October 17, 2022
Thank You, Mr. President. I also thank Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Haiti and Head of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti for her remarks.
- At our last meeting on Haiti three weeks ago, we had expressed our concern over the political and security situation which has remained precarious. It is deeply troubling that there have been no signs of improvement since then. The political impasse is further compounded by economic stagnation and a troubling humanitarian situation. A recent outbreak of cholera threatens to make an already dire situation worse.
- The persisting gang-related violence, kidnappings, including in the capital Port-au-Prince has further contributed to insecurity. UN programmes are on hold due to roadblocks, demonstrations, and limited access to fuel. We are also closely monitoring the situation concerning Indian citizens currently caught in the conflict zone, from our Embassy in the Dominican Republic.
- We have noted the letter from the Haitian authorities requesting for immediate deployment of an international specialized force to address the security and humanitarian crises, including the cholera outbreak. We have also noted the swift response by UN Secretary-General, who, in a statement issued on the same day, urged the international community, including the members of the Security Council, to consider the request by the Haitian Government “as a matter of urgency”.
- We continue to believe that the security solutions for Haiti to be sustainable, must be Haitian-owned and Haitian-led. Capacity building for the Haitian National Police must remain a priority. In July, this Council had unanimously adopted UN Security Council Resolution 2645, renewing the mandate of United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) by one more year. At that time, we had worked with other nations, including the Council members from the region, to suggest a rise in the number of police and correction units up to 42 civilian and seconded personnel to serve as advisors and led by a UN Police Commissioner.
- We are also working with the penholders on this file to ensure that a draft resolution on possible UN sanctions against gang leaders could be brought in before this Council to address a challenge, which in turn is exacerbating every other problem faced by the civilians.
- We continue to believe that no solutions to the political, socio-economic and security crisis will emerge without the direct involvement of Haiti and its neighbors. We, therefore, continue to welcome the engagement of regional partners, CARICOM and Canada, and Haiti’s neighbor, the Dominican Republic, on issues of immediate concern including capacity building initiatives for the Haitian National Police and controlling the flow of small and light arms into Haiti.
Mr. President,
- India firmly believes in the need for sustained efforts by Haiti and its international partners, including in this Council, to reverse the current situation. We have had a long-standing relation with Haiti and its people. In the past, and as the Council is aware, we have contributed to capacity building and training initiatives in Haiti. We stand ready to do so again, and walk the talk in our collective quest to help our Haitian brothers and sisters, in their hour of need.
I Thank You.