S/PV.9136 Security Council

In accordance with rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I invite the representatives of Canada, the Dominican Republic and Haiti to participate in this meeting. In accordance with rule 39 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I invite the following briefers to participate in this meeting: Ms. Helen La Lime, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Haiti and Head of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti; Ms. Valerie Guarnieri, Deputy Executive Director of the World Food Programme; and Ms. Ghada Fathi Waly, Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. I give the floor to Ms. La Lime. Ms. La Lime: Over the past several weeks, three crises have begun to intersect in altogether new and frightening ways in Haiti. A gang crisis continues to violently disrupt daily life, driving more than 20,000 people from their homes. An economic crisis has the country in a stranglehold, with Haitians facing soaring food prices and fuel often available only on the black market. As those trials play out and the Haitian people engage in a legitimate protest, political stakeholders are still struggling to find common ground and define a path to elections. In his 11 September address to the nation, the Prime Minister again launched a call for ongoing dialogue as a means to create the necessary security, constitutional and political conditions for elections by the end of 2023. He highlighted the $600 million a year lost every year by the State through uncollected customs proceeds  — a problem with which the Government has been struggling for some time. He announced the Government’s decision to reduce regressive subsidies on fuel, which cost the State some $400 million a year, as a means of increasing revenue for social programmes. By the afternoon of 12 September, roadblocks had been set up throughout the country, generating a countrywide lockdown. That situation persisted in the capital for a full five days, until 16 September, when the police began concerted action to remove the roadblocks. The Prime Minister again addressed the nation on 18 September, extending his sympathies to the victims of the violence. He urged people to come together in support of the reforms that the Government was implementing to make the State stronger, and he encouraged all to resist vested interests. Later that same day, one of the largest alliances of criminal gangs in the capital blocked the nation’s main fuel terminal in Varreux, in Port-au-Prince. The state of siege has remained in place for more than a week despite concerted police operations over the weekend, cutting the capital off from its primary source of fuel, creating shortages across the country and closing down hospitals. Throughout the crisis, I have maintained my good- offices efforts with all sectors of Haitian society and encouraged all sides to engage in a broad, open and constructive dialogue. While inconclusive efforts have led to a perceived stalemate so far, national stakeholders have begun to re-engage with a renewed sense of urgency. In the past weeks, Government representatives, political groups and civil society organizations launched new consultations on ways to forge a broader consensus on a path to elections, but we are not there yet. It is encouraging to see private-sector leaders also starting to come together, pledging to meet their respective fiscal and legal responsibilities. Sustained increases in revenues will be the clearest sign that that commitment is being met by all sides. A number of observers and interlocutors have publicly pointed towards the role of entrenched economic and political interests in driving, sustaining and manipulating the unrest, deepening the political crisis. However, despite efforts to undermine reform, the new customs administration is beginning to operate. In addition to the seizures made in recent months, customs import collections increased fivefold between July and August. Programming on border management with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime aims to build on those early successes, in particular to tackle drug trafficking. The current unrest has put a major focus on the Haitian National Police, which has truly been put to the test. The hard work demonstrated by its removal of roadblocks and the restoration of some semblance of the freedom of movement for the population has elicited a degree of trust in its capacities. While some barricades were quickly re-erected, the institution’s response has demonstrated how far it has come. However, whole neighbourhoods remain unpoliced, and the chronic situation at the Varreux fuel terminal threatens to highlight the very real limits of the national force. I am grateful to those donors that engaged early with the Joint Programme for the Haitian National Police, known as the Basket Fund. I urge international partners to continue meeting regularly, as we did last week, in order to generate more support for the Basket Fund. Investment in institutions, infrastructure and human capacity is key. As ever, it is those who are already most vulnerable who suffer the most. The United Nations system in Haiti estimates that at least 1.5 million people have been directly impacted by recent gang violence, with gender-based violence, in particular rape, being used systematically. The current generalized insecurity has also severely curtailed humanitarian access. Before the current bout of civil unrest, some 4.9 million Haitians were in a state of humanitarian need. In the past two weeks alone, attacks on World Food Programme (WFP) personnel resulted in the loss of some 2,000 tons of food aid, valued at close to $5 million, which would have collectively supported up to 200,000 of the most vulnerable Haitians over the next month. My colleagues from the WFP will no doubt share more information on those events. It is self-evident that, under such conditions, basic rights — from the freedom of movement to education — are being catastrophically undermined and access to basic social and health services is repeatedly being interrupted. Prisons have not received food, medicine or water for days. An economic crisis, a gang crisis and a political crisis have converged into a humanitarian catastrophe. We must not lose hope, but rather combine our efforts to find a pathway to a better tomorrow. A Haitian-led political solution is the first necessary step for addressing the current crisis. The Security Council must take urgent action to support Haitians in their effort to build a better future.

I thank Ms. La Lime for her briefing. I now give the floor to Ms. Guarnieri. Ms. Guarnieri: I visited Haiti several months ago, and at the time I was struck by the increasing needs and the difficulties that the World Food Programme (WFP) team and our partners were having in moving goods in and out of the capital city. We were struggling to meet the needs of the population, one in every two of whom are food-insecure. But there were important rays of hope. School meals were reaching more than 350,000 children, one third of whom were fed with food locally grown by smallholder farmers. And we were scaling up further as part of Government efforts to ensure that all Haitian children benefit from nutritious meals in school. Tens of thousands of people were engaged in work to rehabilitate and construct rural assets that supported food production and to clear and drain canals in urban areas that caused flooding during the cyclone season. With support from the World Bank, WFP was helping the Government to develop a national social protection policy and taking measures to support its implementation and make it responsive to shocks and inclusive of the most vulnerable people. There were plans for Government to take over the provision of cash transfers completely by 2024, and emergency food assistance was reaching more than 450,000 people around the country, with stocks pre-positioned to support a scale-up in the event of hurricanes and other disasters. Instead of the progress we were hoping for and dreaming of, today the situation in Haiti has sadly reached new levels of desperation. In less than one year, the price of the basic food basket has increased by 52 per cent. The price of petrol has doubled. Inflation stands at 31 per cent, the highest it has been in recent years, and is expected to rise further. The diesel needed to run the power supply, food and basic supplies can no longer enter the country through the port, and water supplies are running desperately low. The school- feeding programme is on hold because it is not safe for children to go to school. The economic and political hub that is Port-au-Prince has effectively been cut off from the rest of the country. And all of that has been caused by the gangs, who have a stranglehold on the main arteries in and out of the capital city. That is the reality that Haitians have been enduring on a daily basis for months. Last week, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and WFP issued our Hunger Hotspots report, in which Haiti is featured. We expect food security to further deteriorate this year and surpass the record high of 4.5 million people estimated to face crisis levels of food insecurity or worse, including 1.3 million people in need of emergency assistance. Insecurity makes it very difficult and dangerous to implement humanitarian programmes, let alone development, in the country. The gangs that are strangling the capital are blocking access to fuel supplies and key logistics hubs, including ports and airports, as well as road access to other departments. Protesters have ransacked and looted humanitarian warehouses throughout the country, depleting stocks that were pre-positioned for disasters and intended for vulnerable people. And as Ms. La Lime said, over the course of one week the WFP and Haiti lost one third of our food stocks, as two of our four warehouses were deliberately targeted, looted and pillaged. Those warehouses contained well over 2,000 metric tons of food, which could have supported more than 218,000 of the most vulnerable women, men, girls and boys. Other United Nations agencies and non-governmental organizations also saw their offices and warehouses looted, and we estimate that at least $6 million worth of relief supplies were lost in the attacks, which could have benefited more than 410,000 people in need. The lootings are having a negative impact on disaster preparedness, right at the peak of the hurricane season. Despite those difficult conditions, WFP and other actors remain in Haiti and intend to stay and deliver. Over the weekend, we started supporting Haitians again, albeit at a limited scale. To put it simply, we are not in a position to support all of those who need our help, owing to the general lawlessness and operational environment. We therefore look forward to increased support from the States Members of the United Nations to further facilitate humanitarian access and ensure the protection of humanitarian actors, personnel and assets. We are doing our part. We are working hard to get access and already achieved a breakthrough earlier this summer in Cité Soleil, where humanitarian access was facilitated. We have many concerns for the people we serve, and we are worried that a bad situation will only get worse as food prices go up further and food stocks run out. We are also projecting an active hurricane season, which would be nothing short of a catastrophe for this battered population. I also need to mention that the delivery of logistics services, including through the United Nations Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS), managed by WFP, and a ship service that we put in place to circumvent gang-controlled areas, is becoming more crucial. Those services are underfunded and need urgent support, owing to the role of UNHAS in evacuating hundreds of United Nations and staff of non-governmental organizations out of tricky situations in the field and in delivering supplies. As we plan for the months ahead, we already know that operating in Haiti will come at a sharp increase in cost. We in the WFP, along with other United Nations agencies and non-governmental-organization partners, have no choice but to beef up our security posture in the country and put in place additional measures to protect food stocks and staff. We will have to rebuild at least one warehouse and enhance our logistics capabilities. I also welcome the opportunity to speak today in order to highlight that the Haiti humanitarian operation is chronically underfunded, and the latest crisis makes the urgency of the Council’s support all the more vital to reverse that negative trend. The humanitarian response plan is funded at just 22 per cent. More funding is needed for humanitarian affairs and more investment is needed to support Haitians with livelihoods and basic services. The extent of the violence, the depth of the needs and the risks to the population and to those of us who are trying to help them in Haiti are severe. Haiti needs help now and we are counting on the Council’s attention and support.

