United Nations (UN) Secretary-General António Guterres on Saturday reiterated the call for the formation of an international intervention force in Haiti, which has been going through a long political, social and economic crisis.
“I will continue to urge the Security Council [da ONU] to authorize the immediate deployment of a strong international security force to assist Haiti’s National Police in fighting criminal groups,” he said at the end of a one-day visit to the country.
“Now is not the time to forget Haiti or weaken our solidarity with its people,” the official added. a call to all international partners to strengthen their support for the police of the Caribbean country, whether in terms of funding, training and equipment.
During the visit, Guterres met with Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry, members of the Supreme Council for the Transition (HCT, in its French acronym), government authorities, the political opposition and members of civil society.
“I felt the fatigue of a population that has been facing a cascade of crises and unbearable living conditions for too long. I heard their cry for help and their cry for safety,” he said, recalling that one in two people in the country live in extreme poverty.
The UN Secretary-General has called on the international community to support those in need.
“It is a matter of solidarity, but also of moral justice. The Haitian people are entitled to this solidarity,” he praised the humanitarian workers who work in the country under difficult conditions.
Guterres described the visit to Haiti as one of solidarity, which he said he conducted with “all humility” as UN Secretary-General. Solidarity, the official added, is with the people of Haiti, which is facing a cycle of political, security and humanitarian crises.
“The brutal violence of criminal groups affects all aspects of public and private life in the country. Port-au-Prince is surrounded by armed groups blocking the main roads to the departments. [geográficos] from north and south. They control access to water and food,” he said.
Guterres said she remains concerned about the vulnerability of the population, in particular about the disproportionate impact of this violence on women.
“I condemn with the utmost vehemence the generalized sexual violence used by armed groups as a weapon to incite violence,” he said.
To the leader of the international organization, a new approach is needed that combines political and security issues, the rule of law and humanitarian interests. The UN Secretary-General defended that improving the security situation is an important condition for improving living conditions.
“Every day counts. If we don’t act now, insecurity and violence will have a lasting impact on generations of Haitians,” he said, adding that during the meetings he had, he pushed to find a solution to the crisis.
“Haiti must return to democratic order (…). I appeal to all parties involved to create the necessary conditions for the restoration of democratic institutions,” he stressed.
Guterres’ visit to Haiti, his first as UN Secretary-General, was kept secret until he landed in Port-au-Prince.
On May 15, Guterres criticized the reluctance of Western countries to send an international force to try to end Haiti’s political, social and economic crisis.
In April, more than 600 people were killed in Haiti in a “new wave of extreme violence” in the capital.
Gang violence has increased sharply since the assassination of President Jovenel Moise on July 7, 2021.
In recent times, the country has also been ravaged by torrential rains, an earthquake and an outbreak of cholera.
Source: DN
