S/PV.9449 Security Council

In accordance with rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I invite the representatives of the Dominican Republic and Jamaica 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. María Isabel Salvador, Special Representative of the Secretary- General and Head of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti; Ms. Catherine Russell, Executive Director of the United Nations Children’s Fund; Ms. Ghada Fathi Waly, Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime; and Ms. Mirlande Manigat, President of the High Transitional Council. 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/2023/768, which contains the report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti. I now give the floor to Ms. Salvador. Ms. Salvador: I would like to begin by stressing the enormous significance of the Council’s adoption of resolution 2699 (2023), authorizing Member States to establish and deploy the Multinational Security Support Mission to Haiti, which is crucial to assisting the Haitian National Police in re-establishing security conditions conducive to elections. I also welcome the adoption of resolution 2700 (2023). I believe it is necessary, and it is the expectation of the people of Haiti, for the Committee to consider expeditiously updating the list of individuals and entities designated pursuant to resolution 2653 (2022), in the light of the reports submitted by the Panel of Experts. The extension in July of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) mandate for another 12 months and the extended capacities that we have proposed for the implementation of resolution  2692 (2023) will help us in delivering on our mandate. We have immediately started work towards ensuring that we are adequately resourced. Unfortunately, the security situation on the ground has continued to deteriorate as growing gang violence has been plunging the lives of the people of Haiti into disarray and major crimes have risen sharply to new record highs. Just this past Wednesday, the Secretary- General of the High Transitional Council was kidnapped in broad daylight by members of a gang dressed as police officers. Killings and sexual violence, including gang rape and mutilation, continue to be used by gangs every day against a backdrop of ineffective support services for victims and a weak judicial response. The layer of complexity that the vigilante groups add to the security crisis remains. Between 24 April and 30 September, BINUH registered the lynching of at least 395 alleged gang members across all 10 departments of Haiti by the so-called Bwa Kale vigilante movement. I have continued to engage with a wide range of stakeholders, encouraging their full commitment to national dialogue efforts that can put the country on a path to elections with a view to fully re-establishing democratic institutions and the rule of law. I commend the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Eminent Persons Group for its steadfast support in promoting a Haitian-led, Haitian-owned dialogue to help the country emerge from the crisis. Under its auspices, inter-Haitian consultations have resumed. Nevertheless, significant differences persist, all of which are critical obstacles to putting Haiti on a clear path to elections. I am concerned about the fact that the efforts towards elections are not moving at the pace we want to see. The Prime Minister has emphasized that his Government will remain a transitional one until elections can be held. He has publicly committed to measures that include enlarging the High Transitional Council, ensuring a more politically diverse cabinet and establishing the Provisional Electoral Council. A majority of actors must engage in constructive and meaningful negotiations to overcome the current political stalemate and advance towards enabling the holding of inclusive, credible and participatory elections, as soon as security conditions permit, of course. (spoke in French) The Secretary-General has reiterated on many occasions that there can be no lasting security without a restoration of democratic institutions — and it is impossible to achieve lasting and fully representative political solutions without a drastic improvement in the security situation. In that connection, and as Haitian stakeholders look forward impatiently to the deployment of the Multinational Security Support Mission while also calling for appropriate accountability and oversight mechanisms to be put in place, it is vital to ensure compliance with the United Nations Human Rights Due Diligence Policy and its zero-tolerance policy with respect to sexual exploitation and sexual abuse, in addition to ensuring the proper vetting and training of Multinational Security Support Mission personnel. (spoke in English) Re-establishing the control of the Haitian National Police is a prerequisite for holding credible and inclusive elections. The deployment of the Mission gives hope that the situation will improve. The Haitian National Police will be able to achieve lasting results only when public security is restored and the State resumes its functions, especially in the disadvantaged neighbourhoods that are prone to gang activity. In order to achieve greater control on the part of State institutions, efforts must continue to establish effective coordination mechanisms between the Haitian National Police and partners providing support through the Mission or bilaterally, so that duplication is avoided and the effect of assistance is optimized. Stepped-up efforts by the Haitian National Police, with the support of the Mission, will entail the further need to address justice requirements that must be supported by the international community. Haiti’s justice and corrections institutions continue to face significant challenges, and while some progress has been made, much more will be needed to restore the rule of law, protect human rights and fight impunity. The effect of the Mission’s security support will, without any doubt, have a significant impact on the limited judicial and penitentiary capacities. I recently visited the prison in Les Cayes and can attest to the appalling situation there. We need to enhance work with the authorities to ensure that the extreme overpopulation of Haitian prisons and their inhumane conditions are addressed. Inmates in pretrial detention need to be processed expeditiously. As of 11 October, 94 children are being held in pretrial detention, some of them on very minor accusations, such as stealing rice. I must recognize the efforts made by the Ministry of Justice and Public Security of Haiti, including the announcement last Thursday of the establishment of an ad hoc commission to study ways forward in order to reduce the number of those detained in Haiti’s prisons. Concerted efforts among the various stakeholders need to be made, and I believe that BINUH is well positioned to serve as a coordination mechanism to identify the necessary stakeholders. Following the adoption of resolution 2699 (2023), the expectations of millions of Haitians at home and abroad were raised. A glimmer of hope was created that there might finally be a light at the end of the tunnel that is not an oncoming train. Resources need to be committed to enabling the United Nations to run programmes and projects to support the environment in which the Mission will operate, including the basket funds of the United Nations Development Programme for justice, elections and support for the Haitian National Police. Close coordination among the Mission, BINUH and the United Nations Coordination Team must be guaranteed. (spoke in French) Political progress in Haiti is closely linked to security, humanitarian and development issues. The restoration of democratic institutions through credible and inclusive elections is key to sustaining the rule of law. I reiterate the call of Secretary-General on Haitian stakeholders to put aside their differences and work towards democratic elections for the benefit of the Haitian people. BINUH continues to stand ready to support the CARICOM Eminent Persons Group in any way that may be helpful. The representation and participation of all groups in Haiti are vital for achieving lasting solutions to the multidimensional crisis. Addressing issues such as sexual violence, child protection and the need to provide support for vulnerable and marginalized groups is imperative in order to ensure sociopolitical cohesion and lasting peace. Elections represent the only path towards and the sole priority for the restoration of democratic institutions in Haiti. Democracy and the rule of law are the only foundations on which Haiti can progress towards sustainable development and growth.