I thank Ms. Guarnieri for her briefing. I now give the floor to Ms. Waly.

I would like to thank you, Madam President, on behalf of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), for the opportunity to inform the Security Council of its activities in Haiti. Violence and organized crime, as well as the presence of armed groups and clashes between them, are compromising stability, security and the rule of law in Haiti, hampering the efforts aimed at achieving peace and the prospects for lasting development. The country’s 1,500 kilometres of coastline and its 360-kilometre land border with the Dominican Republic make Haiti particularly vulnerable to illicit trafficking in commodities, especially drugs, arms, firearms and ammunition. Regional cooperation, particularly with the Dominican Republic, is therefore crucial to curbing the recent uptick in violence and its cross-border effects. UNODC is working especially with the Caribbean Community and its specialized Implementing Agency for Crime and Security in order to advance the road map for implementing priority actions on the illicit proliferation of firearms and ammunition across the Caribbean, including in Haiti. We must give priority to supporting services that aim to uphold and implement the law and criminal justice in Haiti so as to assist the Haitian population and prevent any regional destabilization. In March, a UNODC multidisciplinary team carried out an assessment mission to Haiti in close cooperation with the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH). The team identified the need for capacity-building and technology as a top priority in order to safeguard Haiti’s borders, international ports and airports, as well as to combat illicit trafficking and organized crime, reduce the proliferation of illicit firearms and halt endemic corruption. The Haitian Government is starkly aware of those realities and has directly tasked UNODC with supporting it in its border-management capacity- building endeavours through an earmarked financial contribution. As part of that recently launched programme, UNODC has just begun working to map transnational criminal activities in Haiti and their regional impact. At the operational level, we are supporting the Haitian authorities’ capacity-building in the inspection of containers at strategic points such as Port-au-Prince, Port Lafito, the international port of Cap-Haïtien and the land-border crossings of Ouanaminthe, Belladère, Malpasse and Anse-à-Pitres, in cooperation with the Dominican authorities. The assistance also covers the monitoring of air freight cargo and the transport of passengers and post at Toussaint Louverture international airport in Port-au- Prince and Cap-Haïtien international airport. Those efforts should help to ensure that customs revenue is effectively invested in activities promoting border security and modernization. Achieving those aims requires access to ports, as well as the engagement and commitment of port authorities and private companies. UNODC will remain in the country as long as security conditions allow, and stands ready to take robust measures. In parallel with those efforts, we hope to cooperate with BINUH and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) within the framework of a special joint programme to support the Haitian National Police in these priority efforts, including forensic capacity-building. Investments and efforts in the security sector should be accompanied by similar efforts throughout the entire criminal justice system. Haiti needs a competent police force, solid investigations, effective prosecutors and an independent judicial system if justice is to function properly. Criminal organizations must be brought to justice before the courts and impunity must be brought to an end on behalf of the Haitian people. In that connection, UNODC is cooperating with UNDP and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, with the support of the Peacebuilding Fund, to bolster the fight against corruption. (spoke in English) Meanwhile, there is groundwork to be done. For example, we need a better understanding of trafficking flows in Haiti, with a focus on firearms and drugs, which will help provide insights for designing tailored criminal justice and border management responses. We are planning various activities in those areas, including mitigating corruption risks in border management and ensuring the availability of technical expertise to track illicit financial flows with the support of BINUH, United Nations sister agencies and other relevant organizations such as the International Organization for Migration, INTERPOL and the Organization of American States. I would like to take this opportunity to express my deepest appreciation for the leadership of Special Representative La Lime and the work of her BINUH team amid this crisis, including in hosting our staff in Haiti and supporting our efforts in the country. Working with BINUH and all our partners, UNODC stands ready to continue and expand its interventions in Haiti to contribute to a more stable foundation for peace and security in the country.

I thank Ms. Waly for her briefing. I shall give the floor to those members of the Council who wish to make statements.

At the outset, I would like to thank you, Madam President, for convening this meeting. I also welcome the Foreign Ministers of Haiti and the Dominican Republic to the meeting and thank the three briefers for their statements. Last week, as the world turned its attention to New York and focused on the General Assembly’s high-level week, the situation in Haiti went from bad to worse. The Haitian Government abruptly abolished fuel subsidies, and gangs seized the chance to stir up trouble, turning civilian protests into large-scale riots. We have seen journalists shot dead, women raped, civilians burnt to death, public facilities and businesses forced to close and World Food Programme warehouses looted and reduced to ashes. Haiti as a whole has been plunged into anarchy, totally out of control. As Secretary- General Guterres said on 20 September in the general debate (see A/77/PV.4), gangs in Haiti are destroying the very building blocks of society. If that scourge is not eradicated, Haiti will never see peace. The Secretary- General is about to submit a report to the Council on supporting Haiti in its fight against gangs, which we hope will contain feasible and effective options. Resolution 2645 (2022) expresses the Council’s readiness to take appropriate measures that could include assets freezes or travel-ban measures against those engaged in or supporting gang violence. Given the current situation in the country, it is essential that the Council translate that readiness into action. We hope that the United States and Mexico, as penholders, will submit a draft resolution as soon as possible and convene consultations so that the Council can make a decision on the issue as scheduled. The United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) should submit a list of criminal gangs and their leaders to the Security Council for its consideration when making decisions. Resolution 2645 (2022) also calls on Member States to prohibit the transfer of arms to non-State Haitian actors linked to gangsters. In view of the current situation, it is necessary for the Council to turn this voluntary measure into a mandatory one, explicitly prohibiting the supply of arms to non-State actors associated with gangs in Haiti. This would help cut off the supply of weapons and ammunitions to gangs without prejudice to the security cooperation between Member States and the Haitian Police Force. We hope that the co-penholders will include this idea in the draft resolution. Resolution 2645 (2022) supports the Haitian authorities in combating illicit financial flows and the trafficking in weapons, and in enhancing management and control of borders and ports. With the situation in Haiti as it is, the Council must support Haiti in giving priority to port management and customs reform. We welcome further increased investment in this regard from the international community  — and from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, in particular — and support and cooperation from the relevant countries. We hope that the new draft resolution will also address this point. The work of the United Nations in Haiti for over three decades has proved that international assistance can only play a catalytic, promoting and facilitating role, and that the issue of Haiti can only be resolved by the Haitian people themselves. The political stalemate in Haiti has been ongoing for years, and there is a strong desire for the restoration of constitutional order. We hope that all parties in Haiti will have a stronger sense of urgency, actively carry out political consultations and establish national institutions as soon as possible which enjoy the real support of the Haitian people and represent their interests. The United Nations and relevant regional organizations must continue to play an active role in that regard. At the same time, I must also point out that neither the United Nations nor any organization or country can go beyond its duties, let alone take sides. We have taken note of Prime Minister Henry’s commitment that the interim Government will create the necessary conditions for elections by the end of the year. We look forward to the Government of Haiti’s submission of a concrete and credible report to the Council in October. The United Nations has been in Haiti to offer help. However, for some time, the clamorous negative public opinion in Haiti with regard to the United Nations is a cause for concern. We hope that the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) will do more to reach out and engage with the civilian population in Haiti, strive through concrete actions to eliminate the misunderstandings that exist among the Haitian people, and win their trust and support. BINUH and other United Nations offices in Haiti cannot work in silos. They should instead strengthen resource-sharing and operational synergy to put the “one United Nations” approach into practice.

