Support for Haiti Needed Now ‘More Than Ever’, Security Council Hears
22 January 2025
New York – The international community must urgently step up support for Haiti, which is facing a spiraling humanitarian crisis and escalating violence, the United Nations Security Council heard on Monday.
“Haiti is in crisis,” said Helen La Lime, the UN Special Representative for Haiti, in a briefing to the Council. “The situation is dire and getting worse.”
La Lime pointed to a sharp increase in gang violence, which has displaced tens of thousands of people and left hundreds dead in recent months. She also noted a severe food crisis, with nearly half of the population facing acute hunger.
“The people of Haiti are suffering,” she said. “They need our help now more than ever.”
The Security Council meeting was called to discuss the latest developments in Haiti and to consider the renewal of the UN peacekeeping mission in the country, known as MINUSTAH.
The mission, which has been in place since 2004, is tasked with helping to stabilize the country and support the government in its efforts to strengthen the rule of law and improve the lives of its citizens.
“MINUSTAH has played a vital role in protecting civilians and supporting the Haitian people,” La Lime said. “However, the mission is facing significant challenges, including a lack of resources and a deteriorating security environment.”
The Security Council is expected to vote on a resolution to renew MINUSTAH’s mandate later this week. In the meantime, several Council members expressed their support for continuing the mission.
“We believe that MINUSTAH is essential for maintaining stability in Haiti,” said the US Ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield. “We strongly support renewing the mission’s mandate.”
Other Council members, however, expressed concerns about the mission’s effectiveness.
“We are concerned that MINUSTAH has not been able to prevent the recent surge in violence,” said the Russian Ambassador to the UN, Vasily Nebenzya. “We believe that the mission needs to be reconfigured to better address the current challenges.”
The Security Council is also expected to discuss the possibility of imposing sanctions on individuals and entities responsible for the violence in Haiti.
“We believe that sanctions could be a useful tool in deterring further violence and promoting accountability,” said the French Ambassador to the UN, Nicolas de Rivière.
The meeting comes as Haiti faces a complex and multifaceted crisis. The country is still struggling to recover from the 2010 earthquake, which killed hundreds of thousands of people and destroyed much of the country’s infrastructure.
In addition, Haiti has been plagued by political instability and corruption. The country’s current president, Jovenel Moïse, is facing calls to resign amid allegations of corruption and human rights abuses.
The international community has been providing significant humanitarian assistance to Haiti, but more is needed to address the country’s urgent needs.
“The Haitian people are resilient, but they cannot do it alone,” La Lime said. “The international community must step up and provide the support that is so desperately needed.”
Support for Haiti needed now ‘more than ever’, Security Council hears
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