I thank Ms. Salvador for her briefing. I now give the floor to Ms. Russell. Ms. Russell: I thank Ambassador França Danese for convening this briefing during Brazil’s Security Council presidency and for inviting me to update the Council on the dire humanitarian and child rights crisis in Haiti. I would like to especially thank Special Representative of the Secretary-General Salvador, with whom I spent some time in Haiti and saw the incredibly challenging circumstances that she is dealing with in such an impressive way. I speak today both as UNICEF Executive Director and the designated Principal Advocate on Haiti for the Inter-Agency Standing Committee for the humanitarian situation in that country. As we just heard, the crisis in Haiti is growing more complicated by the day. Half the population is in need of humanitarian assistance, including almost 3 million children. But half of those in need of assistance are not getting it, in large part because of insecurity and insufficient humanitarian funding. Basic services are on the verge of collapse, and in some communities life is more dangerous than it has ever been. Years of political turmoil and devastating economic conditions have led to the proliferation of armed groups. An estimated 2 million people, including 1.6 million women and children, live in areas under their effective control, and they are expanding their operations outside the capital, perpetrating extreme levels of violence in both Port- au-Prince and neighbouring Artibonite. When I visited Haiti in June, I saw at first-hand how horrific violence and fear are tearing apart the very fabric that binds families and communities together. Children are being injured or killed in the crossfire, some even on their way to school. Others are being forcibly recruited or they are joining armed groups out of sheer desperation. Communities are being terrorized, and women and girls are being targeted with extreme levels of gender- based and sexual violence. During my recent visit, I met an 11-year-old girl at the Gheskio Center, which provides care for survivors of sexual violence in the heart of Port-au- Prince. Late last year, five men from an armed group abducted her, three of whom took turns raping her. In June, when she shared her story with me, she was eight months pregnant. Several women at the Center spoke of armed men breaking in and raping them — in one case, in front of her children — and then setting their homes on fire. In some areas, such horrific abuses and crimes are now commonplace. Abductions for ransom have skyrocketed, while students, teachers and health workers are subjected to threats daily. As a result, the skilled workers who are desperately needed to deliver essential services flee their communities and, if they can, flee the country altogether. Tens of thousands of people are now internally displaced because of the extreme violence. Armed groups have also strangled major transport routes from Port-au-Prince to the rest of the country, where most of the population resides, destroying livelihoods and restricting access to essential services. That life-threatening mix of conditions has caused an intensifying food, security and nutrition crisis, especially for children. Since last year, we have seen an unprecedented 30 per cent increase in the number of children suffering from severe wasting to more than 115,000 nationwide. Almost one quarter of Haiti’s children are chronically malnourished, which can have devastating consequences for their physical and cognitive development. The malnutrition crisis coincides with the ongoing cholera outbreak, in which nearly half of the suspected cases are children under the age of 14. Severely malnourished children are five times more likely to die from cholera without urgent treatment. Yet the national health system does not have the capacity to adequately respond to the health and nutrition needs of vulnerable children and families. The violence is also compromising the work of humanitarian actors on the ground. Despite the risk and operational complexity, our organizations are still reaching the most vulnerable children and families with life-saving services, and there are some positive outcomes. Last week, for example, UNICEF and our partners were able to secure the safe release of almost 60 children being held by armed groups occupying a school in Port-au-Prince. We are delivering for the people of Haiti, and we are committed to staying on the ground to meet humanitarian needs. But quite frankly, we need more support. To date this year, we have received barely one quarter of the $720 million needed to fund the humanitarian response plan. The international community should prioritize increased flexible humanitarian funding. That will help us provide life-saving aid while also implementing solutions for longer-term development and building resilience. I hope all of us here today will urge the international financial institutions and development partners to keep Haitian social sectors and services in operation, at least until their capacity is rebuilt. Of course, progress in Haiti is contingent on significant improvements to the security situation. The Multinational Security Support Mission to Haiti, recently approved through the Council’s resolution 2699 (2023), will play a critical role in that effort. The safety of civilians is paramount, and the Support Mission must prioritize their protection in all of its operations. That includes avoiding the use of force in and around populated areas. And the Mission must use only the least harmful means necessary, ensuring that they are proportionate to legitimate law-enforcement objectives. It must also ensure that special care and attention are given to the protection of vulnerable groups, including children, women, people living with disabilities and those who are internally displaced. The Mission must work with the Government to identify threats to those groups and ensure that they are protected from abuses and other human rights violations, including sexual and gender-based violence and grave violations against children. Preventing sexual exploitation and abuse will require thorough predeployment and on-the-ground training. Police-contributing countries must take all necessary steps to conduct investigations of allegations as quickly as possible, and to hold the perpetrators of sexual exploitation and abuse accountable. In addition, the Mission must ensure that children who are associated or alleged to be associated with armed groups are regarded as victims of violations of international law. That includes those who are accused of committing crimes. Finally, the Support Mission must strive to facilitate humanitarian action, while remaining apart from humanitarian operations. It must avoid impeding access to people in need, in accordance with humanitarian principles. Adequate coordination with humanitarian actors through civilian and military platforms will be fundamental. I continue to be struck by the resilience, dignity and courage of the people of Haiti, despite the dire situation on the ground. They remain dedicated to a vision of a peaceful and prosperous country. Working together with them, I am confident that we can help turn that vision into reality.

I thank Ms. Russell for her briefing. I now give the floor to Ms. Waly. Ms. Waly: I thank you, Mr. President, for inviting me to address the Security Council regarding the situation in Haiti. At the outset, I would like to welcome the adoption of resolution 2700 (2023), renewing the sanctions regime for Haiti. I also want to praise the remarkable work of Special Representative Salvador and her team in such a sensitive and precarious environment. As the Council has acknowledged, gangs have seized control of areas of territory and some key infrastructure in Haiti and are perpetrating horrific violence, including homicides, kidnapping and sexual and gender-based violence, enabled by sophisticated firearms brought into the country illegally. Halting the flow of illicit firearms into Haiti and establishing a robust regulatory framework for such weapons are imperative steps if the Haitian authorities are to assert control and re-establish normalcy. Member States should take measures to achieve those aims and to provide relevant support to Haiti alongside the deployment of the Multinational Security Support Mission to Haiti, recently approved by the Council through its resolution 2699 (2023), which will be operating in a volatile environment. Pursuant to paragraph 9 of resolution 2692 (2023), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) submitted its latest report to the Council on 17 October, through the Secretary-General, including updates on sources and routes of illicit arms and financial flows in Haiti. The report presents the results of UNODC’s in-depth analysis of the movement of weapons into and within Haiti, identifying four major sea and land routes for the illicit flows of firearms and ammunition, which come primarily from the United States. The first route is through direct shipment in containers from the United States to Port-au-Prince. The second is from the United States to northern areas of the country, including Port-de-Paix, where arms and ammunition are transported overland to coastal cities in Artibonite, then by small boats or by land to docks controlled by gangs or traffickers, and eventually to Port-au- Prince. The third is by land through the Belladère and Malpasse border crossings, used mainly for trafficking ammunition, primarily via the Dominican Republic. And the fourth is also by land through Cap-Haïtien, where smaller quantities of weapons are hidden in the personal effects of individuals crossing the border by car or on foot. Through those routes, traffickers are taking advantage of the Haitian security sector’s limited capacities, equipment and infrastructure for border and maritime control and surveillance. Furthermore, Haiti’s police are operating in a continued state of emergency and with limited human and technical resources, undermining their ability to manage weapons and ammunition. The involvement of private security companies in filling the security vacuum, and those companies’ reported involvement in illicit firearms flows, further complicates the picture. Ultimately, the availability of firearms has left criminal armed groups in Haiti with enormous firepower at their disposal, enabling them to consistently outgun security forces. The number of shootings and kidnappings continues to rise, while almost 200,000 people have been displaced as they flee the violence, exposing them to further risks. Meanwhile, the insecurity is expanding beyond the metropolitan area of Port-au-Prince to other areas such as the Artibonite and Centre departments. Using their superior firepower, criminal groups have been expanding their territorial control and targeting critical infrastructure, including seaports, fuel terminals, airports, grain stores, warehouses, customs offices and key roads. That enables them to block critical goods and secure trafficking routes. It is important to understand that the demand for firearms in Haiti is linked to the criminal groups’ need to enforce the illicit drug trade, as the country remains a transit destination, primarily for cocaine and cannabis. To take effective action against weapon and ammunitions trafficking in Haiti, it will be essential to enforce tighter controls at borders in Haiti and abroad, drastically improve maritime interdiction mechanisms and enhance capacities to collect, analyse and use data on the seizure of firearms. It is similarly important to strengthen the Haitian firearms-control regime and the capacity of criminal justice to enforce it, as well as to empower Haitian institutions to detect, investigate and prosecute firearms trafficking and related offences, including through more direct and effective cooperation with neighbouring countries. Last week, as UNODC has been scaling up its team on the ground, experts from our headquarters and from the region joined the Office’s team in Haiti to support our programming at the Belladère land border and the Port-Au-Prince port and airport. They report excellent cooperation with the Haitian customs, police, airport and port authorities, who have been fully involved in the design of UNODC’s interventions. We are working with them to establish a joint airport and port control unit, which will bring together officials from customs and police to better understand illicit flows and improve the effectiveness of interdictions. Training begins next month, and equipment is already en route. We are heartened by the commitment of the Haitian border police, port authorities and coast guard, all of whom are working with limited equipment in volatile security conditions. I am hoping that we will be able to inform the Council of progress in our next report in three months. Any measures to control weapons and seize drugs in Haiti must be paired with improved financial transparency and accountability. As the Panel of Experts on Haiti recently reported, public and private actors are involved in the distribution and illicit import of weapons for private gain. That has created a cycle of firearms trafficking, gang violence and criminal profit. Haiti needs to strengthen its operational capacity to detect economic crime and trace illicit financial flows and money-laundering schemes, and UNODC has experts in the country working with the Organization of American States to support the competent authorities for that purpose. UNODC is working with the Haitian authorities, and in full coordination with the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti, to meet needs on the ground. We will also continue to assist the Panel of Experts created under the Committee established pursuant to resolution 2653 (2022), concerning Haiti, as well as the Council, as requested. The international community must stand with the Haitian people to end the reign of chaos and invest in a more secure Haiti, through urgent assistance to improve the security situation as well as long-term support aimed at establishing strong judicial and rule-of-law capacities. Delivering meaningful improvements in security is necessary to protect the rights of Haiti’s people and to pave the way for a Haitian-led and -owned political process.