I thank Special Representative of the Secretary-General La Lime, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime Executive Director Waly, and World Food Programme (WFP) Deputy Executive Director Guarnieri for their briefings. The United States shares the Secretary-General’s deep concern about the instability in Haiti and is working to help address civil unrest to ensure the security of all Haitians. I would also like to thank the Foreign Ministers of Haiti and the Dominican Republic, as well as the Permanent Representative of Canada, for their participation in today’s briefing. The perspectives and partnership of their countries are invaluable as the Security Council addresses how the international community can support Haiti-led solutions to these ongoing challenges. As we heard President Biden say in his address to the General Assembly last week, “We continue to stand with our neighbour in Haiti, and we call on the world to do the same. We have more to do” (A/77/PV.6). The United States certainly recognizes that the ability to gather and protest is fundamental in any democracy. That said, we strongly condemn the acts of violence, looting and destruction that recently occurred in Haiti. We were dismayed by the looting that took place at a WFP warehouse in Gonaïves on 15 September, resulting in the loss of over a $1 million in food supplies and the looting of WFP and the International Organization for Migration supplies from a United Nations Office for Project Services warehouse in Les Cayes last week. We call on all Haitians to express their views in a peaceful manner, one that protects humanitarian actors, respects law enforcement and allows unfettered access to food, water and medical care for Haitians. We all know that security in Haiti has worsened over the past year, as criminal gangs continued to ravage parts of the country, leading to many killings and kidnappings. We are concerned with the significant deterioration in the independence and operational ability of the judiciary and the apparent evidence of widespread impunity reserved for elite members of the Haitian population. We are also seeing troubling reports of sexual assault by gangs against women and girls, as well as increased recruitment and use of minors in gang activities, including arming minors to take direct part in violent conflict. These struggles continue to remind us of the importance of providing support to the Haitian National Police (HNP). We are firmly committed to efforts to strengthen the HNP’s capacity to counter gangs, including community-based efforts to deter gang recruitment, the deployment of additional anti-gang subject-matter experts and support to build the HNP’s anti-gang strategic planning and organizational and operational capacities. And we will procure more equipment for the HNP, such as protective gear and new vehicles. Over the past 18 months, the United States has provided more than $80 million in assistance to the HNP. Just last week we provided emergency supplies to help the HNP maintain its operations in the face of violent unrest. The HNP continues to need further support. On the margins of the General Assembly high-level week, together with Canada and the United Nations Development Programme, we co-hosted a side event on security in Haiti at which we announced the provision of $3 million to the United Nations security basket fund. The basket fund presents an outstanding opportunity for all nations to contribute to the restoration of security in Haiti. Given the seriousness of the situation, we will continue to expedite our security assistance to Haiti. We are about to start vetting the first hundred candidates for our special weapons and tactics training programme. We expect the training to be well under way by later this fall. We see this as a key component of our joint efforts — of the efforts of all of us — to support Haiti-led solutions. The international community must continue its support to turn the tide of Haiti’s extremely serious security environment before it is too late, because the people of Haiti need security before they can make political progress. They need security before they can make economic progress, and they need security so they can receive humanitarian aid. As we know, gang elements and those that fund them are creating a deeply destabilizing environment in the country. The international community must help Haiti to respond, and the Security Council must act. To that end, building on resolution 2645 (2022), we are working with our close partner and co-penholder, Mexico, on a draft resolution proposing specific measures to enable the Security Council to address the many challenges facing the people of Haiti. We are aiming to circulate a draft in the coming days. We have a duty right now to redouble our efforts to help Haiti. With our efforts combined, we can send a clear and powerful message to those who seek to undermine the security of everyday Haitians: “you will not succeed”. Let us ensure that Haiti can provide its citizens with the security and political stability they deserve.

I thank the Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Haiti, Ms. Helen La Lime, the Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Ms. Ghada Fathi Waly, and the representative of the World Food Programme (WFP), Ms. Valerie Guarnieri, for their briefings. We welcome the presence at this meeting of the Ministers for Foreign Affairs of Haiti and the Dominican Republic and the Ambassador of Canada. We would first like to recognize the efforts of the World Food Programme to meet the growing demands of the Haitian population and the efforts of UNODC to try to control the illicit trafficking in weapons. We also reiterate our support for the work of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) under extremely adverse conditions. Mexico condemns the recent looting of the World Food Programme warehouses. The level of violence in recent days is truly alarming. We cannot stand by and wait for something worse to happen. Both the Security Council and the international community must urgently adopt additional and more effective measures than those taken to date. Predictably, given the deterioration, the human rights situation has also deteriorated. The impact of armed violence on Haiti’s children is deplorable. It severely limits their right to education and health. We categorically condemn those who recruit children to participate in criminal activities. It is clear that the Haitian National Police needs effective support from the international community. It needs equipment, technology, training and an effective programme to address organized crime and the gangs that control the local economy and daily life in the capital and surrounding areas. In that regard, we await the report of the Secretary-General to learn what the possible options are for providing support to the Haitian National Police so that it can begin to take action more effectively. We also await the information to be provided by the Government of Haiti, in accordance with resolution 2645 (2022), on the steps it has taken with regard to the political and electoral process. We will do our utmost to propose an appropriate solution in line with the circumstances. To that end, we are working closely with the delegation of the United States. We hope that, when we submit a draft resolution, we will be able to count on the support of all Security Council members, because a united Council is necessary to effectively support Haiti. The multidimensional crisis in Haiti requires a solution that prioritizes the prevailing violence and insecurity. That is the most important thing. But it must also strengthen the political process, inclusive dialogue and a governance that enables a free, legal and credible electoral process. That must all be coordinated simultaneously. To date, none of that is really happening. The illicit trafficking in weapons, which are used by the gangs and criminal groups to terrorize civilians, must be stopped, and all those involved in their sale, distribution and acquisition must be punished. If the gang violence is not stopped, it will not be possible to stabilize the country. The priority is not to sanction the Government, let alone the long-suffering population. The priority is to identify and hold accountable those who directly supply or acquire weapons illegally in order to curb the growing wave of violence as a first step. Mexico will continue to support Haiti, as it has been doing and as our Minister for Foreign Affairs reiterated a few days ago to the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Haiti. The Council must take action and propose effective and coordinated actions that can lead to timely and objective follow-up by the Council itself if we do not want to see the collapse of a Member State of this Organization and a kindred country with whom we stand in full solidarity.

