S/PV.9153 Security Council

): In accordance with rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I invite the representatives of Belize, the Dominican Republic and Haiti to participate in this meeting. On behalf of the Council, I welcome Mr. Jean Victor Généus, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Worship of Haiti, and Mr. Roberto Álvarez Gil, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Dominican Republic. In accordance with rule 39 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I invite Ms. Helen La Lime, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Haiti and Head of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti, to participate in this meeting. In accordance with rule 39 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I invite Ms. Ifigeneia Kontoleontos, Permanent Observer for the International Organization of la Francophonie to the United Nations, to participate in this meeting. 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/2022/747, which contains the text of a letter dated 8 October 2022 from the Secretary-General addressed to the President of the Security Council, and document S/2022/761, which contains the report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti. I now give the floor to Ms. La Lime. Ms. La Lime: When I briefed the Council three weeks ago (see S/PV.9136), I spoke of three intersecting crises —economic, security and political — that were accelerating Haiti’s downward spiral. A humanitarian emergency is now at our doorstep. Within four days of those remarks, the Government confirmed the first case of cholera in Haiti in more than three years. Within weeks, dozens more cases have been confirmed — more than half resulting in death, with hundreds more suspected in the West and Centre Departments. Twenty-five of those deaths were in the prison of Port-au-Prince alone. Cases are also suspected in the prison of Croix-des-Bouquets. As undocumented cholera cases tear through parts of Port-au-Prince, particularly in Cité Soleil, gangs continue to blockade the Varreux terminal, where most of the country’s fuel is stored. The consequences for Haiti’s basic infrastructure have been severe, disrupting operations at the country’s hospitals and water suppliers and affecting the cholera response. Without fuel, waste is not removed from neighbourhoods, while torrential rains promote flooding, which mixes with refuse to create insalubrious conditions ripe for the spread of disease. Neither the heroic work of the police, which remains critically under-staffed and under-resourced, nor political efforts have succeeded in easing the situation. As ever, it is Haiti’s poorest and most vulnerable citizens who are most affected. The reality is that without free movement of fuel, Haiti will be unable to get ahead of the current crisis. For all of the Haitian National Police’s accomplishments in re-opening roads and neighbourhoods, the port where fuel is stored remains a challenge. Furthermore, the paucity of fuel is now affecting police mobility and response. Appeals by the diplomatic corps and others, including the United Nations, for the establishment of a humanitarian corridor have gone unheeded. The broader situation is no better. Nearly a thousand kidnappings have been reported in 2022 alone, and general insecurity continues to prevent millions of children from attending classes, isolates entire neighbourhoods and leaves families extorted and burned in their own homes. It is to be hoped that this weekend’s arrivals in Port-au-Prince of important Haitian-purchased tactical equipment, delivered by Canada and the United States of America, will assist the police in regaining control of the situation. Regarding the political situation, resolution 2645 (2022) generated a sense of urgency because, for the first time, the Council asked the Government to report on its efforts towards a sustainable, time-bound and commonly accepted framework for a political process, led by Haitians. Acting on the Council’s decision, I intensified my efforts to bring key actors around the table and, through constant dialogue, maintained momentum among relevant stakeholders to establish a framework for a renewed political process. Since August, civil society has been driving an initiative that came close to finally bringing all stakeholders around a common proposal. With the support of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti, economic, social and political actors began to identify practical ways to move forward, launching a new round of discussions among the various blocs. However, the talks faltered, the spirit of compromise receded, and, in a sad case of déjà vu, vested interests began to redirect the narrative. Nevertheless, the talks are continuing and as late as yesterday, a meeting was held among civil society representatives, with a view to reviving broad consensus. The good offices of the United Nations remain ever more critical to providing opportunities for Haitians to come together and agree on a path to stability for the country. Those in the private sector who have shown a willingness to support reform should continue to assist in that regard, recognizing that they have an important role to play. It is against that backdrop of insecurity and humanitarian crisis that, on 7 October, the Council of Ministers authorized the Prime Minister to request the support of a specialized international armed force, to help secure the free movement of water, fuel and medical supplies to prevent the situation from deteriorating further. I can only reiterate the Secretary-General’s call on Haiti’s partners to consider that request as a matter of urgency for the immediate relief of those already most vulnerable. As protests demanding the ouster of the Prime Minister and his Government continue, some see in them yet another reminder of the role of entrenched economic and political interests to resist Government efforts to reform State revenues and customs for the benefit of the Treasury and the population at large. And so, the debate on sanctions has taken off. Haitians are actively using both social media and radio debates to express support for serious targeted sanctions against those who are driving violence to prevent changes that threaten long-standing patterns of corruption. As I noted in my briefing last month, under such a state of persistent civil unrest, violence and looting, including of World Food Programme and UNICEF warehouses, basic rights are being flagrantly undermined across the country. Gangs continue to injure, kidnap, rape and kill, and the human rights report on sexual violence by gangs, released on Friday, underscores how women and youth are especially affected. Rape is systematically used as a weapon of control and terror. Any enhanced security support to the Haitian National Police should also be accompanied by support to the justice system, not only to ensure proper accountability but also to reinforce nationally led initiatives, such as the proposed judicial units specialized in adjudicating crimes committed by gangs, as well as financial crimes. Economic deprivation is leaving the population more vulnerable than it has been in years. Gang violence is critically inhibiting the humanitarian response to a resurgent disease, as well as to hunger, with a record 4.7 million people facing acute hunger, including tens of thousands on the brink of starvation. The urgency of the situation is tearing at the political and social fabric of the country. Any comprehensive resolution requires a Haitian- led political solution, but a political solution continues to be elusive and, on its own, is no longer sufficient to address the current crisis. To support Haitian institutions in their drive for civic order and accountability and to save thousands of lives that would otherwise be lost, members of the Council must act, and decisively so, to help address the persistent scourges of insecurity and corruption in Haiti.