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

I am pleased to be here this morning as the spokesperson for the millions of Haitians who follow the debates on Security Council decisions online. As the Council is no doubt aware, the High Transitional Council, which I have the honour of presiding over, has been hit hard by the kidnapping of its Secretary-General, Mr. Anthony Virginie Saint- Pierre, on Wednesday 18 October 2023, in the middle of the street on his way to work. We do not want to call anyone out yet, let alone any particular group, but his kidnapping is certainly no coincidence. I ask the Council’s indulgence if it is disturbed by what I have to say. Haitians can each explain the tragedies of their lives with humility and simplicity. They are the thousands of children who are deprived of the bread of education, unable to get to their classrooms. They are the sick who succumb to their injuries, simply because hospitals are inaccessible. They are the shopkeepers who are stripped of their only means of subsistence, their goods having been destroyed, looted and burnt by the gangs. They are the pregnant women who die because their doctor has been kidnapped or has been unable to reach them because of the prevailing insecurity. They are the upright policemen who note, powerless, the inadequacy of numbers and the paucity of resources, feeling overwhelmed by the weakness of the force. They are the fathers murdered, leaving their offspring exposed to the temptations of easy money, led by hunger and violence. They are the young girls and boys raped with impunity, bruised and battered. They are the women who end up becoming street workers for the pleasure of the untouchables who finance the gangs. They are young graduates whose hopes are dashed by plans to leave for greener pastures, when they do not become antennae for the lucrative business that gangsterism has become. I urge the Council to not remain indifferent to the frustrations of idle young people, condemned to begging, corruption, debauchery, delinquency and the guilty intoxication of life in a criminal gang. It is in the face of that reality that resolution 2700 (2023) brings a breath of hope to a people mired in the morass of insecurity. It is suffering Haiti that is expressing itself through my voice. The miseries of the population are not all of the same nature and do not have the same intensity, but they manifest themselves at the same time. It is that accumulation that expresses the tragedy of my country, which has been brought to the Council’s attention. Listen at last to the voice of the people. I hope that this brief presentation will convince the Council that it is time for the aid that has been promised and endorsed to materialize. It is also the Haiti of the events of 1804 that is expressing itself through me; it is the patriots who remain in the country against all odds, determined to change the situation; it is those who are working together to bring water to their land in order to improve their living conditions. That is the Haiti that continues to build, to hope and to remain dignified. We must support their cause. I hope that the Security Council will soon put its words into action. I want to assure the Council that the High Transitional Council, driven by unparalleled nationalism, is ready to support any United Nations initiative that will enable the Haitian people to resume the normal course of their lives. The foreign troops supporting the Haitian National Police are being awaited by a large section of the population made up of the real victims. While it is true that their interventions cannot be discriminatory, their efforts must immediately send clear signals of protection to those who are the victims of the destructive work of businessmen who make a profit, to say the least, from the arms and ammunition trade. And let it not be the other way round, as has happened in previous cases. It is not enough to want to recover territories occupied by gangs. The States Members of the United Nations must also consider creating a major fund to rebuild road, legal, hospital, school, university and agricultural infrastructure. Otherwise, we run the risk of reliving the same tragic experience in the medium term. I would like to take this opportunity to remind the Council that the Republic of Haiti has always been in favour of peaceful coexistence between peoples, whatever their faith. I reaffirm my conviction that peoples must also be able to freely enjoy all the common resources of the territories they share, while taking into account the challenges of environmental protection. The High Transitional Council will continue to support all efforts to ensure that agreements and conventions are respected, while advocating dialogue, peace and tolerance. I am 82 years old. I know that the future is behind me, and I do not know how much longer I have to live. But I am determined to devote the rest of my days to forging a better Haiti, a better place to live for all Haitians. And it would be a step in the right direction if the Council decided to join us in our efforts. The High Transitional Council is the product of the exceptional agreement of 21 December 2022, which brought together thousands of votes in favour of the reconstitution of certain State organs. Its tasks include assessing the changes to be made within public administration, participating in the formation of a new Government, working towards the adoption of a new constitution and the formation of a credible electoral council. All of that will require the restoration of law and order. Recruiting qualified technicians is essential if the High Transitional Council is to achieve its objectives and deliver, for both its own people and the world, the results it has been working on since its appointment. The members of the High Transitional Council invite the States Members of the United Nations to join them in their determination to restore the population’s confidence and to finalize a plan to combat the institutionalized banditry that, without further delay, must be reduced to no more than a bad memory for the entire Haitian nation. The High Transitional Council is determined to honour its commitments to its nation and encourages dialogue with the political players. Nevertheless, the time for action is now. The Council must decide which side of history it wants to be on. What is important is to deliver a job well done and to provide the country with a legitimate Government and freely chosen elected representatives as soon as possible and in a calm climate conducive to investment. I thank members for allowing me to address the Council this morning to express the concerns of the Haitian people and of the High Transitional Council.

I thank Ms. Manigat for her briefing. I shall now make a statement in my capacity as the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Brazil. I thank Ms. María Isabel Salvador, Special Representative of the Secretary-General; Ms. Mirlande Manigat, President of the High Transitional Council; Ms. Catherine Russell, Executive Director of UNICEF; and Ms. Ghada Fathi Waly, Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, for their briefings. I also extend a warm welcome to the Permanent Representatives of Haiti, Jamaica and the Dominican Republic. We meet today after two very important resolutions were adopted this month to help Haiti deal with its dire security situation. The first (resolution 2699 (2023)) authorized the deployment of a Multinational Support Mission to assist the Haitian National Police in fighting the gangs and re-establishing minimum security conditions. The second (resolution 2700 (2023)) renewed the sanctions regime applicable to Haiti, including a comprehensive arms embargo. Those persons directly or indirectly responsible for the violence must know that there will be consequences. The two resolutions were adopted as a direct response to multiple requests for assistance and cooperation made by Haiti itself. We are hopeful that the security conditions will soon start to improve. We commend those Member States that have volunteered to contribute to the Multinational Support Mission to Haiti. We kindly invite them to swiftly agree on and submit to the Council the rules of engagement for the Mission, which will allow for its timely deployment in accordance with resolution 2699 (2023). It remains to be established how the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) can better support the efforts of the Multinational Support Mission. BINUH’s work has been important in areas such as the promotion of dialogue, electoral reforms, police capacity-building, the improvement of the justice and prison systems and human rights protection. The Mission and the Office will need to coordinate and establish a mutually beneficial dynamic to ensure that security conditions will improve in Haiti, leading to an environment that will allow for institutional, economic and social normalization. Brazil has long been a contributor to efforts to sustain peace in Haiti, one example being Brazil’s 13- year leadership of the military component of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti. The experience amassed during that period allows us to consider better cooperation opportunities with the Multinational Support Mission, which will contribute to the stability and development of Haiti. No one doubts that security assistance is crucial and urgent in the current circumstances. Yet Brazil insists that multiple coordinated efforts are essential for a lasting solution to Haiti’s multidimensional crisis. Security assistance must be coupled with robust development assistance, as well as support for the strengthening of institutions. That is imperative if we are to help address the root causes of violence, instability and poverty. Progress in restoring stability and laying firmer ground for development requires a broad national political agreement. There is no alternative to Haiti’s political leaders setting aside their differences so that an agreement may be reached on a credible framework for holding elections. The Multinational Support Mission is expected to create sufficient conditions for that to happen. Its benefits in terms of security are to serve the interests of society, and not any specific political actor or group. The Mission is intended to create the conditions for Haiti to rebuild democratic governance and resume its path towards prosperity. In doing so, it will allow international cooperation to continue and hopefully grow, thereby facilitating Haiti’s development. Brazil has been relentless in its cooperation efforts with Haiti. Beyond providing more than 90,000 humanitarian visas to Haitian citizens during this difficult period, we have insisted on maintaining our initiatives, where conditions permit, in areas such as health, education, capacity-building and reconstruction. In 2023, Brazil donated 5,000 doses of the rabies vaccine to the Haitian Government through the Pan American Health Organization. We also helped to strengthen the Haitian immunization programme, donated ambulances and offered scholarships for human resources training. We invite the international community to look at Haiti as much more than a country in crisis and to believe in the potential of its people. We must do more for Haiti than the bare minimum to overcome the current crisis. If we collectively help Haitians through cooperation focused on long-term development, they will surely thrive in the future. Haiti has a long history and a rich culture. Its people are resilient and hard-working. With further support from the international community and a renewed sense of duty on the part of the Haitian political leadership, the country will progressively overcome its challenges. I resume my functions as President of the Council. I shall now give the floor to those members of the Council who wish to make statements.