I thank Special Representative Helen La Lime for her presentation, as well as the briefers from the World Food Programme and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. India also welcomes the presence of the representatives of Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Canada at today’s meeting. The Security Council will recall that, in our meeting in June (see S/PV.9066), we expressed our concern about the political and security situation in Haiti. The Haitian political stakeholders had not been able to reach any agreement on the transition, the restoration of functioning institutions or the holding of elections. The humanitarian situation had been further complicated by the prevailing economic stagnation. Three months on from the June meeting, civil unrest in the country has continued. Gang-related violence and kidnappings have further contributed to insecurity. United Nations programmes are on hold owing to roadblocks, demonstrations and limited access to fuel. The Government of India is closely monitoring the situation concerning the well-being of our citizens who are currently caught up in the conflict zone from our Embassy in the neighbouring Dominican Republic. We continue to believe that, in order to be sustainable, security solutions for Haiti must be Haitian-owned and Haitian-led. Capacity-building for the Haitian National Police must remain a priority. In July, when the Council unanimously adopted resolution 2645 (2022), which renewed the mandate of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) for one more year, India worked with other nations, including Council members from the region, to reflect an increase in the number of police and correction units to 42 civilian and seconded personnel as part of the mandate renewal for BINUH. We believe that no solutions to the political, socioeconomic and security crisis will emerge without the direct involvement of Haiti and its neighbours. We therefore continue to welcome the engagement of regional partners — the Caribbean Community, Canada and Haiti’s neighbour, the Dominican Republic — on issues of immediate concern, including capacity-building initiatives for the Haitian National Police and controlling the flow of small and light arms into Haiti. I reiterate that my country firmly believes in the path of peace. In the past, as the Council is well aware, we have contributed to capacity-building and training initiatives for Haiti. We stand ready to do so again and to do anything else we can to help our Haitian brothers and sisters in their hour of need.

Let me thank the briefers for their valuable insights into the dire situation in Haiti and for proposing urgently needed ways to deal with and possibly reverse the current catastrophic course. I welcome the participation of the Foreign Ministers of Haiti and the Dominican Republic and the representative of Canada in this meeting. The situation in Haiti could not be grimmer, and is seemingly at the limits of hopelessness. As we heard from Special Representative La Lime, the country faces enormous challenges — a deep, triple crisis. It will only get worse with time. Most fundamental of all is the lack of order and the rule of law. Armed violence, killings, injuries, kidnapping and sexual violence continue to ravage the country and prevent it from addressing fundamental challenges. Civilians are hurt, their rights are denied and the country is at a standstill. Haiti is in desperate need of help, which is an appeal that many clearly expressed here before the representatives of many countries did so once again during the high-level week of the General Assembly at its seventy-seventh session. The challenges are many, and they include catastrophic economic and humanitarian situations, arms trafficking, violence and a poor health-care system that is severely underfunded. Yet the main priority is reining in the gangs that are hampering the delivery of scarce basic goods by controlling the transport routes. Gangs are suffocating the country. The fact that they have the upper hand is undermining everything and holding the people hostage. Albania joins others in highlighting the crucial need to restore order and security in order to stop a mad cycle in which the entire country is spiralling out of control into total lawlessness. The endemic corruption, widespread smuggling and uninterrupted trafficking need to be addressed urgently, not only with words but with muscle — the kind of muscle that Haiti does not seem to possess, despite the measures taken or under way to strengthen the Haitian National Police. Haiti is on the brink of ruin, and that prospect is further exacerbated by what looks like a detached political class. In the face of a continued catastrophic situation in the country, which calls for an urgent and unified national response from all stakeholders, one has the impression that the people of Haiti and their political establishment are two separate entities. Such behaviour undermines people’s trust in State institutions and leads to tension and violence. Furthermore, rising living costs and insecurity are forcing people to take to the streets. We believe in peaceful protests, which are part of the dialogue in every democracy. But the use of violence is never the answer to the ills that provoke such demonstrations. We call on the State authorities to heed the demands of protesters and seek to address the root causes of the problems that they are calling attention to. They involve deep social, economic and security concerns, as well as the issue of legitimacy, which should be restored as soon as possible through elections. Free, fair and inclusive elections, with the full, equal and meaningful participation of women, are a crucial step towards enabling Haitians to express their will and fulfil their ambitions. Albania stands with Haiti and its people and supports their aspirations for a peaceful and prosperous country based on the rule of law, with full and equal rights for everyone. We support the work of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Haiti and strengthening the mandate of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti. But that will not be enough. Haitians must know that the United Nations is there to help them. Ms. La Lime called for urgent action, and we know what the instruments and the power of the Security Council are. We should use them, and we welcome the ongoing efforts to adopt a draft resolution that we will support in due course.

We thank our briefers for their statements and acknowledge the presence of the Foreign Ministers of Haiti and the Dominican Republic with us today. We are meeting today to discuss a further deterioration in the already devastating situation in Haiti. As we have heard, protests and subsequent civil unrest have plunged Haiti deeper into crisis, exacerbating the profound suffering of millions. The collapse of governance and of law and order has resulted in surging food prices, a lack of access to fuel and economic collapse. That vulnerability is being exploited by the unchecked proliferation of gangs intent on wreaking havoc across Haitian society, which they are doing through displacement, control and brutal violence. We welcome the efforts of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime that we heard about today to curtail the proliferation of weapons in Haiti, which fuel and sustain violence and repression. Yet it is clear that more is needed. We have heard from Special Representative La Lime about the use of sexual and gender-based violence, including rape and sexual slavery, as a tactic by gangs to assert control over already traumatized communities. She told us that it is systematic. We condemn that unreservedly. We also condemn in the strongest terms the killing of two journalists on 11 September. Tayson Latigue and Frantzsen Charles were reporting on the suffering of Haitians at the hands of those armed groups. Journalists in Haiti must be free to do their work in safety, as they should be everywhere. Those responsible for those heinous crimes must be held to account. At the same time, steps must be taken urgently to provide protection and support to victims and survivors. We have noted the initiative of the penholders and look forward to engaging on the draft resolution. The deepening crisis threatens to push an already dire humanitarian situation over the edge. It seems that gangs are not content with targeting ordinary Haitians. They also want to target those who seek to help them. We wholeheartedly condemn the threats, intimidation and direct attacks that have been made against humanitarian actors in Haiti. The attacks violate our shared principles and our shared humanity. United Nations agencies and non-governmental organizations, particularly at the local level, must never be targets. The multifaceted crisis engulfing Haiti will only worsen without humanitarian aid and essential aid providers. The looting and burning of the World Food Programme warehouse in Gonaïves was reprehensible. As Ms. Guarnieri told us, it essentially meant taking food from the mouths of those most in need. In that context, the United Nations Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) in Haiti is more vital than ever. We call for increased support for UNHAS, as it works not only to access communities in need, but also to relocate humanitarian workers under threat of violence from gangs. Violence against humanitarian actors and medical workers must cease immediately, and unhindered humanitarian access must be facilitated without delay or interference. Access to food for the millions in Haiti enduring severe food insecurity cannot be assured without an end to the violence. The time for a genuine national dialogue is past due. The time for a restoration of governance is past overdue. It is only through participative dialogue that Haiti can begin to regain stability, rebuild institutions and forge reconciliation — a political response to Haiti’s challenges led by and owned by all Haitians. A sustainable political path to the restoration of governance in Haiti will also require the support of the international community. Ireland looks forward to returning to this table in the coming weeks, in accordance with resolution 2645 (2022), to hear updates from the Government of Haiti on efforts towards a framework for a political process and from the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti on its support for those efforts. Let us be clear — to succeed, all sections of society, including women and young people, must be fully involved in any political process. Above all, breaking the cycle in Haiti will require political will. Ireland calls on all actors to commit to dialogue in support of the needs and expectations of the Haitian people. They have waited long enough for the pace of action on a political agreement to match the urgency of their suffering and for those in political leadership to hear and heed their calls. The time is now.