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

Let me thank Special Representative La Lime for her briefing and her work. I would also like to thank in advance Ms. Kontoleontos of the International Organization of la Francophonie. And I want to acknowledge Mr. Généus and Mr. Álvarez Gil, the Foreign Ministers of Haiti and the Dominican Republic, as well as Mr. Fuller, the Permanent Representative of Belize, who is here on behalf of the Caribbean Community. We look forward to hearing their remarks and important regional perspectives. The New York Times recently published a heartbreaking story on Haiti. It featured Christelle Pierre, a civilian who is all too familiar with the instability and violence that plagues Haiti. Gang members descended on Christelle’s neighbourhood in Port-au-Prince when she was six months pregnant, and left death and destruction in their wake. Her neighbourhood was burned to the ground. Her husband was shot in the head and left to burn in the street. Now Christelle and her newborn baby are homeless, in a country engulfed in crisis. As she told the Times, “There is no shelter, no food, no medicine, no work. There is only chaos.” If there was ever a moment to come to the aid of Haitians in dire need, it is now. Faced with extreme violence and instability, Haiti’s leaders and people are crying out for help. Haiti’s Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, as well as the Secretary-General, have called on the international community to address the deteriorating security situation and increase our humanitarian support. In response, our teams are on the ground, working alongside Haitian health workers and non-governmental organizations to help address the cholera outbreak and assist others in need. And we remain the single largest donor of humanitarian assistance to Haiti. In the coming days, the United States will deliver additional assistance to Haiti, including critical medical support. We are also deeply focused on the security situation. Together with Canada, one way in which we have helped has been by coordinating the delivery of vital Haitian Government-purchased security equipment to the Haitian National Police, including tactical and armoured vehicles and other supplies. That assistance will help the Haitian National Police counter gang violence and re-establish stability and security under the rule of law. And the United States is proactively going after the bad actors. Our new visa restriction policies target current and former Haitian Government officials and other individuals believed to be connected to street gangs or other criminal organizations. There must be consequences for those who support the facilitation of illicit arms or narcotics trafficking. But a problem of this magnitude cannot be solved by one country or even a handful of partners in the region. It requires a concerted international response. It requires robust international cooperation. And it requires urgent action by the Security Council. It is not enough to express our concerns or condemn the violence. As mandated in the Charter of the United Nations, we need to mobilize the resources and power of the Council and the broader United Nations. That is why the United States and Mexico have worked closely to draft two new draft resolutions, which we hope the Council will support unanimously. The first draft resolution would impose financial sanctions on the criminal actors who are inflicting so much suffering on the Haitian people. It is time to hold them accountable for their actions. It would target those responsible for gang violence, trafficking arms, attacking United Nations personnel, kidnapping innocent citizens and perpetrating human rights abuses and sexual and gender-based violence. And it would go after the individuals blocking Haiti’s ports and the delivery of humanitarian assistance to the Haitian people. The United Nations sanctions regime aims to stop those criminal actors from having access to reputable financial institutions, and it would work to freeze their assets and prohibit their international travel. Additionally, its arms-embargo provisions would prevent the direct or indirect supply, sale, or transfer of arms to criminal gangs and their leaders, as designated by the Council. The draft resolution specifically lists Jimmy Chérizier, also known as Barbecue, as the subject of such sanctions. He is directly responsible for the devastating fuel shortage that is crippling the country. By adopting the draft resolution, we would take concrete action to hold him and so many other violent criminals to account. The second draft resolution we are working on would authorize a non-United Nations international security assistance mission to help improve the security situation and enable the flow of desperately needed humanitarian aid. It reflects one of the options that the Secretary-General recommended that the Security Council consider. It is also a direct response to the request from Prime Minister Ariel Henry and the Haitian Council of Ministers for international assistance to help restore security and alleviate the humanitarian crisis. And we have consulted broadly with other stakeholders in Haiti, including members of civil society and the private sector. This draft resolution would propose a limited, carefully scoped, non-United Nations mission led by a partner country with the deep, necessary experience required for such an effort to be effective. At the United Nations and across the United States Government, we will work with partners and other Council members to set defined and specific parameters for the mission, and the United States will consider the most effective means to directly support, enable and resource it. This non-United Nations international security assistance mission would operate under Chapter VII of the Charter. And it would facilitate international support to the Haitian National Police and Coast Guard. By helping to improve the security situation on the ground, the delivery of desperately needed aid could reach those in need and address the ongoing cholera crisis. Ultimately, such a mission will rely on support from United Nations Member States, and the draft resolution asks explicitly for contributions of personnel, equipment and other resources. This is the moment for the Council — and the world — to step up. To be clear, we are keenly aware of the history of international intervention in Haiti and specifically of concerns about the Council’s authorization of a response that could lead to an open-ended peacekeeping role. The Security Council and the international community must look at its role differently from the way they have in the past. We must seek a different course, one that can better respond to the humanitarian and security crisis in Haiti and be able to address the needs of the Haitian people directly. With the dire humanitarian consequences at a level we have not seen before, we need effective but targeted international assistance. That should be coupled with support for political dialogue and backed by sustained international pressure on the actors supporting gang activity, which will provide the Haitian people with the breathing room they need — breathing room that will allow them to think beyond survival and focus on charting a better future. A Member State has reached out to us — the United Nations — for urgent assistance. Haiti has come to us in a time of need. As Security Council members charged with maintaining international peace and security, it is our responsibility to come together to help restore peace and security for the people of Haiti. We must work with Haiti to re-establish the rule of law in a way that respects human rights. And we must hold those responsible for so much pain and violence accountable. Families across Haiti who do not know where their next meal will come from are counting on us. The humanitarian and health workers desperately trying to contain a cholera outbreak are counting on us. Victims of gang violence like Christelle Pierre are counting on us. These two draft resolutions will help Haiti build a brighter, more secure future. I ask all members for their support.

I am grateful for the briefing by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Haiti and Head of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti, Ms. Helen La Lime, and I welcome the participation of the Ministers for Foreign Affairs of Haiti and the Dominican Republic, of our colleague from Belize on behalf of the Caribbean Community and of the Permanent Observer of the International Organization of la Francophonie. Their presence at this meeting clearly demonstrates the international community’s interest in providing support for the Haitian nation, whose people continue to suffer from the scourges of violence and transnational organized crime. The legacy of colonialism and regrettable post- colonial attitudes have resulted in poverty, exclusion, inequality and even the environmental degradation of Haiti, which explain, to a large extent, the prevailing situation in the country. I mention all of that because there are still those who think that the social factors that lead to exclusion, inequality and corruption are not appropriate agenda items for the Security Council. Three weeks ago in this Chamber (see S/PV.9136), we noted the urgent need to respond in a timely manner to the situation in Haiti. As we remarked at that meeting, together with the United States, we are working on two draft resolutions for consideration by members of the Security Council, to which my American colleague just referred and which would better respond to the complex Haitian situation on the ground. First of all, they would seek to establish a sanctions regime focused on the actors responsible for the violence and instability and would impose an arms embargo to prevent the gangs from obtaining weapons so easily and using them with such impunity. It must be made clear that this is not about sanctioning the Government of Haiti, but those who undermine governance through violence and continue to terrorize the civilian population. We are grateful to all members for their comments, and we hope to have two texts, one after the other, that will enable the Council to speak as one voice. In response to resolution 2645 (2022), the Secretary-General forwarded his recommendations on how to respond to the security situation in support of the Haitian authorities and urged us to respond with a sense of urgency to the request of the Government of Haiti to address the humanitarian crisis with regard to such basic issues as food distribution, drinking water, fuel and health supplies, which are currently direly needed to respond to the new outbreak of cholera. We must respond to that request with a great sense of responsibility and diligence so that the Security Council’s response is consistent with the Haitian Government’s request  — an effective response that does not repeat past mistakes. In the meantime, Mexico will continue to work closely with the Haitian people and Government through its cooperation with the Haitian National Police by strengthening the training of members of the Haitian Armed Forces at our Special Forces Training Centre. Just a few days ago, a new Haitian contingent travelled to Mexico to receive training from the National Guard, and, of course, we will increase our humanitarian aid. The needs in Haiti are immense. We call on all States to contribute to the basket fund that Canada has established to support the people of Haiti. Undeniably, the response by the international community, together with the United Nations support, must be matched by the responsible action of all political actors in Haiti. That will be the only way to overcome the already protracted crisis. There is an urgent need to build trust at the domestic and international levels. Genuine and objective progress in the dialogue between all parties would be a very important step in that direction at this time.

