United Nations Security Council Briefing on the Haiti and Haiti Sanctions

Madam President,
Let me begin by thanking the Deputy Secretary-General, Ms. Amina Mohammed for her statement as well as the briefing made by Special Representative La Lime and Mr. Kim Ives of Haiti Liberté on the prevailing developments in Haiti. I also thank the Chair of the 2653 Committee, Ambassador Michel Biang for his briefing on the activities undertaken by the Committee since the adoption of resolution 2653 (2022), concerning Haiti. I further welcome the participation of the Foreign Minister of the Dominican Republic and the representatives of Canada and Haiti at our meeting today. Today’s discussion is happening at a critical time for Haiti. Even as this Council is building upon its efforts to support Haitians in their quest for a Haitianowned solution to the ongoing crises, the country continues to grapple with an everdeteriorating situation that threatens the very lives of ordinary Haitians. Our actions should therefore be decisive and seek to be proactive, if we are to effectively address the complex security, humanitarian, socioeconomic and political situation in Haiti. As we have amply highlighted in this Council, we owe the people of Haiti a responsibility to support their long-held aspirations for peace, security, prosperity, and inclusive growth.

I would make two (2) brief points.
First, Ghana continues to be concerned by the problem of armed gangs in Haiti. The grip of the gangs on most of Haiti’s territory and the consequential violence being perpetuated is troubling. It is evident that until the activities of Haiti’s violent gangs are curbed, there can be no security and stability in Haiti. Although in recent weeks the Haitian security forces have managed to regain control of the Varrreux oil terminal and fuel distribution has resumed in the capital, gangs still control the main roads to the north and south, obstructing supply to other regions. In this context, we look forward to the timely constitution of the Panel of Experts and their important work, which we believe will be instrumental in the effective implementation of targeted sanctions against gang leaders and their sponsors in and outside of Haiti. We however recognise that sanctioning gang leaders and their sponsors alone is not enough and much more needs to be done to support Haitians on their path to security and stability.

Secondly, we need to build on the Council’s unified efforts on the Haiti sanctions regime to address another immediate challenge. We stated before and repeat it today that the Haitian National Police requires capacitation to deal with the threat posed by the armed gangs and bring the needed respite to the people. We therefore encourage enhanced regional consultations on the pending proposals for the deployment of an international security assistance mission to Haiti that this Council can support. This would have to be braced by support for the enhancement of the capacity of the Haitian national police and the strengthening of state institutions, including the criminal justice system if we are to counter the immediate threat posed by armed gangs in Haiti. While we need to be guided by past mistakes, inaction on the part of the Council in the face of the deteriorating situation in Haiti would be untenable. We need to therefore work collaboratively with other actors to move Haiti closer to the much-desired security, prosperity, and stability that its people want, while bearing in mind that a long-term strategy to prevent the recurrence of the current security
crisis will hinge on our collective and sustained commitment to address deep-rooted causes such as endemic poverty, unemployment, and inequality.

Madam President,
I cannot conclude without mentioning the elusive solution being sought for the political crisis in Haiti. We call on all political actors to step up efforts to deliver a consensus towards a Haitian-led political process that can define a path to national elections. The gravity of the situation in Haiti demands urgent action by all stakeholders, without which we risk witnessing the continuing deterioration of the socioeconomic, security and humanitarian situation, with untold suffering for ordinary Haitians.

Finally, we reiterate our unwavering commitment and support to the people of Haiti. We would remain supportive of a Haitian-led and Haitian-owned solution and express our support for the work of the UN Integrated Office in Haiti.

I thank you for your attention.