I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the three African members of the Security Council — Gabon, Ghana and Kenya (A3). We thank the delegation of China for calling today’s meeting. We also thank Special Representative of the Secretary-General Helen La Lime, Ms. Ghada Fathi Waly and Ms. Valerie Guarnieri for their briefings. We welcome the participation of Their Excellencies the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Worship of Haiti, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Dominican Republic and our colleague the Permanent Representative of Canada. The A3 remains deeply concerned about the rapidly deteriorating situation in Haiti. If current trends hold, the people of Haiti will suffer State failure, worsening humanitarian suffering and insecurity. The dimensions of the crisis are well documented, and there is no further need to dwell on them without putting forward practical proposals. During the Security Council’s previous meeting on the situation (see S/PV.9066) in June, members expressed strong convictions that drastic and urgent action was needed to arrest any further deterioration. However, the solutions proposed paled in comparison to the scale of the crisis. While a strengthened United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti is welcome, as is a relatively modest effort to train and better equip the police, it is clear that more is needed. However, even as the A3 urges more ambitious action, we recognize that, historically, Haiti’s experience of interventions by the international community and external actors has been profoundly damaging. As such, any actions supported by the Council must take the failures of the past into account and be accompanied by extensive confidence-building, transparency and respect. They must be rooted in Haitian-led, Haitian-designed, Haitian-responsive and Haitian-caring frameworks and mindsets. The trust of the Haitian people in any efforts promoted by the Council, specifically, and the United Nations, in general, is an irreducible minimum. We believe that generating that trust needs new efforts and more partners to contribute to ongoing efforts and institutional initiatives. In particular, we commend the positive actions taken by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). We urge all international partners to work closely with CARICOM to generate financial and technical resources that are deployed in line with Haitian needs and priorities. As African representatives, we commit to becoming more involved at the political and technical levels. We invite CARICOM to collaborate with the African Union to bring its expertise to bear on the situation in Haiti. As a storied land populated by Africa’s diaspora, Haiti is part of the Sixth Region of the African Union, as articulated in our Constitutive Act. There is no more urgent consideration of the continent’s solidarity with the Sixth Region than by its efforts to support Haiti in every way. We have the ability and the experience. Africa has mediated complex and difficult conflict situations. We have recovered from failed States. We have faced negative armed groups of different kinds in urban and rural environments. The continent has the experience and the know-how; it also has the political and cultural sensitivity to be a trusted partner of Haiti. With those concerns and observations in mind, we, as the A3, offer the following proposals. The immediate focus should be to offer the Haitian National Police sufficient training and equipment to effectively challenge armed gangs. It would be particularly helpful if the training were undertaken by countries that have the experience and whose policing professionals can relate well to their Haitian counterparts. We look forward to the Secretary- General’s recommendations, in his report to be submitted by the middle of next month, on the options available to assist the police in tackling armed gang violence. We hope that they will respond to the willingness of CARICOM and African Union members to be part of the solution. There may be a need for more specialized skills than are currently available. We recommend a Haitian-designed and Haitian-coordinated cooperation framework that enables, if necessary, the deployment of United Nations-supported and United Nations- mandated police, with specific skills in suppressing violent gangs. A stronger police force will succeed only if its work is carried out in concert with a strengthened judiciary. Every effort should be taken to provide resources for the delivery of comprehensive criminal-justice sector reforms. The aim should be to establish functioning court registries, expedite court cases and eliminate prolonged pre-trial detention. A competent State is a minimum requirement for a peaceful and prosperous Haiti. It is imperative that investment be undertaken in the training of the public service and that its incentives be aligned with effective delivery. That requires patience, scale and financing. Grants by bilateral and multilateral partners should prioritize public sector reforms and strengthening. As long as Haitians are food-insecure, they will have a serious deficit of hope in the future. We commend bilateral and multilateral actions to provide immediate relief and aid, which should be complemented by ambitious efforts to increase agricultural productivity with a view to providing cheaper food and improved livelihoods. The milestone lessons learned during the design and deployment of the African Union/African Vaccine Acquisition Trust can be applied. The African Trust created the largest buyer market for vaccines and used economies of scale for members of the African Union, and also for the Caribbean. The same approach can be used in the acquisition of grain and fertilizers in a way that will benefit Haiti. Africa is inspired by the Haitian Revolution and its triumphant realization of freedom and independence. The people of Haiti continue to suffer the consequences of their rejection of oppression and exploitation. It is now time for Africa to go beyond an appreciation of that glorious history to achieve practical solidarity in responding to the challenges that Haiti faces. We will do so with humility, as we also face major emergencies, but confident in the knowledge that our unity can deliver solutions. In conclusion, the A3 reaffirms its respect for the sovereignty and political independence of Haiti and its undying solidarity with all Haitians.

I thank Special Representative of the Secretary-General La Lime and our briefers. I would like to add three brief points to the discussion today. First, like others, the United Kingdom remains deeply concerned by the continued deterioration of the security and human rights situation in Haiti. Violence and insecurity further entrench the multifaceted challenges faced by Haiti and exacerbate the vulnerabilities of the Haitian population. As we heard today from our briefers, the humanitarian situation in Haiti also continues to deteriorate. Rooted in long-standing economic security and sociopolitical crisis, the current escalation of those challenges has exacerbated the food insecurity of the Haitian people. The looting of the World Food Programme Office and warehouse is deeply concerning, as it prevents assistance from reaching thousands of Haiti’s most vulnerable. The United Kingdom encourages all actors to work constructively to find urgent solutions and support recovery and progress for the Haitian people. Secondly, as others have also said, there must be greater efforts by Haitian stakeholders to resolve the political gridlock. That is critical in enabling Haiti to find its own pathway out of the compounded challenges it is facing. We renew our call for all actors to resume political dialogue and to work together to ensure the necessary security environment within which free and fair elections can be held as soon as possible. Thirdly, I would like to underscore the United Kingdom’s support for the work of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH). BINUH is fundamental in supporting Haiti to resolve those multifaceted challenges. By strengthening the Haitian National Police and facilitating dialogue among Haitian political stakeholders, BINUH’s efforts help lay the groundwork for stability in Haiti. We look forward to seeing the outcome of the strategic review of options to support security in Haiti and hope that those are part of a renewed holistic and joined-up approach by the United Nations and other partners. Finally, we welcome the intention of the United States and Mexico to propose a draft resolution and look forward to discussing it with partners. We support action that moves Haiti closer to security and stability, with a return to democratic processes, as soon as possible.

At the outset, I thank Ms. Helen La Lime, Ms. Ghada Waly and Ms. Valerie Guarnieri for their thorough briefings and for providing a detailed picture of the developments in Haiti, which the United Arab Emirates continues to follow closely. I also welcome the participation of the Foreign Ministers of Haiti and the Dominican Republic, as well as the Canadian Ambassador, in today’s meeting. In the light of recent developments in Haiti, we express our deep concern over the serious escalation of unrest erupting across the country, including attacks against civilian infrastructure, such as educational and health facilities. We condemn all acts of violence, which cause the social fabric of Haitian communities to unravel and undermine efforts to achieve sustainable peace in Haiti. The current situation requires the cessation of all hostilities and underscores the need for calm and inclusive dialogue as essential steps so that Haiti can begin to pave the way towards a sustainable political solution. The looting of humanitarian warehouses, including those to the World Food Programme, is unacceptable. Almost half of the country’s population are subjected to severe food insecure. Such actions also seriously impede the delivery of urgent humanitarian aid, including food and water, a lifeline for the most vulnerable communities. That requires the need to ensure the safe, timely and unimpeded delivery of aid to lessen the worsening living conditions in Haiti. The deteriorating situation in Haiti further underscores the urgent need to build the capacity of the country’s security sector, especially its judicial system and the Haitian National Police. Capacity- building in that area will strengthen the response to complex security challenges, foremost of which is the escalation of gang violence and the illegal flow of weapons. We hope to discuss the draft resolution that the co-penholders will introduce on the matter. We also believe that the complementary role of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime will be essential in that regard, and we look forward to seeing tangible results from its programmes. Addressing the security, economic, humanitarian and political challenges in Haiti requires a comprehensive and inclusive approach. As the Security Council continues to follow the situation, we look forward to the two upcoming reports of the Secretary- General, as well as the updates to be provided by the Haitian Government on developments related to the political settlement. All those reports will be important in guiding the Council’s discussions on Haiti next month. We will study them carefully. In conclusion, we value the efforts of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti and all the United Nations staff who are working tirelessly in difficult conditions to support the people of Haiti, to whom we stress that we will continue our solidarity with them.