First of all, I would like to acknowledge the presence of the Foreign Ministers of Haiti and the Dominican Republic. I would also like to thank Special Representative of the Secretary-General La Lime for her very sombre briefing. This briefing aligns with the descriptions from those on the ground that the situation in Haiti is near its breaking point. It is truly like hell on earth. It is a hell created by the parasitic actions of groups capitalizing on a political, institutional and security vacuum. They show nothing but contempt for the Haitian people. I will focus today on three issues of deep concern. First, the accounts of violence in Haiti, particularly sexual and gender-based violence, are deeply disturbing. The report issued by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights is horrific to read. But for the Haitian people, and in particular women, girls and boys, that is their reality: collective rape, mutilation, execution and being burned alive. The violence and depravity exhibited by gangs has only escalated in recent weeks. They act with almost universal impunity. The international community cannot leave Haiti to face this unprecedented challenge alone. Ireland fully supports the call by the Secretary- General for urgent support to the Haitian National Police following the request of the Haitian Government. We are ready to work with colleagues on a draft resolution on security support in the coming days. Ireland also remains actively engaged with fellow members of the Security Council to create a sanctions regime aimed specifically at those groups. Secondly, Ireland is deeply concerned about the confirmation that, for the first time, thousands of people in Haiti are facing Integrated Food Security Phase Classification level 5 — catastrophic levels of hunger. It is clear in reports shared from across Haiti that conflict- induced hunger is killing people. Rural families, urban communities under siege and the overpopulated prison population are dying of hunger, without water, and are denied medical care. Rapidly increasing numbers of lives are being lost to cholera. Those are preventable tragedies. They result from blockades, violence and the destruction of humanitarian aid. They compound Haiti’s existing vulnerabilities resulting from climate shocks and natural disasters. Ireland strongly condemns the denial of, and interference with, life-saving humanitarian aid. Humanitarian workers must never be targets. Access to vulnerable populations must be granted, or further lives will be lost. Thirdly, three weeks ago, when the Council last met on Haiti (see S/PV.9136), the elements of a negotiated political settlement seemed possible. An agreement seemed to be just around the corner. Yet today we are no closer to a solution than in September. Ireland remains deeply concerned about the lack of progress on the political track. We urge all stakeholders to put other interests aside and agree on a shared way forward for the sake of the Haitian people. Ireland continues to hope that even in these dark days the political will can be found to make that vital step. There can be no security or stability in Haiti without functioning institutions and without a sustainable, inclusive political solution, owned and led by the Haitian people. The people of Haiti simply cannot bear any more. The spiral of chaos has to end. All the relevant actors in Haiti must assume their responsibility to restore stability to the country and to its people. The international community and the Council must respond to the calls for urgent action. There is simply no time to lose.

I join others in thanking the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for her remarks. I welcome the presence of the Foreign Ministers of Haiti and the Dominican Republic, as well as the Permanent Representative of Belize, in the Council today, and thank the Permanent Observer of the International Organization of la Francophonie for participating in this meeting. At our previous meeting on Haiti three weeks ago (see S/PV.9136), we expressed our concern about the political and security situation, which has remained precarious. It is deeply troubling that there have been no signs of improvement since then. The political impasse has been further compounded by economic stagnation and a troubling humanitarian situation. A recent outbreak of cholera threatens to make an already dire situation worse. The persistent gang-related violence and kidnappings, including in the capital of Port-au- Prince, have worsened the general insecurity. United Nations programmes are on hold due to roadblocks, demonstrations and limited access to fuel. We are also closely monitoring the situation concerning Indian citizens currently in areas affected by violence in Haiti from our Embassy in the Dominican Republic. We noted the letter from the Haitian authorities requesting the immediate deployment of an international specialized force to address the security and humanitarian crises, including the cholera outbreak. We have also noted the response from the Secretary-General, who in a statement issued on the same day urged the international community, including the members of the Security Council, to consider the request by the Haitian Government as a matter of urgency (S/2022/747). We continue to believe that in order for the security solutions for Haiti to be sustainable, they must be Haitian-owned and -led. Capacity-building for the Haitian National Police must remain a priority. In July the Council unanimously adopted resolution 2645 (2022), renewing the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti’s mandate for one more year. At the time we worked with other delegations to suggest an increase in the number of police and correction units. We are now working with other Council members to address the issue of gang violence, which in turn is exacerbating every other problem faced by the Haitian people. We continue to believe that no solutions to the political, socioeconomic and security crises will emerge without the direct involvement of Haitian stakeholders and the support of Haiti’s neighbours. We therefore welcome the engagement of regional partners, the Caribbean Community 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 arms and light weapons into Haiti. India firmly believes in the need for sustained efforts by Haiti and its international partners, including in the Council, to reverse the current situation. We enjoy long-standing relations with Haiti and its people. In the past, we have contributed to capacity-building and training initiatives in Haiti, and we stand ready to do so again in our collective quest to help our Haitian brothers and sisters in their hour of need.

I would like to thank Special Representative La Lime for her comprehensive report (S/2022/761). I also recognize the presence of Mr. Jean Victor Généus, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Worship of Haiti, Mr. Roberto Álvarez Gil, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Dominican Republic, the Permanent Representative of Belize and the Permanent Observer of the International Organization of la Francophonie. Less than a month ago, on September 26, we heard comprehensive briefings on the situation in Haiti, with the participation of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the World Food Programme (see S/PV.9136). During the meeting, we were once again informed of the calamitous situation in the country, aggravated by the fuel supply cut-off in Port-au-Prince due to criminal activity, with far-reaching humanitarian consequences for Haiti. We are concerned about the possibility that the situation may deteriorate further. On the political front, talks have not advanced, frustrating the expectation that an agreement between the main political groups was close to being announced. To make matters worse, the current outbreak of cholera in Haiti, if not rapidly controlled, could take many more lives. The Council must act in order to help the Haitian Government regain control of the situation and avoid further escalation. During the negotiation of resolution 2645 (2022), which renewed the mandate of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti, we established a fruitful dialogue among the Council members. As a consequence, today we are working on a new draft resolution that will implement 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 imposing measures such as asset freezes and travel bans on those engaging in or supporting gang violence. As we further negotiate the new draft resolution, Brazil wants to make sure that if such measures are adopted, they will not have adverse humanitarian consequences for the civilian population. Developing appropriate listing criteria, conditions and mechanisms for lifting the sanctions, humanitarian exemptions and carve-outs are essential for the effectiveness of this new sanctions regime. We also look forward to seeing the second draft resolution announced today by the co-penholders. We took note of the options conveyed by the Secretary-General in his letter dated 8 October for improving security in Haiti (S/2022/747). We also took note of the Haitian Government’s appeal for a specialized armed force to help control the humanitarian crisis in the country. We must all examine how best to assist Haiti. Brazil has a long-standing commitment to contributing to peace, development and stability in Haiti and to supporting its people. We share the view that besides security measures, socioeconomic progress in Haiti is key to addressing the current crisis in an effective and sustainable way. In that regard, we reiterate our opinion that Haiti could further benefit from participating in the Peacebuilding Commission so as to discuss ways to strengthen its institutions and exchange ideas on the successful experiences of other countries facing similar economic and political challenges. As a long-standing partner, we are glad that two of the most important Brazilian cooperation projects in Haiti will be concluded in 2022. Through bilateral cooperation, three hospitals are already functioning and represent an important contribution to the Haitian health system, while a professional training centre will soon be inaugurated in the city of Les Cayes. Before the end of the year, Brazil will also donate $650,000 to the fund created for the reconstruction of Haiti’s southern peninsula, which was severely hit by an earthquake in 2021. We once again exhort all Haitian political actors to engage constructively in the current dialogue and agree on a political way forward as soon as possible. A Haitian- led solution to the crisis is central to curbing violence, enabling a resumption of the normal functioning of Haitian institutions and paving the way for free and fair elections as soon as the security situation permits. In conclusion, I would like to stress that Brazil remains committed to Haiti and to the Haitian people.