I thank Special Representative Salvador for her briefing and for her team’s ongoing efforts in Haiti. I would also like to thank Ms. Waly of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Ms. Russell of UNICEF and Ms. Manigat of the High Transitional Council for their important perspectives on the dynamic situation on the ground. We understand very clearly how challenging their work is. As can be seen from the efforts of the Security Council over the past four months, many members are working hard to support and build on their work. In July, we unanimously reauthorized and strengthened the mandate of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (resolution 2692 (2023)). On 2 October, we authorized the deployment of the Multinational Security Support Mission to Haiti under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations (resolution 2699 (2023)). Just last week, we renewed the Haitian sanctions regime (resolution 2700 (2023)). The United States voted to support each of those resolutions precisely because, as the Special Representative of the Secretary-General said in her briefing, the situation in Haiti continues to grow more dire. As the Secretary-General has stated, to make progress towards elections, enable economic growth and relieve the humanitarian crisis, the security situation in Haiti must improve. The Multinational Security Support Mission aims to support the Haitian National Police as they work to improve security in Haiti. The differences in mandate between a United Nations special political mission and a non-United Nations mission focused on security are clear, but there is a direct link between the success of BINUH and that of the Multinational Security Support Mission. If the Support Mission can succeed in supporting the Haitian National Police and improve Haiti’s security environment, BINUH’s efforts will have greater success in implementing its mandate and its work will have more impact. At the same time, we echo the call of the Special Representative of the Secretary- General for close cooperation between BINUH and the Multinational Security Support Mission, which will help to facilitate the Support Mission’s work, enabling an improvement in the security situation. Such a virtuous cycle would be a welcome respite from the challenges that have so plagued Haiti in recent years. We again welcome Kenya’s willingness to lead the Multinational Security Support Mission, and along with others in the international community we are engaged to support the deployment of the Mission and the development of mechanisms to prevent and address potential violations or abuses of human rights, including sexual exploitation and abuse. The Mission’s overall success depends not only on cooperation with BINUH but also on developing and implementing effective mechanisms to address those serious issues. We also continue to call on the international community to support the Multinational Security Support Mission directly, including by providing personnel, funding, training and in-kind support. The Mission’s ability to support the Haitian National Police in restoring security to Haiti, as set forth in its mandate, will require sustained resources from the international community. The situation in Haiti will require our sustained focus, and we welcome BINUH’s continuing efforts to address the multifaceted challenges posed by the situation. We also note the Special Representative’s request to further strengthen BINUH’s ability to help increase the capacity of the justice system in its investigation and prosecution of serious crimes, and we agree that those issues should be addressed holistically. While Kenya begins preparations for the potential deployment of the Multinational Security Support Mission, we should therefore continue our discussions on how we can best ensure that BINUH is fit for purpose before we further expand its mandate. In the meantime, the United States remains committed to addressing the insecurity in Haiti, both here in the Security Council and bilaterally, and we call on all Member States to join us in those efforts.

Ecuador, Latin America and the Caribbean will always be mindful of Haiti’s historical contribution to achieving freedom in our countries and our region, as well as throughout the world. And what better way to repay the Haitian people than by demonstrating the genuine solidarity and unity of the international community, especially the Security Council? I am grateful for the briefing of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Haiti, María Isabel Salvador, whose work at the helm of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) I acknowledge. I appreciate the presentations by the Executive Director of UNICEF, Ms. Catherine Russell, the Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Ms. Ghada Fathi Waly, and the President of the High Transitional Council of Haiti, Ms. Mirlande Manigat. I also recognize the presence at today’s meeting of the representatives of the Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Haiti. In the past 100 days, and with the support of all delegations, we in the Council have managed to adopt three key resolutions on Haiti. However, we should make no mistake. Much more remains to be done to overcome the humanitarian, political, security and socioeconomic crises in Haiti. We must support and facilitate the implementation of the resolutions we have adopted. I would therefore like to raise seven points on which it will be essential to make progress simultaneously. First, we must support BINUH’s efforts to support and promote progress in the intra-Haitian political dialogue and in the fulfilment of what was planned in the document known as the National Consensus for an Inclusive Transition and Transparent Elections, signed on 21 December, whose first anniversary is approaching. Specifically, that means promoting the re-establishment of democratic institutions and the rule of law, including through the planned transition mechanisms and with the political participation of women at all levels. Second, the international community must accelerate its efforts to support Haiti on judicial and penal issues so as to expand the fight against corruption and impunity while also improving the capacity to protect and uphold human rights. Third, we must take advantage of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 2653 (2022), concerning Haiti, to update and therefore quickly and adequately expand the list of the main persons and entities responsible for the criminal acts covered under the scope of resolutions 2653 (2022) and 2700 (2023). Fourth, we call on countries that are in a position to do so to intensify the deployment of humanitarian aid and economic and social cooperation with Haiti in order to alleviate acute food insecurity and thereby address the recommendations of the United Nations system. Fifth, we encourage States in a position to do so to contribute personnel and financial and material means for the deployment of the Multinational Security Support Mission to Haiti, in accordance with resolution 2699 (2023), noting in particular paragraph 7, which requests that participants have dedicated expertise and training in child protection and in preventing and responding to sexual and gender-based violence in a victim-focused manner. Sixth, States must take the necessary measures to prevent the supply, sale or transfer of arms to Haiti, except for the exceptions provided for the United Nations, the Security Support Mission, the Haitian National Police and its armed forces. In conjunction with those measures, weapons and ammunition management capacities must be modernized in order to prevent their diversion to unauthorized actors. Seventh, the Council, in synergy with the other entities of the United Nations system, must contribute in an integrated manner to combating transnational organized crime, and it should therefore continue to support the technical work of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in reinforcing border and port control and tracking illicit financial flows. Finally, I emphasize that Haiti continues to represent an existential test for the credibility of the Security Council and the United Nations. Today we must move from the deliberation to the action stage. We have certainly equipped ourselves with valuable tools in the past few months. Now we must put them to work. The Haitian people cannot wait any longer.

I thank Ms. Salvador, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Ms. Russell, Executive Director of UNICEF, Ms. Waly, Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, and Ms. Manigat, President of the High Transitional Council, for their briefings. I also welcome the participation of the representatives of Haiti, Dominican Republic and Jamaica in this meeting. We deeply regret that the situation in Haiti continues to deteriorate, particularly in terms of the worsening security, economic and humanitarian conditions. As leaders in the Caribbean region have said, we must not become inured to the current situation in Haiti or relax our efforts to address it. Accordingly, the United Arab Emirates would like to highlight several points. We must continue to focus on addressing the growing violence and insecurity in Haiti, including by working to halt and prevent sexual and gender-based violence and by paying special attention to the situation of children. As we heard from Executive Director Russell, children continue to bear the brunt of the security crisis as gangs continue to recruit them into their ranks. Children are exploited in the absence of safe spaces for them and in the absence of their access to education, owing to the ongoing dangerous situation. Addressing the security challenges in the country must remain a priority. We therefore welcome the adoption by the Security Council this month of resolution 2699 (2023), which authorized the deployment of a Multinational Security Support Mission to Haiti, in close coordination with the Haitian National Police, to address gang violence. That step is important, but it must be complemented with a holistic approach that involves all relevant actors and ensures the coordination of the various initiatives under way in the country. We believe, for example, that close coordination with United Nations bodies on the ground, including the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the Panel of Experts, will be essential for achieving coherent results. We express our concern about the lack of tangible progress on the political track, which requires us to focus on that track in parallel with the efforts made at the security level. We therefore once again call on all stakeholders to engage in good faith to reach an inclusive Haitian-led and Haitian-owned political consensus. In that regard, we support the efforts made by BINUH and the critical role played by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) in driving towards achieving that goal. We support the position of the CARICOM Eminent Persons Group with regard to the need for all stakeholders to prioritize the interests of the people of Haiti. We must continue to support measures to prevent and combat the trafficking and proliferation of illegal arms and illicit financial flows, which further undermine the stability of Haiti and the entire region. In that context, we welcome the adoption by the Council last week of resolution 2700 (2023), on renewing the sanctions that target gangs in Haiti and their financiers and on imposing a total arms embargo on Haiti. We appreciate the efforts of UNODC to build Haiti’s capacity to tackle corruption. In conclusion, we stress that addressing the security and political situations through the intensive and comprehensive efforts of Haiti, the region and the international community will improve the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Haiti, in particular the food and water insecurity, the widespread poverty and the shrinking economy, as well the challenges of climate change, all of which have exacerbated the situation and increased instability. The existence of a stable and strong State that is capable of protecting its values, traditions, sovereignty and independence is a fundamental right that all peoples of the world are entitled to enjoy, including the people of Haiti. The Council and the international community must continue to support the Haitian people in achieving their vision of peace, stability and prosperity in Haiti.