I thank Special Representative La Lime and the representatives of the World Food Programme and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime for their briefings. I also welcome the participation of the Foreign Ministers of Haiti and the Dominican Republic, as well as the Permanent Representative of Canada, in this meeting. We are extremely concerned by what we have heard here today. Haiti’s economic and social development continues to be hindered by political instability, increasing violence and social unrest. There is a lack of access to basic services, and the humanitarian needs of Haitians are ever-increasing. There are terrible reports of sexual and gender-based violence. Haitians are suffering due to a lack of food and water. Protecting the population from violence and abuses of human rights is a matter of urgency. We call on all stakeholders to de-escalate the situation and abstain from the use of violence. Safe and unhindered humanitarian access to people in need must be ensured. A lack of protection and limited access to humanitarian assistance will only further fuel violence. Combating sexual and gender-based violence and responding to the needs of survivors, including by providing access to sexual and reproductive health services, is also crucial. Last week, during the general debate of the General Assembly, we were confronted by current international challenges such as climate change, threats to fundamental human rights and basic protection. Yet those are issues that the people of Haiti face every single day. There is a need to address the acute security situation and step up efforts to find a political solution to the crisis. The country’s political leadership and opposition must recognize the gravity of the situation and make compromises in the best interests of the people of Haiti. We therefore look forward to the upcoming report by the Haitian Government on its political reconciliation and election efforts, which is due by 17 October. An inclusive Haitian-led solution to the crisis is needed to reverse the current negative developments. However, the international community, including Norway, should be ready to assist as necessary. We also look forward to the Secretary-General’s upcoming recommendations — in consultation with Haitians — on combating high levels of gang violence. Those reports, together with the regular report of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti, will be important milestones when we discuss concrete ways forward for Haiti in October. We must work together to stop the cycle of brutal gang violence and hold perpetrators accountable. Like others, we look forward to engaging constructively in the discussions on the draft resolution to be proposed by the United States and Mexico.

I would like to start by thanking China for requesting this very timely meeting. I would also like to commend Special Representative La Lime, Deputy Executive Director Guarnieri of the World Food Programme and Executive Director Waly of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime for their comprehensive briefings. I also recognize Mr. Jean Victor Généus, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Worship of Haiti; Mr. Roberto Álvarez Gil, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Dominican Republic; and Mr. Robert Rae, Permanent Representative of Canada. It is regrettable that the Security Council has once again been convened to discuss grave eruptions of violence in Port-au-Prince. Those episodes of violence are unfortunately becoming more frequent and more dangerous. It seems that the boundaries between criminal and political violence are becoming increasingly blurred in Haiti. The current shortage of fuel supply in Port-au-Prince due to criminal activity seems to confirm the veracity of such a claim. We are concerned by possible far-reaching humanitarian consequences if the supply is not normalized shortly. We are following the situation closely as we discuss possible next steps in terms of the international response to the Haitian crisis. At this point in time, it seems critical that we discuss ways to help identify and hold accountable whoever promotes and benefits from the current bleak state of affairs in Haiti. Amid such a challenging situation, however, we are encouraged to hear that rival political groups have been in talks recently in order to break the political stalemate that has paralysed the country. We urge all Haitian political actors to deepen the current dialogue and urgently agree on a political way forward that will curb violence, allow for the resumption of the normal functioning of Haitian institutions and, eventually, pave the way for the organization of safe and fair elections. Brazil has consistently advocated the strengthening of United Nations support for Haiti, including through increased capacity for the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH). We believe that the renewal and reinforcement of BINUH´s mandate last July, during Brazil´s presidency of the Council, was an important step in that direction. However, more is needed to help Haiti. BINUH’s renewed mandate has yet to foster positive developments. As Brazil has consistently pointed out, the situation in Haiti needs to remain at the top of the international community’s agenda, as it also concerns a situation of violence against innocent civilians. And the Council needs to continuously follow new developments on the ground in order to consider the need for new measures. In that context, I believe that it is high time we started in-depth discussions on the provisions foreseen in resolution 2645 (2022), particularly on prohibiting the transfer of small arms, light weapons and ammunition to non-State actors in Haiti and on the possibility of imposing appropriate measures, which could include an assets freeze and travel ban against those engaging in or supporting gang violence. As we underlined in July (see S/PV.9095), it is imperative that such measures, if adopted, not have adverse humanitarian consequences for the civilian population, especially given the traumatic history of comprehensive sanctions imposed on Haiti in past decades. Parameters such as listing criteria, conditions for lifting the sanctions, humanitarian exemptions and carve-outs are essential for applying such measures in a responsible and effective manner. In addition, with regard to possible options for enhanced security support in Haiti, Brazil takes note of bilateral initiatives and looks forward to the report of the Secretary-General concerning the issue, due on 15 October. Haiti remains deeply plunged in a multidimensional crisis, with political, economic and social consequences. Undoubtedly, security is a key aspect of the crisis, but not the only one. Haiti needs change that goes much further than better control of criminal activities. One cannot forget that resolving a multidimensional crisis demands a multidimensional response. Therefore, besides security measures, socioeconomic progress in Haiti is key to addressing the crisis in an effective and sustainable way. Brazil stands ready to cooperate with other partners in providing additional support to the Haitian Government and people. Brazil has been consistently engaged in technical and humanitarian cooperation with Haiti, in areas such as health, education and agriculture. As part of those efforts, this week Brazil is depositing $650,000 in the fund created for the reconstruction of Haiti’s southern peninsula, which was severely hit by an earthquake in 2021, in addition to the specific cooperation projects to which I referred at previous Council meetings. We hope that other donor countries can also join that initiative. For our part, I would like to underline that Haiti has long been a priority for Brazil and will remain so. Brazil has a long-standing history of contributing to peace and stability in Haiti and continues to be fully committed to supporting the country and its people, particularly in these challenging times.