I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the three African members of the Security Council (A3), namely, Ghana, Kenya and Gabon. We thank Special Representative of the Secretary-General Helen La Lime for her briefing. We also welcome the participation of His Excellency Mr. Jean Victor Généus, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Worship of Haiti, His Excellency Mr. Roberto Álvarez Gil, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Dominican Republic, the Permanent Representative of Belize, and Her Excellency Ms. Ifigeneia Kontoleontos, Permanent Observer for the International Organization of the Francophonie to the United Nations. We the African members of the Security Council have every reason to be extremely unsettled by the situation in Haiti. Witnessing the widespread lack of security, the growing deterioration of the humanitarian and public-health situation status, and the lack of political cohesion, we recognize historical and global causal factors that we have also suffered from. Since our last meeting (see S/PV.9136), the situation has not improved. It has sadly worsened. We again reiterate our call for action that is supported and accepted by Haitian-led and Haitian- owned political, humanitarian and security initiatives. We therefore urge Haiti’s Government, political class and civil society to deliver mediated starting points on a process that will overcome the political impasse, address insecurity, begin the recovery of the rule of law, deliver humanitarian aid and offer economic relief. At a minimum, dialogue must achieve an agreed common approach to deliver political reforms that include a constitutional basis and then free and fair democratic elections. All attempts should be made to make the dialogue inclusive, particularly by ensuring that it has the strong participation of women and youth. All stakeholders need to respond to the urgency of the situation. Lack of agreement on a way forward threatens to make the security and humanitarian situation slide out of control, with dire costs for the people of Haiti, and particularly the most vulnerable. It makes it more difficult for even the most well- intentioned external actors to offer the immediate relief that millions of Haitians desperately need. The people of Haiti do not have to walk alone. We encourage them to take advantage of the instruments available to them through regional organizations, particularly the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). In this regard, we therefore welcome the commitment of support made by the forty-third regular meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community, held from 3 to 5 July, in Suriname. We urge the African Union and African States to work with CARICOM in support of Haiti. The A3 is exceedingly troubled by the surge in violence and the impunity benefiting armed gangs. We commend the bravery and dedicated efforts by the Haitian National Police to address the situation. But amid insurmountable odds, gang violence, sexual and gender-based violence and kidnappings have all continued unabated. We strongly condemn all actors that are blocking the movement of food and fuel and in any way impeding trade and humanitarian access, leading to severe shortages in food supplies, access to water, electricity and other essential public services. If this situation continues, what is already an emergency will further worsen. The A3 therefore welcomes the request by the Government of Haiti for international support to counter the armed gangs and restore normalcy. We also welcome the Secretary-General’s timely letter (S/2022/747) detailing the options available to support this request. We therefore reiterate our call for urgent international support to counter gang violence and strengthen the capacity of the Haitian National Police. We recognize Haiti’s difficult and tragic experience with external intervention. We urge the international community to take this into account in making any offers for involvement. All efforts on behalf of Haiti should be sensitive to the need to ensure trust and to further, in a transparent manner, the security and humanitarian well-being of the people. Aware of the contribution that illicit arms make to worsening insecurity, the A3 welcomes the finalization of the National Action Plan to implement the Roadmap for Implementing the Caribbean Priority Actions on the Illicit Proliferation of Firearms and Ammunition across the Caribbean in a Sustainable Manner by 2030. We call upon the United Nations system and the international community to support national authorities in implementing the Action Plan. We also support efforts by Member States and the international community to block the flow of weapons to gangs and any associated parties. However, this should not be done in a way that impedes the efforts of the police to enforce law and order. We encourage the actions already initiated by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, in particular through police training, to assist the Haitian authorities in border management, stopping illegal trafficking in arms and illicit drugs and countering organized crime, as well as in strengthening the State’s capacity in the collection of public revenues. We urge the Security Council and Member States to act not only against the gangs but also their sponsors and facilitators. To do this requires a clear process of investigation and reporting that needs urgently to be established. The A3 deplores the persistent human rights violations against vulnerable people. In particular, we regret the inability to enforce pending warrants for prominent individuals credibly linked to those violations. It is crucial to secure justice for all victims of atrocities. To cut off the flow of weapons and financing to the gangs, and to ensure accountability for human rights violations, we support the proposed sanctions resolution as an important step. Of critical importance is the need to resuscitate the entire criminal justice system. We call for urgent support for Haiti to carry out comprehensive justice sector reforms aimed at addressing prolonged pretrial detentions, the establishment of legal aid offices, the expediting of court cases and the setting up of functioning court registries. We note from the lessons of history that peace and development are inseparable. The A3 reiterates that efforts aimed at addressing the political and security situation must be accompanied by the rollout of a comprehensive social and economic programme. In this regard, the International Monetary Fund must commit to pursuing this objective. We are disturbed by the inhumane large-scale deportations of Haitians in search of safety witnessed in recent weeks and months. We urge the strict observance of international human rights and refugee laws by all neighbouring and nearby States. We call on Haitians to rally around a common ideal of rebuilding their country. The A3 once again reaffirms its support for the work of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti. Its role in assisting Haiti to navigate its multiple crises is critical. We therefore continue to urge its further strengthening to provide the support that is commensurate with Haiti’s needs. In conclusion, the A3 stands in solidarity with Haiti. We will continue to do our utmost to listen to the people of Haiti and act in their interest during this moment of extreme peril.

I thank Special Representative of the Secretary-General La Lime for her briefing and insights on the deteriorating situation in Haiti, and we welcome her suggestions and recommendations. I also welcome the participation of Foreign Minister Généus of Haiti and Foreign Minister Álvarez Gil of the Dominican Republic, as well as the representatives of the International Organization of the Francophonie and Belize at this meeting. The situation is desperate and hardly needs any comment. I will therefore limit my statement to a few key remarks. First, the irony could not be more painful: Haiti, the first Black Republic, is today the poorest nation in the Americas and is facing an acute political, economic, security and health crisis, which has paralysed the country and sparked a breakdown of law and order. As has been amply highlighted, almost everything in the country seems to be at a standstill. There is one exception: gang violence and lawlessness. Gangs own the streets, having substituted official law with their own, paralysing normal life. They are preventing economic activity, including the distribution of diesel and petrol, and bringing transport to a halt, with resulting widespread looting and shootouts becoming increasingly common. Gangs are now getting together and dictating their terms to political actors. It is a symptom of their power and of what is coming if the situation is not immediately and properly addressed and reversed. When nearly half of Haiti’s population is experiencing high levels of acute food insecurity, with thousands of citizens at the capital are suffering famine conditions, when all safeguards to prevent human rights violations and widespread abuse have been abandoned, when the State authority is nowhere to be found, the situation has reached the breaking point. People are right to ask, “Where is the State?”, “Where is the political class?”, “Who is behind the wheel?” This dire situation will only get worse if some degree of security and rule of law is not immediately restored. Combating gangs and their brutal violence, criminal activity, corruption, smuggling and trafficking in weapons should be the top priority. This is a must. Otherwise gangs will only rise, and their suffocating power and metastatic grip will only increase. The security material provided by the United States and Canada is a most welcome move. As if that were not enough, this complex situation has enabled an outbreak of cholera, bringing back painful memories. The lack of fuel has forced hospitals and health centres to cut services; water delivery companies are shut, thereby creating conditions for an exponential increase of the disease across the country. It is therefore paramount to create a humanitarian corridor so as to allow fuel to reach the main hospitals and other cholera-response centres in order to limit its spread. Among other crimes, armed gangs have used rape, including collective rapes, and other forms of sexual violence to instil fear, punish, subjugate and inflict pain on local populations, with the ultimate goal of expanding their influence. It is dangerous to be a girl or a woman in Haiti today. That is the direct consequence of widespread impunity and easy access to high-calibre weapons and ammunition trafficked from abroad. This must be reversed for life to have meaning and for any prospects for the future. In that respect, support for United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime action on the ground is paramount. Haiti needs help; it needs it now as a matter of the highest priority. We support the two draft resolutions proposed by the United States and Mexico and are in favour of sanctioning those responsible, who are strangulating an entire country and its population. We also fully support a strong and robust security mandate in order to provide authorities and law-enforcement bodies with the necessary means to guarantee safe and adequate conditions of life. But let us be clear — it would be illusory to believe that solutions can only come from outside. The political class of Haiti should get its act together, leave aside its vested interests and any other interests but one — the one that the country needs and that its desperate people hope for. Political actors cannot be bystanders of a house on fire; they should be the first ones to put it out. Only that can help restore normalcy in order to tackle other major issues and create  — at the appropriate time — the basis for elections. We stand with Haiti and its people. The best way for all of us to show our solidarity is to act with urgency in considering the Government’s request for the support of a united Council.

