UN ambassador hopes UN will agree for Haiti to fight gangs

UNITED NATIONS (AP) – The UN Special Envoy to Haiti said on Wednesday she had heard “caution” from the United States and Canada about the possible leadership of an international military force to help Haiti fight gangs, but not a “definite no.”

Helen La Lime expressed her hope that the UN Security Council would positively consider the force requested by the Haitian government. At the new conference, she stated that the international military would partner with the Haitian National Police “to counter the gangs”.

She spoke a day after the United States and Canada showed no interest at a Security Council meeting in deploying their security personnel, despite repeated calls from the UN and Haiti for help to end violence in the Western Hemisphere’s poorest country. These are the two countries that are most often cited as the possible leaders of the international force in Hayit.

Deputy U.S. Ambassador Robert Wood told the council that “Haiti must address its ongoing security problems” and called on the international community to support his efforts.

Canadian Ambassador to the UN Robert Wray said the world needs to learn from all the previous military interventions in Haiti that failed to bring long-term stability to the country. He said it was important that in the future decisions “should be made by Haitians and Haitian institutions”.

Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henri and the country’s Council of Ministers issued an urgent appeal on October 7, calling for the “immediate deployment of specialized armed forces in sufficient numbers” to stop the crisis, partly caused by the “criminal activities of armed gangs.” ”

UN Secretary-General António Guterres issued the call, and La Lime repeated it on Tuesday as no country has come forward more than three months later.

La Lime said there was widespread concern in the Security Council about the deteriorating security situation in Haiti.

On Tuesday, she told the council that “gang-related violence has reached levels not seen in years.”

The story goes on

According to her, the number of murders and kidnappings in 2022 increased for the fourth year in a row. She said last year’s 1,359 kidnappings is more than double the number in 2021, averaging about four per day. The killings increased by a third to 2,183 people, affecting all sectors of society, including the former presidential candidate and director of the National Police Academy.

La Lime said the Security Council’s unanimous adoption in October of a resolution imposing sanctions on individuals and groups that threaten peace and stability in Haiti, starting with a powerful gang leader, and sanctions imposed by the US and Canada are having an impact.

On the political front, she said, the “National Consensus Agreement for an Inclusive Transition and Transparent Elections,” signed December 21 by a wide range of political, civic, religious, trade union and private sector representatives, was a positive development calling for elections. by February 2024.

But on Wednesday, she stressed that an important missing element is a specialized international military contingent to support the police.

There is “a lot of concern in the Security Council and I think there is recognition that help is needed,” La Lime said. “Sanctions continue to do their job, and there is recognition that the time has come to sit down and address this issue of strength. So I hope the Security Council will do it.”

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