I thank the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, María Isabel Salvador, and the Executive Directors of UNICEF and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Ms. Catherine Russell and Ms. Ghada Fathi Waly, respectively, for their briefings. I would also like to welcome the President of the High Transitional Council, Ms. Mirlande Manigat, to today’s meeting and I thank her for her personal statement. I also welcome the Permanent Representatives of the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Jamaica. The situation in Haiti remains worrisome. The violence committed by gangs against civilians is unacceptable and plunges the country further into chaos every day. In that light, the increased number of self- defence groups is obviously not the solution, as that will only further exacerbate the cycle of violence in Haitian society. Furthermore, we condemn the attacks by gangs on humanitarian aid convoys. France increased its humanitarian aid in 2023 to more than €12 million. Safe, unhindered access to vulnerable people and the safety of humanitarian workers must be guaranteed. Measures must be taken to assist and protect women and young people who are exposed to particular risks, as previously mentioned. Given the ongoing deterioration of the situation, France welcomes the work of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti in extremely difficult conditions. We also welcome the adoption of resolution 2699 (2023), which authorized the deployment of the Multinational Security Support Mission to Haiti to assist the Haitian National Police. We welcome Kenya’s firm resolve to lead the Mission and commend the countries that have announced their contributions. That commitment shows a desire to swiftly provide the assistance that Haiti desperately needs. France has already undertaken to support the Haitian National Police by contributing €1.1 million in 2023, and it calls on all States to provide the Multinational Security Support Mission and the National Police with all the support they need. France also welcomes the adoption of resolution 2700 (2023), which renews the sanctions regime and in particular expands it to an arms embargo. We would like to work on establishing sanctions against any persons who pose a new threat to peace in Haiti. Lastly, I would like to remind members that, for the multidimensional crisis in Haiti to be resolved in the long term, the country must resolutely commit to an inclusive political dialogue. France supports the efforts of Prime Minister Ariel Henry and the work of the High Transitional Council, as reported to us today, in the quest for a political agreement that aims to organize free and open elections and restore political institutions and good governance in the country. We also support the Caribbean Community in its mediation efforts. Today’s meeting demonstrates our deep-rooted support for Haiti. We would like to inform the Haitian people that they can count on France’s commitment to standing beside them.

I have the honour to make this statement on behalf of the three African members of the Council — Gabon, Ghana and Mozambique (A3). We thank the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Ms. María Isabel Salvador, for her briefing. We reaffirm our strong support for her and her team at the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti in carrying out her mandate. We extend our thanks to Ms. Catherine Russell, UNICEF Executive Director; Ms. Ghada Fathi Waly, Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC); and Ms. Mirlande Manigat, President of the High Transitional Council, for the updated information they shared. We welcome the participation in today’s meeting of the Permanent Representatives of the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Jamaica. We note with deep concern that the political situation in Haiti remains difficult. The national consensus agreement of 21 December 2022 on an inclusive transition and the holding of transparent elections is struggling to yield convincing and positive results. We also note that dialogue continues between Prime Minister Ariel Henry and the political actors that are signatories and non-signatories to the agreement in the hope of reaching a broader consensus of the political class. We reiterate our call on all Haitian stakeholders to participate constructively in that dialogue in order to pave the way for the holding of just, fair, transparent and credible elections. We welcome the prospects for the greater participation of young people and women in the inter-Haitian dialogue. We remain convinced that only Haitians themselves are in a position to shape their future. We commend the countries of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) for their continued support to Haiti, including through the facilitation of political dialogue by the Eminent Persons Group. Accordingly, we take note of the agreement reached in Kingston in June and follow with attention the implementation of its crucial objectives to break the current political stalemate. The A3 is cognizant of the need to address the security situation, which has deteriorated considerably since the issuance of the most recent report of the Secretary-General (see S/2023/768). Gangs continue to expand their control over Port-au-Prince and surrounding areas, with murders, assassinations, heinous crimes, kidnappings, rape and other sexual violence on the rise. The increasing number of young people being drawn into gangs as a result of the absence of viable and sustainable economic alternatives is also of grave concern. In that regard, we welcome the adoption of resolution 2699 (2023) of 2 October, authorizing the Multinational Security Support Mission to Haiti, under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations, to support the efforts of the Haitian National Police to combat gangs. We praise Kenya for its decision to lead the force with a view to providing firm and effective support to the people of Haiti, an important member or the sixth region of the African continent. We call on all partners to contribute to the security force. We welcome the fact that CARICOM States have already expressed their willingness to join that effort. We call for the operationalization of the force and its deployment on the ground as soon as possible to enable the Haitian State to regain control of the entire territory and ensure the protection of the civilian population. As stressed before, efforts aimed at addressing the security and political situation in Haiti must be accompanied by other levers of action, including enhanced efforts to promote social and economic development. That will help to restore hope and stability and to ensure a better future for Haiti. All Haitian stakeholders, with the support of the regional and international community, must pull together their efforts in order to tackle all the dimensions of the crisis in the country. Severing the link between politics, gangs and illicit financial flows remains crucial if we are to disrupt the routes supporting the gangs. We therefore welcome UNODC’s assistance to the Haitian authorities in combating illicit financial flows and strengthening investigative, prosecution and adjudication capacities against corruption and economic crimes and money laundering, as well as efforts to incorporate Haiti into regional projects to dismantle, disrupt and bring to justice human trafficking and migrant smuggling networks active in the country and in the region. We must unite around Haiti and provide the country with all the support and solidarity it needs at a time when it is going through one of the darkest and most challenging moments in its modern history. As Africans, we reiterate here our unwavering solidarity with the sisterly nation of Haiti. The humanitarian situation requires the utmost attention from the international community to respond to distress, including famine and infectious diseases. Haitian youth deserve an alternative to the inexorable choice between joining gangs or taking to the sea to escape a daily life that has become unbearable. To that end, we welcome the call by the private sector and civil society organizations for the Government to spare no efforts in designing social welfare and infrastructural projects targeting youth unemployment, the delivery of food and water and the rehabilitation of police stations. This measure is in the right direction, and it will bring hope to the most vulnerable communities. It is also essential that the humanitarian emergency plan be provided with the necessary level of resources for its effective functioning and that all those in need of this life-saving assistance be able to receive it, including the tens of thousands of internally displaced persons and returnees. We reiterate our appeal to partner countries for the funding of the United Nations Development Programme-managed, multi-donor fund, whose needs for the first two years are estimated at $28 million. In conclusion, the A3 reiterates its strongest solidarity and firm determination to stand by the brotherly people of Haiti. We encourage all political actors to give high priority to dialogue and consultation, in order to overcome their differences with a view to restoring peace, security and stability in Haiti.