I thank Special Representative of the Secretary-General La Lime for her briefing. I also welcome the Foreign Ministers of Haiti and the Dominican Republic, as well as the representatives of Belize and the International Organization of the Francophonie, to this meeting. Norway welcomes the convening of this meeting today. The situation in Haiti is alarming. We are appalled by the reported levels of violence in Haiti, including widespread sexual and gender-based violence, as reflected in the joint United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti-Office of United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights report published just on Thursday (S/2022/761). It is also reported that many children have been killed or injured in crossfire, even while in their homes and schools, and boys and girls are being coerced to engage in gang activity. The population, especially the children, in Haiti must be protected, and impunity for violations and abuses of human rights must end. We note the request by the Government of Haiti for a specialized armed force to address the acute security crisis. We welcome today’s discussions on how we best can support the Haitian National Police’s efforts to address the security situation. We commend the tireless efforts of the United Nations and humanitarian workers in Haiti during this difficult period. Their work is critical, particularly with the worrisome resurgence of cholera. Swift action must be taken now to stop its spread. But that cannot happen if it remains impossible to reach areas in need with basic services like clean water. We therefore reiterate the need for humanitarians to be granted access, to have their freedom of movement ensured and for their supplies to be respected. With food insecurity on the rise, we strongly condemn the looting of World Food Programme warehouses, which severely diminishes critical provisions. Civilians should not have to bear the brunt of criminality, yet that is what we are seeing every day. Political compromises must be found to forge reconciliation and a path towards elections. The only solution for Haiti is one created by Haitians themselves. Steps must be taken to restore order and trust for the sake of the Haitian people. Norway believes that sanctions, as proposed by the United States and Mexico, can be an important tool to address violence committed by armed groups and criminal networks. For the efficiency of the sanctions regime, it must include safeguards for due process. The Security Council should have a clear view on how to deal with this issue going forward. One option is to look to existing processing, such as the Office of the Ombudsperson.

I thank Special Representative of the Secretary-General La Lime for her sobering briefing this afternoon. I recognize the presence of the representatives of Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Belize and the International Organization of la Francophonie in today’s Council meeting. I would like to make three points today on behalf of the United Kingdom. First, we remain deeply concerned about the deterioration of the humanitarian situation within Haiti, with armed gangs blockading roads and restricting the transport of fuel throughout the country. As a result, medical services are unable to reach those most in need, including people affected by the cholera outbreaks, which have exacerbated the misery of the Haitian people. Fuel must be able to reach hospitals, and routes into hospitals must be cleared so that those affected can reach them. Perpetrators of gang violence must be held to account and denied the capacity to spread further instability and suffering. In that connection, we welcome the sanctions draft resolution proposed by the United States and Mexico as a positive contribution to the security and stability of Haiti. Secondly, we acknowledge the Haitian Government’s urgent request for international support in tackling the current security situation. We welcome further Council discussion on the authorization of an international security assistance mission, as proposed by the Secretary-General. Lead by Haitian needs, the international community should help restore effective governance and combat endemic gang violence. International efforts should also support an environment in which free and fair elections can be held as soon as possible. Thirdly, the United Kingdom’s offers its full support to the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH), which continues to operate in deeply challenging circumstances. BINUH has provided invaluable assistance to the Haitian Government over the course of its mandate. It will play a key role in creating the space for political stakeholders to agree a solution that restores security and stability for the Haitian people.

At the outset, I would like to thank Ms. Helen La Lime for her thorough briefing and her efforts in Haiti. We also welcome the participation of the Ministers for Foreign Affairs of Haiti and the Dominican Republic as well as the representatives of Belize and the International Organization of la Francophonie in today’s meeting. We strongly condemn the dangerous increase in the levels of violence directly targeting civilians in Haiti due to the continued control of gangs over neighbourhoods and critical infrastructure in the country, accompanied by killings, abduction and recruitment of children. We also condemn in the strongest terms acts of sexual and gender-based violence and their use to terrorize, humiliate and control the population. All those developments once again point to the dire need for an end to the violence and for calm. In that regard, we welcome the Government’s efforts to seek urgent solutions to address violence and insecurity. We also welcome national, regional and international initiatives towards developing strategies for the capacity-building of national institutions to tackle corruption and empower the State in order to promote its broader presence, particularly in the long term. We also look forward to discussing the options set out in the Secretary-General’s recent letter (S/2022/747) and to working together in the Security Council, including with the co-penholders, through the two draft resolutions to support the Haitian people at this critical juncture. The recent reports on the resurgence of cholera, in addition to complex socioeconomic challenges facing Haiti as well as severe food insecurity and water shortages in conjunction with the closing of fuel facilities, particularly the main fuel terminal, further exacerbate those challenges. We cannot let that situation continue as it is, otherwise we will end up with another dangerous health crisis. In that context, we condemn the obstruction of deliveries of humanitarian aid and basic services to those in need, and in particular the looting of critical facilities. We reiterate the importance of ensuring the safe, immediate and unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid to mitigate the suffering of the most vulnerable populations in Haiti. It is especially relevant to keep that matter under consideration during our current discussions on sanctions measures, so as to prevent any unintended damage that might affect the humanitarian efforts in Haiti. There cannot be a sustainable response to the economic, humanitarian and security crises in Haiti without finding a Haitian-led and Haitian- owned political solution. In that context, we note the developments that the Government informed us about with regard to the political track, and we call on all relevant actors to engage in good faith to reach a political settlement and support the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) and its critical role in that regard. For all efforts to be sustainable, national dialogue must be inclusive, particularly with the full, equal and meaningful participation of women and the inclusion of young people, so as to create an environment conducive to conducting peaceful elections as soon as the security situation permits. Any delay in efforts to find a political solution will only prompt the gangs to continue to escalate the violence. In conclusion, the United Arab Emirates stresses that it will continue to participate constructively in discussions on the means to deter armed groups in Haiti, including through the sanctions measures currently under consideration. We reaffirm our appreciation of the efforts of BINUH and all United Nations staff in Haiti. The United Arab Emirates also reiterates its solidarity with the people of Haiti in their plight.

I thank Special Representative of the Secretary-General La Lime for her briefing. I welcome the presence of the Foreign Ministers of Haiti and the Dominican Republic and other representatives to today’s meeting. The Secretary-General’s report (S/2022/761) submitted last week and today’s briefing by the Special Representative both describe an unprecedented crisis in Haiti. The level of chaos, complexities and difficulties may very well be beyond our imagining. China cares deeply about the worsening humanitarian situation and the recent cholera outbreak in Haiti. We express our profound concern over the inability and inaction of the Government, while gang violence is directed against civilians with impunity. We express our deep sympathy to the Haitian people, especially women and children, for their dire misery, caused by the current chaos. The political parties in Haiti, ignoring its people’s suffering, are still engaged in fighting over party and personal interests. That is more than disappointing. All Haitian political parties and factions should demonstrate a sense of responsibility and duty by strengthening dialogue and coming together to reach an agreement on a political framework and transitional arrangement to help break the current political impasse and restore constitutional order. The United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) must take concrete actions to urge and encourage Haitian political parties and groups to bridge their differences through dialogue and consultation and develop a road map for the political process. We welcome the readiness expressed by the members of the Caribbean Community to facilitate the Haitian political process and help the country emerge from the political stalemate as soon as possible. Eradicating the scourge of gang violence is both a starting point for any improvement in the current situation and a prerequisite for a solution in the country. Council members and the Secretary-General have a clear understanding and a strong consensus in that regard. Resolution 2645 (2022), adopted by the Security Council in July, indicated that the Council was ready to take mandatory measures against gang members and their supporters. Last week, the co-penholders on Haiti, the United States and Mexico, circulated a draft resolution on imposing sanctions on criminal gangs, for which we express our appreciation. China supports targeted sanctions, including a travel ban, an assets freeze and an arms embargo, inter alia, on gang members and their supporters. We hope that those measures will be robust and effective and that they will truly make a difference in deterring gang violence, cracking down on violent crime and cutting off the supply of funding and weapons to criminal gangs. We hope that the co-penholders will listen to Member States and take our views into account, continuously improve the draft resolution and fine-tune all the provisions with a view to ensuring that the sanctions are robust and address the core of the problem. We must prevent gang members from using potential loopholes to evade sanctions, on the one hand, and, on the other, avert a situation where implementation is only superficial and merely becomes a formality with no real impact. The Secretary-General’s recent proposal to support Haiti in improving its security situation deserves to be studied carefully. China is ready to hold an in-depth exchange of views with others. We have taken note of the recent call by the Haitian Prime Minister for a special force to be sent to Haiti. We have also taken note of the immediate opposition from some political parties and groups to the presence of a foreign armed force in Haiti. At a time when the Haitian Government lacks legitimacy and is unable to govern, will sending such a rapid-reaction force to Haiti be met with the understanding, support and cooperation of the parties in Haiti, or will it face resistance from, or even trigger violent confrontation among, the population? We need to carefully consider such issues in an integrated manner. Since the 1990s, the United Nations has deployed successive missions, including the International Civilian Mission in Haiti, the United Nations Mission in Haiti, the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti, the United Nations Mission for Justice Support in Haiti and now BINUH. Sadly, none of those missions achieved their intended objective. The United Nations work in Haiti over the past 30 years has proved that a rapid solution brought from outside will result in only temporary results, with no lasting impact Without a strong desire, a sense of common purpose and collaboration among all sectors of Haitian society, outside advocacy and efforts will ultimately not be of much help. After all, the key to resolving the Haitian issue is in the hands of the Haitian people themselves. The international community should take the long view by supporting Haitian people in their search for a comprehensive, home-grown solution based on their own unique situation.

