matrix. With a sustainable peace [“país” ??] in Haiti we would have a prosperous, developing Haiti that we all want, with equal opportunities, harmony with the environment and jobs for all Haitians. Thus our Binational Joint Commission — which resumed at the end of July last year — is eager to resume its work on the vast agenda of topics of mutual interest to our sister Republic of Haiti and the Dominican Republic. All our peoples, just today, have demonstrated their solidarity in the face of disaster. President Préval, President Santos, the Dominican Republic is ready for a prosperous Haiti. Let us now work together as equals in building the solid institutions required to have two nations, two States, on the island of Hispañola.

I now give the floor to His Excellency Mr. Luís Almagro, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Uruguay.

My delegation is speaking on behalf of the Group of Friends of Haiti, composed of Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, France, Peru, the United States and Uruguay. We wish to congratulate the President of Colombia, His Excellency President Juan Manuel Santos, for taking the important and opportune initiative to organize this open debate on the question concerning Haiti, coinciding with the issuance of the midterm report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) (S/2011/183*). Our Group is very grateful for the presence of the President of Haiti, René Préval, among us. We also welcome the participation in today’s debate of the United Nations Special Envoy for Haiti, former President William Clinton, of the Secretary-General of the United Nations and of the Secretary-General’s Special Representative and Head of MINUSTAH, Ambassador Edmond Mulet. I wish to highlight Mr. Mulet’s tireless efforts to help the Haitian people break the cycle of poverty, to help the Haitian Government create the conditions for a peaceful political transition, and to mobilize international assistance and investment intended for the social and economic recovery of the country following the tragic earthquake of 12 January 2010. I also wish to express thanks for the presence of the Secretary General of the Organization of American States, Mr. José Miguel Insulza, and of the President of the Inter-American Development Bank, Mr. Luís Alberto Moreno. The Group also wishes to thank all United Nations personnel on the ground for their dedication and selfless sacrifice. The Group of Friends of Haiti once again reaffirms its continuing support for the Government and people of Haiti in the reconstruction of their country, the consolidation of peace and stability and the promotion of recovery and sustainable development. The presence of several Ministers for Foreign Affairs and representatives of countries members of the Group of Friends of Haiti in today’s meeting, as well as your own direct involvement, Mr. President, constitute clear evidence of the sustained commitment of the Group to the Haitian process. As the coordinator of the Group of Friends of Haiti, I wish to express our strong support for MINUSTAH and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for their efforts to improve stability and governance in Haiti. The latest report of the Secretary-General, dated 24 March 2011, highlights the progress made in the implementation of the Mission’s mandate as set out in resolution 1944 (2010) and previous resolutions. The Group of Friends of Haiti wishes to congratulate the Haitian authorities and the candidates in the presidential and legislative elections, as well as the people of Haiti themselves, for holding, for the first time in their history, a second round of presidential and legislative elections, which took place on 20 March 2011. Although we are still awaiting the final results, I wish to underscore that the voting was held in a generally calm and peaceful atmosphere, which represents an important step for the consolidation of the democratic process. The Group also commends the Provisional Electoral Council of Haiti and thanks the missions on the ground of the OAS and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), MINUSTAH and the United Nations Development Programme, which made vital contributions to the electoral process. As the Secretary-General pointed out in his latest report, the incoming Government of Haiti will inherit a set of daunting challenges, compounded by the onset of another hurricane season and the need to strengthen the country’s institutional capacity and to improve governance and the delivery of public services. The Group of Friends of Haiti encourages the current and upcoming representatives of the executive and legislative branches of government to work together to meet the aspirations of the Haitian people and to achieve the reforms the people have been longing for for far too long. We stand ready to support Haitians in the implementation of a strategy that will transform plans into reality, working more closely with the Haitian authorities and MINUSTAH. Haiti continues to struggle with poverty and a fragile humanitarian situation. In those areas, partly due to the earthquake of January 2010, there has unfortunately been a marked deterioration in the daily living conditions of the vast majority of the Haitian people. The Groups of Friends of Haiti acknowledges the efforts of the donor community and calls upon them to fulfil without delay the pledges made at the International Donors Conference Towards a New Future for Haiti, held in New York on 31 March 2010. We believe that donors will be especially motivated in the fulfilment of their commitments if the international community enhances and strengthens Haiti’s institutional capacities, enabling them to improve their planning for and implementation of projects in their long-term development strategy. We emphasize the importance of promoting the rule of law in Haiti as a fundamental building block for a just and prosperous society that must confront the important challenges of its reconstruction, especially after the 2010 earthquake, and respond to the needs of Haitians living in poverty. As the Secretary-General pointed out, this will call for a genuine commitment on the part of the new authorities to create an independent and effective judiciary, a parliament that is increasingly accountable to the people and a Government that acts with increasing transparency, effectiveness and awareness, responding to the needs of the country and being truly representative of the Haitian people. Furthermore, in the Group’s view, the promotion of the rule of law should be accompanied by the creation of complete land and civil registries, construction and building codes and commercial laws. The rule of law should be evident in the capacity of the State to guarantee adequate legal protection as a way to facilitate economic development.

There are still a number of speakers remaining on my list for this meeting. I intend, with the concurrence of the members of the Council, to suspend the meeting until 3 p.m.