I appreciate Special Representative of the Secretary-General Ms. Salvador’s insightful remarks. I would also like to express my gratitude to Ms. Russell, Ms. Waly and Ms. Manigat for their informative briefings and extend a warm welcome to the representative of Haiti, as well as the representatives of the Dominican Republic and Jamaica. We are deeply concerned about the ongoing violence and human rights violations by gangs, as well as the emergence of vigilante groups. That undermines access to basic services, including water, food and health care, and further deteriorates the humanitarian situation. In that regard, we are pleased that the Council was able to come together and authorize the deployment of the Multinational Security Support Mission to Haiti to support the efforts of the Haitian National Police (HNP). We hope that the deployment will re-establish security in Haiti and build security conditions conducive to holding free and fair elections. For the Mission to be successful, it is imperative that participating countries have a deep understanding of its mandate and the situation on the ground. The appropriate command and operational structure is also important. We once again call upon Member States to contribute and share their experiences and expertise to ensure the Mission is well-prepared. Japan, for its part, will also actively engage with the international community and spare no effort to ensure the effective and successful operation of the Mission. Japan believes that, in parallel with the efforts for rapid deployment of the Mission, it is also essential to continue to strengthen the capacity of the Haitian National Police and to provide humanitarian assistance to the Haitian people. In the light of the worsening situation in Haiti, Japan has been supporting the HNP and has provided humanitarian assistance over the past year amounting to $12 million. I would also like to stress that sustainable peace and security in Haiti can be achieved only by the Haitian people themselves. It is therefore crucial for all Haitian stakeholders to engage in dialogue, gather wisdom and agree on policies for security solutions and for constitutional and electoral reforms. In that context, we welcome the High Transitional Council’s plan to engage further in inter-Haitian dialogue to broaden consensus and look forward to seeing further progress. I would also like to emphasize that when we build resilient institutions for peace and security, it is important to ensure that they are sustainable. In order to restore the rule of law, it will be essential to strengthen the police, corrections and justice systems. And society itself needs to be resilient, as well as its institutions. Establishing a peace and mediation committee is one concrete measure that can be taken to restabilize Haitian society. We hope that the people of Haiti, including women, will actively engage in their communities and networks and will be able to play a vital role in mediation, peacebuilding and more. Japan commends the cooperation of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti and the United Nations country team in support of the efforts of Haitians themselves. We are also encouraged by their close collaboration with regional organizations such as the Organization of American States and the Caribbean Community, whose ability to share knowledge and expertise will lead to greater synergy and a more effective impact. Japan is fully committed to supporting Haiti’s efforts and to working with Haiti and the international community so that Haiti can achieve long-term security and stability.

I would like to thank Special Representative María Isabel Salvador, Ms. Catherine Russell, Executive Director of UNICEF, and Ms. Ghada Fathi Waly, Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, for their briefings. My thanks go to Ms. Mirlande Manigat, President of the High Transitional Council, and I also welcome the participation of the Permanent Representatives of the Dominican Republic and Jamaica in today’s meeting. The Secretary-General has emphasized the continuing deterioration of the security situation in the country and the alarming level of human rights violations and abuses. The spread of gang violence beyond Port-au-Prince, particularly in the Artibonite and Centre departments, is particularly alarming. And it is almost systematically accompanied by sexual and gender-based violence. Haiti’s cries for help are becoming louder by the day. In that regard, I would like to highlight three points. First, the authorization of the deployment of the Multinational Security Support Mission to Haiti sends a powerful message of solidarity from the Security Council. We hope that the Mission will be able to begin its work quickly, and we encourage all actors involved to enable it to carry out its mandate effectively. The sanctions regime that has just been renewed by the Council, in addition to its related reinforced arms embargo, will play an essential role in that regard. The judicial and correctional sectors must also be rehabilitated so that the Mission can fully support the Haitian National Police and give renewed momentum to the fight against impunity. Secondly, the country’s future depends on the protection of its children. Switzerland welcomes the fact that this task is now an integral part of the mandate of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH). Young people in Haiti are becoming ever more vulnerable, thanks to the number of serious violations against children and the lack of economic and social prospects. Schools are closed, the start of the school year has once again still not been determined and gangs are running amok. In the face of the violence, children have been seeking refuge, with or without their families, in makeshift camps. We also underscore that cooperation with United Nations bodies on the ground is crucial. We encourage the authorities to fulfil their responsibility to monitor and report serious violations of children’s rights. Thirdly, no lasting improvement in the security and humanitarian situation is possible without political prospects. The inter-Haitian dialogue must continue, and we call on all stakeholders to participate in it constructively. The momentum of regional support, under the auspices of the Caribbean Community Eminent Persons Group and through its communication with all the parties involved, must be maintained. It is only by working together, alongside the security efforts, that free, participatory and democratic elections can be organized and Haiti’s integration into the region strengthened. At a time when conflicts and humanitarian needs are increasing around the world, we must not forget Haiti. A growing number of communities there are difficult to reach, and supply disruptions threaten access to basic services. Nearly half the population is critically food-insecure, and forecasts have already indicated that those numbers will increase in 2024. Switzerland will continue its commitment on the ground, particularly in the Sud department, and calls on the international community to maintain its focus on Haiti.

I too thank Special Representative Salvador, Executive Director Russell, Executive Director Waly and Ms. Manigat for their briefings. We also welcome the participation of the representatives of Haiti, Jamaica and the Dominican Republic in today’s discussion. As we have heard from the briefers, over the past three months reports have pointed to an increase in indiscriminate killings, kidnappings, rapes and attacks on several neighbourhoods that were previously considered safe. Major crimes are surging at unprecedented rates, primarily in the Ouest and Artibonite departments. Nearly 3,500 people have been killed and 1,800 kidnapped this year alone, and they include large numbers of women and children. The adoption of resolution 2699 (2023) to authorize the Multinational Security Support Mission to Haiti in support of the Haitian National Police must be a lifeline for Haiti in halting the escalating violence. We commend all Member States that have pledged their support to the Mission. We also echo the Secretary- General in saying that the Mission must act with the highest standards of conduct and discipline, based on clear human rights protocols, and incorporate effective oversight mechanisms, as the resolution requires. Stabilizing the security conditions is a crucial step towards addressing Haiti’s multidimensional crisis. A broad political agreement for the restoration of democratic institutions through credible, participatory and inclusive elections is indispensable to advancing stability, good governance and the rule of law in Haiti. We call on Haitian stakeholders to set aside their differences. They need to commit to meaningful dialogue to broaden a political consensus aimed at re-establishing democratic institutions. We condemn the kidnapping of the Secretary- General of the High Transitional Council and call for his immediate and unconditional release. Stabilizing the security situation in Haiti will require significant international support, not only for the National Police but also in the areas of corrections, the justice system, customs control and border management. We are pleased by the recent renewal of the Haiti sanctions regime. We hope that the Security Council can better utilize that tool by updating the sanctions list of the individuals and entities that are responsible for Haiti’s instability and are profiting from it. Member States must also make sure that sanctions are fully implemented, particularly in stopping the illicit flow of arms. The humanitarian situation remains dire. Gang violence continues to fuel displacement. More than 200,000 people have been forced to flee their homes, and many are living in deplorable conditions. Humanitarian access remains constrained. Restrictions to the freedom of movement of the population prevent many people from accessing essential goods and services. Food insecurity is widespread and alarming, with 4.3 million people facing levels of acute need. We call on the international community to scale up funding for Haiti’s humanitarian response plan, which remains critically underfunded. Human rights abuses perpetrated by gangs have reached alarming levels. As we heard, women and girls are increasingly exposed to sexual and gender-based violence perpetrated by armed gangs. We welcome the establishment of three networks of women mediators and peacebuilders and the efforts to put in place a national action plan for the implementation of resolution 1325 (2000), on women and peace and security. Children continue to face horrific abuse, including extreme violence. The recruitment of children by criminal gangs is another critical concern, as gangs exploit the desperate situations faced by young people with no access to food, protection, schooling or economic and social opportunities. Ending that abuse and supporting Haiti’s young people must be a priority. In conclusion, we look forward to seeing progress towards the deployment of the Multinational Security Support Mission to Haiti. We hope that that will begin to turn the tide of violence and instability and allow for the holding of democratic elections and the establishment of the peaceful prosperous future that Haiti deserves.