We thank Ms. Helen La Lime for her briefing. We welcome the participation of the Ministers for Foreign Affairs of Haiti and the Dominican Republic at our meeting. Unfortunately, in the three weeks since the Council last met on Haiti (see S/PV.9136), the situation in the country has become a worst-case scenario. The fuel terminal and several other port facilities in Port-au- Prince are not under the Government’s control. That has exacerbated Haiti’s already precarious political, socioeconomic and humanitarian situation. As we understand it, criminal gangs are preventing people from leaving the capital, which restricts their circulation and deprives them of access to basic goods and services. There is a near total shortage of everything, from medicine to food and water. On the streets of Port-au- Prince and other towns, violence and lawlessness reign. The current paralysis of the entire system of Government institutions undermines any effort to rectify the situation in other areas. In addition to all the troubles that the Haitian people must endure, there is also an outbreak of cholera. Of course, all those problems are interconnected and cannot be resolved easily. Their root cause lies in the stagnation of the political process. In that regard, we see no alternative to restoring constitutional order in Haiti through dialogue with the participation of broad sectors of Haitian society, holding elections and conducting reforms. As noted in the report of the Secretary-General (S/2022/761), a necessary condition for improving security in the country is settling the political crisis. We have taken note of the report of the Government of Haiti on the national dialogue process. We note the positive role played by the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti in advancing the process. We understand that the problems in the negotiation process are, to a large extent, connected to the deteriorating security situation and lawlessness. Nonetheless, we call on all parties to put aside their opportunistic differences and continue negotiations. As rightly stated in the Government’s document, the humanitarian crisis in the country should enable all actors to understand that the interests of society must become the highest priority. The general situation in the country is, of course, affected by the fact that Haitians have not yet seen an open and full investigation into the assassination of former President Moïse. More than a year after that terrible tragedy, which shook Haiti and to a large extent was the trigger of the current crisis, no credible version of the events that, inter alia, could explain the involvement of foreign nationals in that crime has been presented to Haitian society. In that context, we stress that external interference in Haiti’s political processes and the subordination of the country to the ambitions of prominent regional players who view the American continent as their backyard is unacceptable. Together with the resolution of political problems, the capacity of the Haitian National Police must be strengthened, and the urgent issue of access to critical infrastructure must be addressed. We understand that the country’s law enforcement cannot accomplish that alone. We have considered the Secretary-General’s proposal for an international response to Prime Minister Henry’s appeal. We have also noted that there are varying opinions on that matter within Haitian society. Many opposition groups call to not allow foreign intervention by rightly noting the less-than-successful experience, to put it mildly, with foreign interference in the country’s affairs. We call for taking into account such opinions and carefully considering all possible implications of bringing foreign international and regional contingents to the island. We do not share the desire of the co-penholders to mix the issue of unblocking Haiti’s port infrastructure with the issue of introducing a sanctions regime in the country. We do not support the attempts to quickly push a draft resolution on sanctions through the Council. Let me recall that we agreed to discuss the Council’s restrictive measures on the condition that their future effectiveness, targeted nature and humanitarian consequences be carefully considered. Security Council sanctions are a serious and long- term instrument that requires in-depth analysis and detailed negotiations on the text, especially given that the last time the Council introduced a sanctions regime was five years ago. Expecting that a hastily drafted document, following its adoption by the Council, will magically rid Haiti of all its troubles is, at the very least, naive. In the case of Haiti, every effort must be made to ensure that the measures taken are aimed at restoring State control and are not perceived, as is often the case, as a way of punishing the entire country and its people. Sanctions must not become an impediment to providing socioeconomic assistance to the country, nor should they stifle the political process at its initial stages. We call on the sponsors of the document to abandon the tactics of a negotiations race and artificial deadlines and to finally pay attention to the constructive proposals and concerns of many Council members.

I thank Special Representative La Lime for her briefing. I welcome the presence at this meeting of the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Worship of Haiti and the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Dominican Republic, as well as of the Permanent Representative of Belize to the United Nations and the Permanent Observer for the International Organization of la Francophonie to the United Nations. While the situation in Haiti continues to deteriorate on all fronts, cholera has made a comeback on the island. That is all the more alarming since humanitarian and medical assistance to fight the epidemic cannot be freely provided. France therefore took solemn note of the request made by the Prime Minister on 6 October. We call on the international community to remain mobilized and to redouble their efforts to help Haiti. We share the observation made by the Secretary- General in his letter of 8 October (S/2022/747). The health and security situation calls for a more robust response from the international community. Our objective must be to more effectively support the Haitian National Police, which is on the front lines in combating the gangs. That is why France is in favour of imposing sanctions on all those who threaten peace and security in Haiti. We must increase the pressure on criminal groups, especially gangs, those who help them and those who finance them. We hope that the work that has begun in the Security Council will be completed as soon as possible. Rebuilding an effective justice system and combating impunity must also be a priority if we hope to eventually put an end to the violence. France will continue to urge all Haitian political actors to find an agreement leading to democratic elections when the security conditions are met. In the current context, the political class must demonstrate responsibility to resume dialogue and overcome the impasse. France will also continue to mobilize to facilitate the delivery of supplies to the most vulnerable in the poor neighbourhoods of Port-au-Prince and in the provinces. In that regard, the blocking of the Varreux oil terminal is unacceptable, as it compromises the delivery of humanitarian aid and the fight against the epidemic. France cannot resign itself to the current spiral. We are ready to do more, together with our partners. We will actively contribute to discussions on the draft resolutions that were submitted by the United States and Mexico. We will continue, as long as it is necessary, to mobilize the international community to come to the aid of the Haitian people.

I now give the floor to the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Worship of Haiti.

