Haiti lives a nightmare, the world must act now, reiterates the Secretary General

He General secretary of the UN affirmed this Thursday that Haitian people are trapped in a “living nightmare” with armed gangs dominating the country’s capital, Port-au-Prince, blocking roads, controlling access to food and medical care, and preventing humanitarian aid.

After his visit to Haiti last weekend, António Guterres explained to the press that criminal gangs make use of kidnappings and sexual violence as weapons to terrorize to entire communities.

“I have heard horrifying accounts of women and girls being gang raped and of people burned alivehe declared.

but there is hope

On his way through Haiti, Guterres met on Saturday with the Prime Minister, Ariel Henry, and with representatives of various sectors of society. After these meetings, he concluded that there is hope and possibilities for the country to move forward.

“But it requires action on several fronts and the recognition of a central truth: There can be no sustainable security without a political solution that allows the restoration of democratic institutions. And there can be no lasting and inclusive political solutions without a drastic improvement in the security situation,” he said.

Three essential areas

In this context, he once again urged the international community to take action in three essential areas, the first of which concerns the humanitarian needs in the country.

In this regard, Guterres reported that the plan of 720 million dollars to support more than three million people has received only 23% of the financing required.

“I urge the world to offer a lifeline of support and fill that financial gap without delay,” he said.

UNICEF/Georges Harry Rouzier

A man walks through Cité Soleil, one of the neighborhoods hardest hit by gang violence in Port-au-Prince, the Haitian capital

It is not a military or political mission, it is a security force

The Secretary General also appealed to the Security Council of the UN “and all potentially relevant contributing countries” to create the conditions that allow the deployment of a multinational force to assist the National Police of Haiti, which the government of that country requested since last October.

“I repeat: we are not asking for a military or political mission of the United Nations. We make Member States deploy a strong security force that works hand-in-hand with the Haitian National Police to defeat and dismantle gangs and restore security throughout the country,” he emphasized.

He added that this police force also you will need funding, training and equipmentto restore the authority of the State and the provision of vital services.

When asked by journalists for details on the composition of the requested force, Guterres replied that the requirements, such as the number of troops, must be evaluated. “But it must be a robust force”, he stressed.

Political solution

On the other hand, he urged all the social and political actors in Haiti to intensify the efforts towards political solution that is so desperately needed, and expressed his full support for the mediation efforts of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).

The UN leader considered it essential advance simultaneously in the three areas – humanitarian, security and political – to be able to respond to the “dramatic humanitarian and security challenges, and forge a political path out of the crisis.”

The UN Security Council will discuss the latest report of the Secretary General on Haiti this afternoon.