I thank Special Representative of the Secretary-General Salvador, UNICEF Executive Director Russell, Ms. Waly, Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, and the President of the High Transitional Council, Ms. Manigat, for their briefings today. We welcome to this meeting the representatives of Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Jamaica. The deteriorating situation in Haiti remains a matter of grave concern, as described in the most recent report of the Secretary-General (S/2023/768) and by today’s briefers. The adoption of resolution 2699 (2023) by the Security Council was the right step by the international community towards restoring security, establishing a functioning rule of law and creating a viable judicial system in Haiti. The rule of law is a must for bringing about normality in Haiti. In addition, the adoption of the renewal of the sanctions regime represents another important step towards achieving those goals. In that vein, Albania supports the Secretary-General’s call on the Security Council to strengthen the capacities of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) so that it may fully implement its mandate. We commend Kenya’s pledge to lead the Multinational Security Support Mission to Haiti and other countries that have committed to contributing to the Mission. We join the Secretary-General’s call for the expedited deployment of the Mission to effectively combat the escalating violence in Haiti. Albania also echoes the Secretary- General’s call on the Mission to uphold the highest standards of transparency, conduct and discipline in order to safeguard the integrity and efficiency of the Mission, as well as to gain the trust of local communities. Addressing the current security situation is crucial, but sustained progress on the political front will require the coordinated efforts of all stakeholders in order to establish a robust democratic framework. We believe that inclusive dialogue and the implementation of transitional arrangements are crucial preconditions for restoring democratic institutions through credible and inclusive elections. We call on all stakeholders to foster unity and inclusivity, thereby ensuring the active participation of women and young people in all relevant deliberations in order to properly address the ongoing crisis. We commend the commitment of BINUH to support the High Transitional Council in fostering national dialogue on security and electoral reforms. We also commend regional efforts, in particular the support provided by the Caribbean Community through its Eminent Persons Group. The international community must work in synergy with the Haitian authorities to achieve lasting stability through the comprehensive strengthening of the Haitian National Police, the judiciary and corrections institutions, as well as through initiatives to curb small arms trafficking. In conclusion, we reiterate our support for the Special Representative and all United Nations personnel in Haiti for their commitment, given the challenging circumstances. As this is Albania’s last planned meeting concerning the situation in Haiti, we regret having witnessed the deterioration of the situation that has been reported. We remain hopeful that, in the spirit of national unity, solidarity and urgency, positive change and sustainable reform will be achieved in Haiti, bringing lasting peace and hope to the people of Haiti.

We welcome your participation, Mr. Minister, at today’s meeting. We would like to thank Special Representative of the Secretary-General María Isabel Salvador for her briefing on the situation in the country and her work in the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH). We listened closely to Ms. Catherine Russell, Ms. Ghada Fathi Waly and Ms. Mirlande Manigat. We welcome to this meeting the representatives of Haiti and other countries of the region. The situation in Haiti remains extremely grave. The crime rate is skyrocketing. Since the beginning of this year, more than 2,400 people have been killed — more people than were killed in all of last year. The casualties and victims of the surge in violence, which has become a daily occurrence in Port-au-Prince, are often civilians. In addition to the Haitian capital, the situation in the Artibonite department, where gangs have expanded their area of control, is of concern. We are alarmed about the reports of schoolchildren increasingly falling victim to street clashes among gangs. Since the situation began to escalate last year, one in four schools in Haiti has been closed. UNICEF estimates that more than 1 million children no longer have access to education. The situation involving medical care, as well as access to basic goods and services, is even worse. We note the efforts of the United Nations humanitarian branch and other humanitarian organizations to help civilians. Attacks on humanitarian convoys and the looting of their cargoes are unacceptable. Haiti’s problems have drawn the international community’s particular attention, which has been attested to by the adoption of two recent resolutions, on the extension of the sanctions regime (resolution 2700 (2023)) and on the establishment of the Multinational Security Support Mission to Haiti (resolution 2699 (2023)). We are closely following progress in the preparations for the non-United Nations operation. We note the importance of duly elaborating its concept of operations and providing it to the Council, including its rules of engagement and exit strategy. At the same time, we draw attention to the voices expressing opposition to foreign intervention, both within the country and among the Haitian diaspora. They cannot be ignored. The Mission must have input from Haitian society. The history of foreign intervention in Haiti has been overwhelmingly negative in its effects. Haiti has suffered the most of any country in Latin America as a result of colonial oppression, and even after it won independence it has had to pay a tribute to its former metropole France for its freedom. We are convinced that foreign intervention is one of the main factors underpinning instability in Haiti. Various tools — from theories based on political science to unilateral sanctions — have been used to model the country’s political space to the liking of individual capitals. Meanwhile, the country has been further plunged into a crisis of statehood and legitimacy. Haiti has not had a democratically elected Government for more than six months. It is the pernicious practice of imposing on Haitians political models that are divorced of local realities, with complete disregard for national interests and local cultural particularities, that has led to the current multidimensional crisis. We advocate for the provision of responsible international assistance to the country, with an emphasis on a political settlement that is based on the objective needs requested by the Haitians themselves and on finding political solutions that are mutually acceptable to the opposing parties. More than two years later, the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse remains unsolved, and it is difficult to imagine that it will be, because its investigation is being conducted by the very country whose citizens are suspects in the assassination. We call for a transparent investigation into that tragedy, which has triggered the destabilization of the entire country. Turning to the question of sanctions, we welcome the approval by the Security Council on 19 October of an expanded arms embargo to all non-State actors in Haiti (resolution 2700 (2023)). We trust that that measure, along with the work of the Panel of Experts of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 2653 (2022), concerning Haiti, and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) will help to shed light on the sources and roots of the smuggling, as there has been no significant progress in countering the illegal transfer of light weapons to Haiti, including from the region’s largest weapons producer, the United States. We would urge Member States to take all necessary measures to right this deplorable situation. We are prepared to consider any proposals to expand the sanctions list along the lines of the 2653 Committee. Nonetheless, we believe it is important to be as careful as possible when introducing new names to the list. That work should be aimed at stabilizing the situation in the country and not at conducting a so- called clean-up of the political landscape in Haiti in the interest of those leaders pushed forward by the West. Russia advocates for a considered and targeted use of the sanctions regime against Haiti without a blind copy-and-pasting of the unilateral coercive measures introduced by a number of countries.

I thank Special Representative of the Secretary-General Salvador, Executive Director Russell, Executive Director Wali and Ms. Manigat for their briefings today. United Nations staff and their local partners continue to do vital work in Haiti in the toughest of circumstances. I also welcome the participation of the representatives of Haiti, Jamaica and the Dominican Republic. The United Kingdom remains concerned by the deteriorating political and security situation in Haiti, as has been set out by our briefers today, and its severe impact on the Haitian people and the region. Gangs continue to take over entire neighbourhoods, on which they unleash killing, burning, kidnapping and severe restriction of movement. The Multinational Security Support Mission to Haiti, which the Council mandated earlier this month (see resolution 2699 (2023)), is an important step to help the Haitian National Police address the deteriorating security situation in their country. And we pay tribute to Kenya and other countries who are stepping up. But this Mission alone will not solve the multidimensional crisis in Haiti. Long-term stability in Haiti cannot be achieved without political progress that allows the Haitian people to choose their next leaders through free, fair and credible elections. We call on all political actors to put aside their differences for the common interest and agree a road map that commits all parties to working towards a return to long-term stable governance. We commend efforts to broker transparent dialogue in search of a genuine commitment to political progress. We continue to hear chilling accounts of the widespread use of sexual violence, including collective rape, by armed gangs as a weapon to instil fear into communities. There are also accounts of the recruitment of vulnerable children into gangs. The United Kingdom welcomes the renewal of sanctions targeting those responsible for, and supporting, armed criminal violence in Haiti. We stand ready to consider further sanctions designations against gangs and their influential backers to help to deliver a more stable future for the Haitian people.