First, allow me to acknowledge Gabon’s presidency of the Council in the month of October. I once again commend the work of the Special Representative of the Secretary- General for Haiti, Ms. Helen La Lime, and thank her for her briefing. I would also like to express my sincere gratitude to the members of the Council for their growing interest in the Republic of Haiti, as demonstrated by their respective statements. I took note of their timely remarks. I welcome the presence here today of the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Dominican Republic and commend his country’s efforts to assist us at this challenging time. I also welcome the representative of Belize, on behalf of the Caribbean Community, and the observer of the International Organization of la Francophonie. For Haitians, today’s meeting to discuss the situation in Haiti is highly symbolic. We must recall that 17 October is an important date, commemorating the 216th anniversary of the death of the father of Haitian independence, Emperor Jean-Jacques Dessalines. He is the icon of the Haitian revolution of 1804. It was under his leadership that our sacred union, sealed by generals of various political ideologies and backgrounds, was established to end the inhuman system of slavery and create the first Black State in the world. He thus reinvented the word liberty and forever changed the course of world history by imposing the universal values of respect and human dignity that are enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations. I have the delicate duty of conveying to the Security Council a distress call from an entire population that is suffering and of declaring loud and clear that Haitians are not living, they are merely surviving. I speak to the Council on behalf of 4 million children who cannot attend school because of gang violence. I also speak on behalf of all of the women and girls who have been raped and the innocent people who have been murdered. I take this opportunity to convey to the international community and the Security Council the sincere gratitude of my Prime Minister, Mr. Ariel Henry, and of his Government for the speed with which the Council and Member States have considered the question concerning Haiti and demonstrated their commitment to our fight against armed gangs and their sponsors, who terrorize the population. That is a step in the right direction. I also welcome the measures that the American and Mexican Administrations plan to take to against gang leaders and those who fund them. I also welcome all measures already taken by the Council and those that it intends to adopt to stop the scourge, which is a topic of major concern for the international community. I am describing to the Council the stark and unfathomable plight of the Haitian people, as I have done in every international forum. Once again, my Government requests active solidarity to address these major challenges. Since 12 September, the situation has dangerously deteriorated in my country. Tragic and regrettable events take place each day — lives lost, kidnappings, the destruction of public and private property, rape, theft, looting, threats and intimidation  — that plunge the country further into chaos, with extremely serious consequences for all its people. In addition, cholera has resurfaced. Through its resolution 2645 (2022), which was unanimously adopted on 15 July, the Council has extended the mandate of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) for a year, until 15 July 2023. Pursuant to paragraph 3 of that resolution, the Council requests the Government of Haiti to provide an update on the national dialogue process, which brings together all Haitian parties, by 17 October. I am here at today’s meeting to provide a summary of the document that the Prime Minister transmitted to the Council, through the Secretary-General, in a letter dated 8 October (S/2022/747). In recent weeks, we have witnessed a considerable deterioration in the socioeconomic situation of the country. The Thor oil terminal, at the southern edge of the capital, had significant difficulty in providing fuel via the usual means because of the activity of gangs that control the neighbourhood. On 12 October, armed gangs seized and took over the Varreux oil terminal, the largest in the country. Attempts by law enforcement officials to remove roadblocks failed, as they were met with fire from large-calibre weapons. This resulted in fuel shortages, with disastrous consequences for the country. Hospitals were forced to close their doors or significantly reduce their operations. Drinking water no longer flows from taps. Pumping stations have stopped for lack of fuel. Public transport is limited. Supplying the capital and provincial towns with food is becoming difficult  — this could swiftly compound the humanitarian crisis. Twelve thousand jobs are threatened in the free zone of Caracol, which could close its doors for lack of fuel. The removal of Government fuel subsidies was one of the causes of the sociopolitical unrest that rocked the country and led to looting and targeted acts of aggression against members of the Government and political figures and their property. This sociopolitical turmoil was also funded by economic actors whose immediate interests were threatened. They object to the removal of the $400 million subsidies for oil imports. That measure sparked discontent among the mafia sectors. They capitalized on the situation to cause trouble and paralyse the country and sought to thwart the transition process by any means possible. That is the unstable and dangerous environment in which the dispossessed Haitian population lives and the situation with which they are forced to contend every day. Haitians eagerly await a return to normalcy and, in particular, security — the primary basic good. Haiti needs urgent robust support to assist the Haitian National Police in stemming the humanitarian crisis by neutralizing the armed gangs in order to guarantee seamless fuel distribution and facilitate the resumption of operations. In that regard, the Prime Minister, Mr. Ariel Henry, with a mandate from the Council of Ministers, addressed a letter dated 8 October to Secretary-General António Guterres, requesting the active solidarity of countries that are friends of Haiti. With regard to progress in the national dialogue that brings together Haitian stakeholders, in addition to the initiatives taken by the Government and the main results achieved since Prime Minister Ariel Henry took office in July 2021, we must underscore, during the so- called post-resolution period, the salient points of the political talks that took place. The first is the troika initiative, which brings together the academia, private and religious sectors. It serves as a facilitator and has the support of BINUH. Despite its efforts, results were not encouraging. The 11 September Facilitation and Dialogue Commission is a personal initiative of the Prime Minister. It started specifically with a visit to the home of one of the leaders of the Montana Group. The initiative, called the “national compromise”, was initiated by civil society members in Haiti, with the support of BINUH, and has sparked considerable hope. Several major concessions have been made on both sides. Nonetheless, at the last minute, the lack of understanding demonstrated by some and the intransigence of others upended the agreement made with a branch of the Montana Group. To broaden the negotiating framework, the Prime Minister included the private sector in the discussions on the future of the country. The private sector supported the Government’s principal macroeconomic reforms, in particular those related to customs and tax revenues. The document on the national compromise I mentioned was shared with the private sector, which is aware of the national pact for the implementation of a development plan for the next 20 years. The stakeholders concerned appear to want to openly adhere to the approach and seem ready to sign the agreement, alongside the political sector and civil society. In his letter dated 8 October to the Council, in response to the request of the Haitian Government, the Secretary-General specifically urged the international community, including members of the Council, to urgently consider the request of the Haitian Government to address the crisis. Today Haiti faces major security, political, economic and social challenges. The humanitarian crisis and the resurgence of cholera exacerbate the situation. In conclusion, I would like to reiterate the Haitian Government’s commitment to redoubling its efforts to reach a political agreement that would enable the re-establishment of democratic institutions, through the organization of general elections as soon as security conditions allow, in order to hand over power to the democratically elected officials, freely chosen by the people.

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

Much has been said and written about the crisis that threatens the existence of a large part of the Haitian population, who are stoically enduring the terrifying normalization of violence and deterioration of the environment and the health sector, which has shocked the international community. We thank the members of the Security Council for their commitment to responding to this emergency situation, and the Secretary-General for his considerable efforts in starting the process to respond to the Haitian crisis. In the light of what we all already know, it is now reasonable to expect that the Security Council will respond favourably to the repeated requests for action, in particular the request of the Haitian authorities themselves, addressed to the Council and the international community, for urgent assistance to curb the excesses, abuses and crimes committed by armed gangs. Those crimes seriously affect the welfare of the Haitian people, depriving them of access to food and basic health services, which, according to reports of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti, victimize women and children in particular, as Ambassador La Lime told us today. Our country has already expressed its support in response to the request for assistance from the Prime Minister of Haiti, and we have acted accordingly. Similarly, we strongly support a sanctions regime and an arms embargo, adopted by the Security Council, against individuals and institutions, as our Government has already implemented. As if those woes were not enough, there is now a new cholera outbreak in Haiti, which could mean thousands more lives lost. Given the way in which cholera spreads and the disastrous effects it has had in the recent past, the international community must take swift action. In the light of the tragic situation, the Haitian authorities and people await an effective response that will provide some hope of relief from the disastrous consequences they now experience. As we have already stated, all efforts to achieve peace in that country must be accompanied by an inclusive political process, led by the Haitians themselves, in order to bring about the necessary national unity to address the root causes of the protracted crisis. However, we are at a turning point. The priority is to achieve peace and deliver as much humanitarian aid as possible to alleviate the suffering of the Haitian people. Meanwhile, in view of the alarming health situation and given how easily and quickly diseases naturally spread, our country implements health programmes and conducts active epidemiological surveillance at its borders, along with other measures to protect the people of the Dominican Republic from health threats. We face an unprecedented humanitarian and security crisis in Haiti. It must be addressed with the urgency it deserves. There is no time to waste. We again call upon the Security Council to use all the resources and means at its disposal to reverse the situation and prevent the effects of the crisis from spreading beyond the borders of our neighbouring country. Eleven million Haitians demand a response from the only multilateral Organization that has the mandate and responsibility to provide it. It is clear to us that the principal mandate of the Security Council is to maintain international peace and security. However, that mandate will never be delivered if a citizen, a human being, cannot give a neighbour a brotherly embrace, in peace, as is the case in Haiti today. That is a key part of the human spirit.