We thank the briefers for the information that they provided. We welcome the Ministers for Foreign Affairs of Haiti and the Dominican Republic at this meeting. The news that the situation in Port-au-Prince has stabilized is encouraging. Nevertheless, by all accounts, the country is one step away from disaster. Real gang warfare is under way, the impact of which affects civilians in the form of abductions, looting, violence and the already-common fear that they feel for their lives. Given the current state of affairs, the protests, which were set off by the Government’s decision to cancel fuel subsidies, of course led to riots and demands for the country’s leadership to resign. We have heard claims that criminal networks and their sponsors are behind the protests. But attempts to simplify the situation and underestimate the scope of the population’s discontent are clearly inappropriate in this case. We are witnessing widespread disappointment and a loss of trust in the authorities. We have repeatedly spoken about the need for broad political dialogue and the launching of electoral and reform processes. Unfortunately, we are not seeing consistent, purposeful steps towards ensuring that Haiti returns to the constitutional path of development. We are particularly disappointed by the fact that the external actors that have meaningful leverage over Port-au-Prince are not taking practical steps to help resolve the crisis in the country and are, in effect, divorcing themselves from events on the ground. We are all familiar with Haiti’s complicated history, and we understand who it is all about. Calls to stand together with Haiti, including from the rostrum of the General Assembly, are not enough. In particular, we must ensure that the brutal assassination of President Moïse 14 months ago is at last investigated and that those responsible are duly punished. We cannot ignore the fact that elections have not been held in the country for six years and that the terms of Government offices and most of those in Parliament ended long ago, including in the context of the 2001 Inter-American Democratic Charter. At the same time, in other regions, far less serious problems are met with extreme criticism and even threats from certain members of the Security Council. We believe that they should be honest and either call a spade a spade or admit that they are guided by double standards with regard to the various countries on the Council’s agenda. The international community needs to do a thorough job of righting wrongs in determining the true needs of Haitians and finding effective ways to support their efforts. It must do so without interfering in their internal affairs, which, as history has shown, does not produce the desired results. As for the proposals to impose targeted sanctions against gang leaders, we are ready to consider them. The leaders of criminal groups indisputably must be cut off from access to funding and be deprived of the ability to travel. However, we must also consider to what extent they use foreign accounts and travel and whether the introduction of targeted sanctions against them will affect the situation on the ground in the country, where criminal elements feel like the real masters. We must pay close attention to the routes used for the delivery of illegal weapons, and to financial flows. If we fail to stop weapons smuggling, it will continue to spur violence in Haiti — a country that has long deserved peace and development.

I shall now make a statement in my capacity as the representative of France. First of all, I would like to thank the Special Representative, Ms. La Lime, for her briefing. I also wish to thank the Deputy Executive Director of the World Food Programme and the Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) for their briefings. I would also like to welcome the Ministers for Foreign Affairs of Haiti and the Dominican Republic, as well as the Permanent Representative of Canada, to today’s meeting. The situation in Haiti is an urgent one. France is very concerned about the surge in violence in recent weeks. We condemn the attacks on people, the roadblocks and the looting that have occurred across the country. We heard the concerns, which we share, of the States of the region at last week’s meeting of the Economic and Social Council Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Haiti, chaired by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The Haitian authorities must respond, and the international community must mobilize further. We are closely following the implementation of resolution 2645 (2022), adopted on 15 July, which clearly recalls our collective commitment to assisting Haiti in finding a solution to the crisis by defining our expectations and further mobilizing the United Nations on the ground. I would like to convey three simple messages. First, France urges all Haitian political stakeholders to reach an agreement that would result in the holding of democratic elections when security conditions permit. We call upon the political class to demonstrate responsibility in order to resume dialogue and break the current stalemate. We eagerly await the report that the Haitian authorities are expected to submit to the Security Council detailing all progress made. Secondly, gang violence must be brought to an end. Criminal groups are committing more abuses, with total impunity. They undermine the authority of the State and pillage its resources. Everyone knows that, without security, there can be no rule of law or development. We have taken steps to strengthen the Haitian National Police, including through the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti, and will continue to take similar action. France is ready to exert greater pressure on all those who fuel the spiral of violence in Haiti. Providing support for an effective judicial system and combating impunity must be our priorities. The idea of an international independent investigative mechanism in particular warrants greater consideration. France will continue to support the basis of a resolution, as just presented by the representatives of the United States and Mexico. Thirdly, the violence in recent weeks is linked to the alarming deterioration of the socioeconomic and humanitarian situation. How can we expect the situation in a country to stabilize when half of the population suffers from hunger? As we have said repeatedly, there is an urgent need to bolster humanitarian support, and in particular food assistance. We must ensure supplies for the most vulnerable and guarantee access to poor neighbourhoods in Port-au-Prince and the provinces. We condemn the unacceptable looting of humanitarian supplies that are reserved for those people, which occurred in recent days. At the same time, the Haitian State must strengthen governance and accountability in its institutions and step up the fight against corruption. That is why nascent cooperation with UNODC is welcome. In conclusion, France would like to reaffirm its solidarity with the Haitian people. Alongside the European Union and the International Organization of la Francophonie, we will continue to mobilize the international community to provide the necessary assistance. I now resume my functions as President of the Council. I give the floor to the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Worship of Haiti.

First of all, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the President for convening today’s briefing on the situation in Haiti and for agreeing to the Haitian Government’s participation. It demonstrates the Security Council’s special interest in, and manifest commitment to, Haiti and its people and a clear willingness to help the Government to seek a sustainable solution to the multiple and complex issues the country faces. I therefore wish to commend the work of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Ms. Helen La Lime, and their efforts, in such difficult circumstances, to fulfil the mandate conferred upon it by the Security Council through its various resolutions. I would also like to thank the various briefers for their judicious comments, which we have noted. Needless to say, today’s important meeting is timely. Indeed, it enables the Government, through me, to inform the Council of the most recent developments in the sociopolitical and security situation in the country and the Government’s efforts to improve it. At the same time, it allows the Government to inform the international community of its expectations, with a view to leaving behind a multidimensional crisis that has lasted for far too long. On 12 September, violent protests broke out in the country, following the Government’s decision to stop subsidizing oil products, which, in turn, led to an increase in fuel prices. That decision was difficult, but crucial, as the State was losing a total of $400 million per year. In addition, it sought to clean up public finances by adopting an austerity budget through macroeconomic reforms. The Government has undertaken major reform of the General Customs Administration to combat smuggling, increase customs revenue and halt the flow of weapons and ammunition into the country. Those measures have enabled the customs department to collect, in August alone, almost 8 billion Haitian gourdes — an increase of more than 40 per cent. Using the increase in prices as a warhorse, along with its inherent short-term social consequences, compounded by general discontent with customs reforms and the forthcoming adoption of new measures, the usual troublemakers in the political and private business sectors have implemented their plan to sow chaos in the country. They have used heavily armed gangs to paralyse all parts of the country by blocking the main roads between the capital and the towns in the provinces and by looting and burning public buildings, such as court buildings, prisons, private sector businesses, the premises of certain commercial banks and the warehouses of international organizations, such as the World Food Programme, the United Nations Office for Project Services, UNICEF and Caritas. More than 20 schools have been ransacked and pillaged in Artibonite. Given the brutal deterioration of the situation, the Government has focused on re-establishing security in the country to ensure the resumption of economic activity. Except for a few isolated cases, I can say that, overall, the situation is under control and calm has returned to several parts of the country. It is an opportunity to commend the professionalism of the Haitian National Police. They were able to regain control of the situation and limit the damage caused by gangs that are better armed and better equipped. I would like to convey to the Council the Haitian Government’s deep concern and disquiet about the serious situation in the country. I would also like to underscore the disastrous consequences that harmful actions carried out by gangs  — supported by some economic and political sectors — have on our society, as well as their devastating impact on our national economy and on our people’s everyday life. The consequences are extremely serious. The violent and destructive protests and the difficulties encountered in the delivery and supply of fuel to the country, because of the road blocks set up by armed gangs at the Varreux oil terminal, further complicate the country’s already precarious economic situation. As fuel is a cross-cutting product that concerns all economic activity, that situation is likely to paralyse the State and almost entirely paralyse the country. Therefore, some private companies are threatening to pack up and relocate elsewhere. The Caracol Industrial Park, one of the country’s most important, just announced, on Sunday, the end of its operations owing to a lack of fuel. That could lead to the loss of 12,000 jobs in the context of negative economic growth. Moreover, some hospitals have also closed on account of a lack of fuel, while the resumption of classes, which had already been postponed to 3 October, is uncertain. Faced with the worsening insecurity, we need very strong support from the international community to support the Haitian Nation Police (HNP) in combating armed gangs. The appeal launched by the Secretary- General is a step in the right direction and must be further developed. This is also an opportunity to invite other partners to do more. In that regard, we thank those who initiated the meeting organized on 23 September on the basket fund and the States that have made pledges to support the work of the HNP. To address those acts of terrorism, the Government is relying heavily on the collaboration of the international community. We must block the road to those troublemakers who take advantage of Haiti’s chronic instability to enrich themselves through smuggling and trafficking in weapons and ammunition. In that context, the direct instigators and the brains behind the criminal and terrorist acts, in particular those perpetrated in the past few days, will be fully suppressed by the HNP and brought to justice in Haiti. We also welcome the decision by some countries to consider imposing sanctions on those who participate in one way or another in criminal activities and insecurity in the country. That is a significant step in the right direction to bring an end to the phenomenon of insecurity in the country. The priority now is the return to constitutional order by restoring security and political dialogue, which are prerequisites for the holding of general elections, and the re-establishment of democratic and republican institutions, which will make it possible to address social and economic issues. In that regard, I am pleased to announce that negotiations are currently under way, and we hope that a political agreement can be reached soon, which will allow us to ease the situation. The Prime Minister has never spared any effort and has always remained open to pursue dialogue, which is the only way to resolve the political crisis.