First of all, I would like to thank you, Mr. President, for coming to New York to preside over today’s meeting. I would also like to thank Special Representative of the Secretary-General Salvador, Executive Director Russell and Executive Director Waly for their briefings. I welcome the representatives of Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Jamaica to today’s meeting. I have also listened carefully to Ms. Manigat’s statement. With Haiti’s protracted political stalemate, more prevalent gang violence and an increasingly dire humanitarian situation, the tragic plight of the Haitian people has saddened the international community. Over the past few months, the Security Council has adopted three resolutions on Haiti (resolutions 2700 (2023), 2699 (2023) and 2692 (2023)), proposing new goals and initiatives to improve the mandate of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) and the security situation in Haiti and to impose sanctions to combat gangs. That is a strong response by the international community to the multidimensional crisis in Haiti. It also fully shows that a solution to the question concerning Haiti cannot be achieved through mere talk and piecemeal efforts but rather through accelerated action and integrated measures. The promotion of a political process is fundamental to a comprehensive solution for Haiti. Without a legitimate, effective and accountable Government, it will be hard for any external effort responding to the crisis to have a lasting effect. Following the assassination of former President Moïse, Haiti experienced a political vacuum for more than two years, and the various parties and factions have thus far failed to reach a consensus on political transition arrangements and a road map for elections. China once again calls on all Haitian political parties to proceed based on the fundamental interests of their country and its people, to demonstrate effectively their sincerity and responsibility through dialogue, and to carry out political consultations with the strongest sense of urgency, with a view to reaching the broadest consensus on the transition arrangements and thereby creating conditions for the holding of free, fair, transparent and credible elections at an early date. China expects that BINUH, under the leadership of Special Representative of the Secretary-General Salvador, will endeavour to promote inclusive dialogue among all Haitian parties in order to reach a Haitian- led and -owned solution. China supports such efforts by BINUH. We also welcome the continued efforts of the Caribbean Community to promote a political solution to the crisis in Haiti. Curbing gun violence is key to a comprehensive solution to the question concerning Haiti. China hopes that the Multinational Security Support Mission to Haiti, the deployment of which was authorized by resolution 2699 (2023), will contribute to a stable security situation in Haiti. The Security Council must also make good use of the existing sanctions mechanism to effectively deter gang activities. China welcomes the Council’s authorization to extend for one year the sanctions regime for Haiti. We hope that the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 2653 (2022), concerning Haiti, will work expeditiously to review and update the sanctions list and to monitor and ensure the full and effective implementation of sanctions measures. The imposition of a comprehensive arms embargo on Haiti is an important outcome of the recent work of the Council. All countries should resolutely implement Council resolutions and cut off the sources from which Haitian gangs acquire arms and ammunition. According to the recently released report of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the illegal flow of arms and ammunition into Haiti comes mainly from the United States. We urge the United States to effectively strengthen control measures, and we call on regional countries to cooperate closely with UNODC and the sanctions Committee in support of the Council’s continued attention to and monitoring of the relevant work. To comprehensively address the question concerning Haiti, the improvement of the humanitarian situation in Haiti must be prioritized. In addition to being in an economic quagmire, Haiti is experiencing a food crisis and has a large number of displaced people and vulnerable groups, including women and children, in difficult situations. The Haitian people did not create their current chaos, but they are, ultimately, the victims thereof. China is deeply concerned about the increasingly dire humanitarian situation in Haiti and supports the United Nations and international and regional partners in continuing to increase humanitarian investment in Haiti. Recently, some regional Powers have called on their citizens to evacuate Haiti while continuing to forcibly repatriate large numbers of Haitian migrants. We are concerned about that trend and call on relevant countries to abide by international humanitarian law and effectively protect the human rights and dignity of Haitian migrants. The response to the Haitian crisis cannot be achieved without the support and assistance of the international community, but the key to solving the Haitian problem ultimately lies in the hands of the Haitian people. China is willing to continue to work with the international community to support the Haitian people in finding the right path to achieve long-term stability and sustainable development.

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

First, we wish to express my country’s appreciation for the adoption of resolution 2699 (2023), adopted on 2 October on the basis of Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations, authorizing the formation and deployment of the Multinational Security Support Mission to Haiti and expressing support for the Haitian National Police in its efforts to restore security and institutional order as soon as possible. We also thank the Eminent Persons Group, comprised of member States of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), for their invaluable assistance to the process of achieving a Haitian solution to the crisis in that country, which continues to deteriorate. CARICOM can count on the full cooperation of my country in its efforts and good offices to promote an inclusive dialogue among all relevant actors in Haiti. And, of course, I thank the Secretary-General for the submission of his latest report on the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (S/2023/768), dated 16 October 2023. As the report indicates, the humanitarian situation is worsening, especially in the capital, Port-au-Prince, as a result of the criminal activities of armed gangs, which result in hundreds of murders, executions, kidnappings and rapes that affect the population as a whole, particularly women and children. That deterioration has continued to contribute to the abandonment, by many segments of the population, of the capital, at even greater risk to their well-being. In this bleak picture, however, it is encouraging to note from the Secretary-General’s report that, while the food situation remains extremely worrisome, thanks to sustained humanitarian support, some people are no longer acutely food insecure. It is worth acknowledging the humanitarian actors and donors who have strengthened the timely response to such a complex situation. An important task now lies ahead — the implementation of resolution 2699 (2023), for which we wish to once again recognize and thank Kenya for its willingness to lead international support, as well as the other countries that have offered their concrete support through that multinational effort. In that regard, as a measure of concrete support for resolution 2699 (2023), we also value resolution 2700 (2023), adopted on 19 October, which extends the sanctions regime that includes an arms embargo, a travel ban and a freeze on the assets of individuals and entities responsible for the climate of violence affecting the people of Haiti. At this crucial point in the history of Haiti, we share the hope with its immediate neighbours that the implementation of both resolutions, through the sustained commitment of the international community, will help to restore economic and social stability in order to put an end to the nightmarish situation this brotherly country is going through, which so dismays all its neighbours, and to create the necessary conditions for its people to freely and democratically elect their authorities and to set out on the path of lasting peace and prosperity.

I now give the floor to the representative of Jamaica.

First, let me thank you, Mr. President, for convening this important meeting, for allowing Jamaica and my colleagues from the Dominican Republic and Haiti to participate and for allowing us to deliver this statement on behalf of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). I also want to thank the members of the Security Council for their statements, which clearly reflect a true understanding by the international community of the dire situation in Haiti. It is our hope that these words will now spur the necessary action to address the humanitarian crisis facing the country. CARICOM welcomes the Secretary-General’s latest report (S/2023/768) on the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH). We find the report extremely useful in monitoring developments on the ground in Haiti and for our engagement on the way forward. We thank Executive Director Russell, Executive Director Waly and Ms. Manigat, President of the High Transitional Council, for their statements. I would also like to thank Special Representative of the Secretary-General Salvador for her comprehensive briefing. CARICOM is appreciative of the assistance that BINUH continues to extend to national stakeholders in Haiti in order to support the restoration of democratic institutions and the rule of law in the country. We also commend Ms. Salvador’s efforts to consolidate regional solidarity within Latin America and the Caribbean and to coordinate capacity-building support in areas such as violence reduction and weapons and ammunition management. We welcome improvements in some areas, for example, slowed inflation; reduction in the number of infectious diseases, such as cholera in some areas; improved performance of the Haitian gourde and increased customs revenue. However, the report contains important observations that we believe reaffirms the need to accelerate global action and support if we are to bring peace, stability and sustainable development to Haiti. CARICOM is particularly concerned about the increase in indiscriminate killings, kidnappings and sexual abuse, and the spread of violence. The limited availability of opportunities for young people is a worrisome sign’ as it can make them more vulnerable to crime. According to the report: “From January to September, 3,334 people were victims of intentional homicide, including 340 women, 63 boys and 26 girls, while 1,787 people were kidnapped”. (S/2023/768, para. 11) CARICOM is very concerned about other disturbing developments captured by the report, such as the displacement of teachers and students due to the violence, thereby affecting the education sector; the needs of 44 per cent of the population, who are experiencing emergency levels of acute food insecurity; the welfare of the 200,000 people who have fled their homes; and the increased pressure on local hospitals due to shortages of electricity, fuel, generators, medical supplies, armed attacks on health facilities and migration of health-care professionals. In that regard, CARICOM expresses its disappointment that, of the $720 million estimated for the 2023 humanitarian response plan for Haiti, only 28 per cent of its funding requirements have been received, with food security only 18 per cent funded. We call on the international community to redouble efforts to provide the resources and support needed to assist the people of Haiti in this time of pressing need. A durable solution for Haiti requires adequate funding to support the Government’s capacity. We again express our appreciation to the members of the Security Council for supporting the adoption of resolution 2699 (2023). CARICOM renews its special thanks to Kenya for its offer to lead the Multinational Security Support Mission to Haiti. We look forward to a speedy completion of the domestic procedures in Kenya in order to implement the Security Council mandate, given the urgency of the situation on the ground. CARICOM also looks forward to the operationalization of the trust fund to be established pursuant to resolution 2699 (2023) and to the additional support of other Member States and stakeholders in cash and kind to facilitate the speedy deployment of the Multinational Security Support Mission and ensure its success. In conclusion, CARICOM reaffirms its solidarity with the Government and people of Haiti and will continue to provide assistance, including through the CARICOM Eminent Persons Group, in facilitating engagements among Haitian stakeholders in a constructive political dialogue with a view to restoring security, re-establishing democracy and good governance, organizing free and fair elections and successfully pursuing Haiti’s social and economic development aspirations.