I now give the floor to the representative of Belize.

I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the 14 member States of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). We thank the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Ms. Helen La Lime, for her briefing and appreciate the efforts of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti in the country’s stabilization process. CARICOM remains extremely concerned about the situation in our sister nation, Haiti. Peace, security, stability and prosperity are the legitimate aspirations of all peoples, and they are long overdue for the Haitian people. However, there can be no lasting stability in Haiti without a long-term strategy for sustainable development that seeks to strengthen the country’s institutions and its economy. Unquestionably, a crucial aspect of stability is security — and in Haiti, gang violence, sexual and gender-based violence and kidnappings continue unabated, eroding the security landscape, plunging the country into lawlessness, claiming hundreds of Haitian lives and disrupting the proper functioning of Haitian society. CARICOM firmly condemns the incessant warfare and actions of the gangs that have essentially paralysed the country. We emphasize the critical need to strengthen the capacity of the Haitian National Police in a concerted effort to fully restore security and enable the rule of law to prevail. In that connection, the Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community have taken note of the appeal of Prime Minister Henry for urgent help from Haiti’s international partners in the form of short-term assistance to address the security and humanitarian crises. CARICOM’s Heads of Government are therefore conducting internal consultations to determine how best to respond to Mr. Henry’s call. Strengthening the State’s security apparatus must also extend to measures to combat corruption and illicit financial and weapons flows. The combination of those scourges is a direct threat to the people of Haiti and could have a dangerously destabilizing spillover effect on neighbouring States in the region. CARICOM is deeply alarmed by the ongoing gang blockade of fuel, preventing people’s access to essential services such as health care, safe and reliable drinking water and proper sanitation, which are basic human rights, indispensable to sustaining lives and maintaining dignity. They are also critical in thwarting the wider spread of cholera, which has regrettably resurfaced in the country. This issue must be confronted immediately to prevent a repetition of the tremendous suffering that Haitians experienced in years gone by. The growing food insecurity is also of grave concern. Millions are facing acute hunger, and the situation is now exacerbated by global food prices and soaring inflation. Vulnerabilities are high as Haiti struggles with multiple crises at once. We consider it urgent to ensure that all national stakeholders engage in meaningful and constructive political dialogue, guided by a spirit of compromise. Personal and partisan interests must be set aside to bridge the existing political chasm, build confidence and effectively facilitate the political process. But the Haitian people cannot go it alone. They require meaningful support from various regional, hemispheric and international partners to assist in implementing the way forward. CARICOM, of which Haiti is a valued member, has offered its instruments and tools and is well placed to provide support for the electoral process and a good-offices role in a dialogue with national stakeholders. Nor can we discount the potential role and contributions of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, the Organization of American States and the African Union in that regard. Above all, the efforts to tackle the seemingly insurmountable challenges faced by the Haitian people must be Haitian- led and -owned. In that regard, an inclusive inter-Haitian dialogue process, with the full and equal participation of women and young people, is critical and must be accompanied by a national reconciliation process. We reaffirm our solidarity with the Haitian people in addressing the underlying drivers of the country’s instability and insecurity. Haiti’s legacy of underdevelopment cannot be divorced from the historic injustices it has endured through enslavement, colonialism and imperialism. Accordingly, the noble cause of reparative justice can be sidestepped no longer. Haiti fatigue is not a concept that must be allowed to take root in our collective consciousness. We cannot lose compassion in addressing the Haitian crisis. It is our solemn obligation to remain fully engaged on the situation in Haiti and to assist our brothers and sisters who yearn for and deserve a new beginning.

I now give the floor to the observer of the International Organization of la Francophonie.

On behalf of the Secretary-General of the International Organization of la Francophonie, Ms. Louise Mushikiwabo, I would like to thank the Security Council and you, Mr. President, for inviting our organization to today’s meeting on the situation in Haiti. I also want to thank the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti for her briefing. And I welcome the presence of Mr. Généus, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Worship of Haiti, Mr. Álvarez Gil, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Dominican Republic, and the representative of Belize at today’s meeting. The International Organization of la Francophonie has always affirmed its solidarity with Haiti both on the political front and through its technical support to various institutions. Our Secretary-General regularly brings together representatives of its member States and Governments to discuss the situation in Haiti. She has sent two missions to identify ways and means to achieve a peaceful and consensus-based solution to the country’s challenges. In the past few months she has engaged in consultations with various bilateral and multilateral partners with a view to promoting concerted efforts to resolve the issue of an inter-Haitian dialogue. On the technical front, the Organization of la Francophonie has continued to develop cooperation programmes in support of Haiti’s education system, political stability, consolidation of democracy and capacity-building for national institutions in areas such as elections and the rule of law, among others. Together with UN-Women, we launched an initiative aimed at building women candidates’ capacity for political leadership roles. In partnership with UNESCO, young Haitians working in the media have been trained in the fundamentals of journalism and fact-checking, as well as in the techniques of professional election coverage. The situation in Haiti is out of control. The security crisis has become an entrenched political crisis and now a humanitarian one. The human security situation continues to deteriorate on the food security, environmental, health and physical safety fronts, and has been compounded by armed gang violence. The threats to security come from internal actors who are well known throughout the country. The gangs stoke violence and organize kidnappings. They have overpowered the State and its ability to conduct its sovereign functions in the area of domestic security. Insecurity and poverty feed into each other, and the worsening poverty provides numerous opportunities for violent organized-crime networks that are increasingly recruiting young people in a vicious circle that urgently needs to be broken. Furthermore, national production has been at a standstill for several years. Haiti produces only 13.6 per cent of its consumption of rice, its main food staple. The erosion of the country’s economic viability and political legitimacy has prevented the State from taking effective action to combat the proliferation and use of small arms and light weapons in the country, particularly by non-State actors. Haiti also needs support through assistance in resuming agricultural production and manufacturing in order to significantly reduce unemployment among young people. On the political front, the failure of the recent civil-society initiative to sign a political agreement between the Prime Minister and opposition groups demonstrates the challenge of organizing a constructive and home-grown national dialogue. The continuing political impasse creates a climate of defiance towards the political and economic elites. What is urgent for Haiti right now is a restoration of security and a response to the humanitarian crisis. The situation poses a serious and genuine threat to stability and security in every other country of the Caribbean, the Americas and beyond. The International Organization of la Francophonie fully supports the options and initiatives of its partners in that regard, as well as the current initiative in the Council to impose sanctions on gang leaders and their backers. We are committed to ongoing advocacy to ensure that combating that gangs is prioritized even above the organization of elections. In her communiqué dated 6 October our Secretary- General condemns the continuing looting and violence in Haiti. She requests that national and international efforts be taken to respond to the humanitarian emergency and urges the national authorities and all national stakeholders to create conditions that can enable the delivery of the basic goods and fuel that are needed to ensure the proper functioning of health services and the availability of drinking water. We welcome the relations that have been established with the Caribbean Community as we work together to help Haitian stakeholders seek Haitian solutions. The Organization of la Francophonie remains committed to an inter-Haitian political dialogue, supported by the international community, and we stand ready to play our role in mobilizing partners in that regard.

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.