I now give the floor to the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Dominican Republic.

On behalf of the Government of the Dominican Republic, I thank the delegation of China for requesting this meeting. I also thank all the briefers for their statements at this meeting. We also thank the Security Council for its resolution 2645 (2022), adopted in July, which extended the mandate of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) for one year. However, as I already said before the General Assembly (see A/77/PV.7), the results expected of BINUH are contingent upon the Haitians reaching a national agreement as a starting point to combat and neutralize the gangs, and secondly, to ensure the holding of elections as soon as circumstances permit. Unfortunately, that process has so far not succeeded and, for that reason, the Dominican Government considers that stabilization efforts in Haiti must be focused, as President Luis Abinader Corona has said on numerous occasions, on immediate pacification and political dialogue as the only adequate means to confront violence and chaos, as stipulated in paragraph 10 of the resolution, enhancing security support for the Haitian National Police’s efforts to combat high levels of gang violence. But the almost non-existent progress in that direction demands from the international community, as expressed by Secretary-General António Guterres and a position that our country strongly supports, that “while strengthening assistance for training its police, there is a need for a robust force that is capable of restoring peace and putting an end to the violence unleashed by armed gangs, which have been infiltrated by the political and economic power”. The Dominican Republic, in reiterating its usual spirit of cooperation and friendship with the Haitian Government and people, also reiterates its conviction that the only lasting and sustainable response to the Haitian crisis must come from the Haitians themselves. Therefore, I repeat before the Security Council: international cooperation with the efforts of Haiti and Haiti’s authorities is vital if we are to bring stability and peace to the people of Haiti, its neighbours and the region. That is our only goal. The human suffering in Haiti today is indescribable. We have heard at this meeting about some of the terrible violations affecting the most vulnerable in Haiti above all. For approximately 10 days, the main oil terminal, Varreux, which Minister Généus referred to, with millions of gallons of diesel, gasoline, kerosene and liquefied petroleum gas, has been blocked by large trenches, barricades, trucks and trailers, and the police have not been able to effectively remove them during this entire time. Around 400,000 people live around that fuel terminal. We must avoid a tragedy at all costs. In conclusion, I wish to recall what President Luis Abinader Corona said last year before the General Assembly at its seventy-sixth session: “Haiti can wait no longer. We must act responsibly, and we must act now.”

I now give the floor to the representative of Canada.

I had an opportunity to travel to Haiti and the Dominican Republic in late August, as Chair of the Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Haiti of the Economic and Social Council and in my national capacity. I think everything that needs to be said has been said about the depths of the challenges that we face in the country. Armed gangs have encircled Port-au- Prince, endangering the safety and security of its residents. The country’s main courthouse was for a time overrun by gangs — almost a metaphor for the collapse of law and order. Children are unable to get to school. Many Haitians face chronic food shortages, as we heard, and food insecurity is on the rise. In Cité Soleil and other areas, pregnant women cannot access essential health services due to gang violence. Businesses are closing. Haitians are leaving the country or are internally displaced. Yet we must recognize the remarkable resilience of the people of Haiti. Given that reality, the international community must increase its resolve and stand shoulder to shoulder with the Haitians to help overcome those complex challenges, especially as tensions continue to mount. (spoke in French) Canada’s commitment to Haiti continues. Last week, in collaboration with our Caribbean partners and the Government of Haiti, Prime Minister Trudeau hosted a meeting of the Economic and Social Council’s Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Haiti. As friends, neighbours and partners of Haiti, we discussed the importance of stepping up our support to the country, not only in the short term but also in the long term. That includes assistance to help Haiti to identify the root causes of the complex and interconnected challenges that it faces. We should support Haiti in creating the conditions for an inclusive national dialogue — today I was glad to hear the update from Foreign Minister Généus — to enable all people to chart a course towards credible elections and the return to a stable and democratic Government. We must ensure that we provide Haiti with all the support that it needs to leave no one behind. That clearly means giving women and young people the opportunity to play their important role in shaping their future. (spoke in English) In Canada, we answered the call to help the Haitian National Police to tackle armed gangs that are — and this is no exaggeration — literally terrorizing the Haitian population. Together with the United Nations and the Haitian National Police, we established and funded a basket fund, managed by the United Nations Development Programme, which will help to ensure that international assistance for security is more effective and coordinated. We welcomes the pledge recently announced, on Friday, by the United States in support of that fund, and I must say to all participants that we encourage other Member States to contribute because it is vitally important. We also welcome, and it was affirmed by many statements made today, the possibility of further measures to be taken by the Security Council to help Haiti to curtail the power of armed gangs. At the same time, we urge the Council to ensure — many others commented on this, and I agree with them — that the measures are effectively targeted and that they do not hinder the ability of the United Nations to support the Haitian people. I was very encouraged by the comments in that regard of a large number of representatives, including from the Russian Federation, Brazil and China. I think that it is extremely helpful for us to agree that sanctions may be required, but they need to be the right sanctions against the right people. They must not in any way, shape or form slow down the need to aid Haiti in its time of need and must ensure that humanitarian and development assistance is in no way negatively affected. That said — it is easy to say, but not so easy to do, but we need to do that — we must also stop the guns, and we must find an effective way to do that. (spoke in French) Canada is ready to support the Government of Haiti in strengthening its capacity to fight corruption, economic crime and money laundering. To that end, we will continue to build the capacity of Haiti’s legal institutions to prosecute the perpetrators of such crimes. (spoke in English) I have five questions, which, I hope, not just the Security Council but also many Member States can consider. First, how do we quickly bring an end to the violence, while avoiding the mistakes that were made in the past by past interventions? I think that we must understand that that is a critical focus. Secondly, how do we immediately and effectively increase accountability for criminality, which involves not only policing, but also the entire justice system? Thirdly, how can we assist the political dialogue without interfering in it? How do we make sure that it happens without telling people what to do? Fourthly, how do we respond to the immediate food and energy crisis and, at the same time, assist the Government of Haiti in building a long-term plan for prosperity and investment? Finally, how do we engage a more concerted and comprehensive response from the region, as my colleague from Kenya pointed out, from the Caribbean Community, from the Dominican Republic itself and from the wider international community, including Africa, while ensuring that we have full Haitian ownership and responsibility for political change? In the past, we were not able to find the formulas, but that does not mean that we should stop looking for them. (spoke in French) The people of Haiti deserve our support, our encouragement and our respect. In that spirit, Canada will continue to work with all Council members and with our Haitian and Dominican Republic partners.

There are no more names inscribed on the list of speakers. I now invite Council members to informal consultations to continue our discussion on the subject.