Following reports on Wednesday of civilian casualties during airstrikes on the Iraqi city of Ninewa, the UN Assistance Mission (UNAMI) reiterated that Iraqi sovereignty and territorial integrity “must be respected at all times”.
Minister Haavisto (Finland)
Minister Çavuşoğlu (Turkey)
First, thank you to Finland and Turkey for hosting today’s event and for your leadership as co-chairs of the Group of Friends. I am delighted to join you to reflect on the past decade of focused attention on mediation.
Since 2001, the General Assembly has, through its four resolutions on mediation, provided the United Nations and other mediation actors with a strong normative and practical framework. These resolutions represent a collective recognition by Member States of the primacy of political solutions, and of the criticality of inclusive approaches to ending conflict.
Over the years, we have seen significant advances in the field of mediation. But we also have seen the complexity of the international, regional, and local environments within which we engage also grow.
While the number of conflicts around the world has increased, the number of peace processes or agreements has not kept pace. Meanwhile, human suffering has endured and expanded.
Geopolitical divisions, and the increased regionalization and fragmentation of conflicts, have challenged our traditional tools of conflict resolution.
A perceived failure of governance exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, and rising scepticism about the multilateral system, have undermined trust and collaboration.
Technological disruption – including malicious use of social media and the rise in hate speech – fuels conflict and further complicates the work of mediators.
Libya aptly illustrates the challenges of bringing peace to a conflict where external actors are involved. But it also illustrates the benefits of an agreed international position – such as we saw in the Berlin Process - for talks to proceed at a national level.
The UN-brokered intra-Libyan dialogue did successfully reach agreement on a nationwide ceasefire and political roadmap – although, as you know, the latter is now under great pressure.
Greater unity amongst major powers and regional actors is still needed in a number of other processes – notably Syria and Yemen.
Ministers, Excellencies,
The UN’s partnerships with Member States, regional and subregional organisations, and civil society are vital to our collective efforts and effectiveness. When the UN and its partners speak with one voice, we are better able to encourage conflict parties to pursue a negotiated solution.
In Africa, for example, where we have acted jointly with the African Union and regional economic communities, we have seen real impact.
In Somalia last April, after the decision to delay elections led to clashes in Mogadishu, joint efforts by the UN, AU, IGAD and EU helped to prevent further escalation and encouraged a resumption of dialogue.
In Côte d’Ivoire, coordinated messaging as part of preventive multi-track diplomacy by the UN, AU and ECOWAS helped to de-escalate tensions around the October 2020 presidential elections.
Across the globe, we seek similar partnerships.
The Core Group in Haiti, for example, chaired by the UN Special Representative and comprising several Member States, the EU, and the Organization of American States, has played a critical facilitation role in helping to manage crises over the years.
At a more technical level, my Department has supported Member States and Resident Coordinators on dialogue and inclusive consultation mechanisms, including around elections in Honduras, Bolivia and Ecuador.
In December 2021, our Innovation Cell, together with the Resident Coordinator, worked with Bolivia’s Vice-Presidency to engage some 200 Bolivians in digital consultations on trust-building and on participants’ hopes for the country’s future.
In Mozambique, we provide technical support to local-level interfaith peacebuilding efforts as part of our partnerships with civil society and private peacemaking organizations.
Ministers, Excellencies,
Let me turn to one of our most significant priorities to effective mediation: the issue of inclusion.
Over recent years, there has been a clear – and welcome – increase in understanding and expectation around women’s meaningful participation, as well as that of youth and other traditionally marginalized groups. At the same time, power politics and entrenched patriarchal attitudes have continued to stymie our work.
Indeed, operating in the context of a global backlash against women’s rights, including shrinking civic space and targeted attacks against women peacebuilders, has added new complexity to the work of mediators in securing inclusive processes.
Nevertheless, recognizing that inclusion is a strategic imperative to the success of mediation, we have taken several steps to integrate it into our work:
First, the Secretary-General has led in appointing women leaders. In late 2020, these efforts led to gender parity being achieved across all Heads and Deputy Heads of UN Peace Operations.
Second, we have pursued innovative direct participation models, such as independent and civil society delegations that prioritize women’s participation, as we saw in the Libya Political Dialogue Forum and Syria Constitutional Committee.
And in Sudan, the UN Mission successfully advocated for gender observers to participate in peace talks.
Third, all our Envoys are engaging in regular consultations with women’s groups. In places like Iraq, Myanmar, Syria and Yemen, we have created women’s advisory boards to ensure that their perspectives inform our work. In Libya, Yemen and other contexts, digital platforms have been used to expand our engagement with hard-to-reach communities.
Fourth, we support local women peacemakers, including through partnerships with civil society and women mediator networks. In 2020, for example, we supported several FemWise deployments.
Finally, recognizing that young women – who so often are at the head of peace movements – face additional barriers to their political participation, we have scaled up the Peacebuilding Fund’s Gender and Youth Promotion Initiative – from $2.7 million in 2016 to a record $51.5 million in 2021.
Ministers, Excellencies,
Looking ahead, our mediation practices will inform and be informed by the New Agenda for Peace, which the Secretary-General has committed to developing as part of Our Common Agenda. Here we have several challenging issues to address:
First, we need to consider how we adapt to the polarised geopolitical environment and build the international support that mediation efforts need to bear fruit. If we cannot ensure consistent regional and international unity, how can we forge alignment in specific peace processes?
Second, seizing opportunity requires us to be ready to support a broad range of mediation activities. The Security Council will, of course, mandate new peace efforts, and the Secretary-General and his representatives will continue to offer good offices.
But we must also be ready to quickly and flexibly lend our support to promising initiatives by individual Member States – such as Norway’s efforts in Venezuela– and by regional organisations, ad-hoc coalitions of states, and local mediation actors.
This Group of Friends will be a vital platform as we identify and tailor support to these formats for mediation and in the efforts to ensure unity of action across them.
Finally, we must continue to prepare for new threats and adapt to the changing environment in which conflicts take place.
In his remarks to the General Assembly on his priorities for 2022, the Secretary-General warned of a five-alarm global fire, where the climate crisis, lawlessness in digital space, and lack of peace and security are amongst the most pressing concerns of the day.
In DPPA we have already been preparing for this reality, focusing efforts to ensure climate security and digital technologies form part of our conflict prevention efforts, and to better understand the opportunities and challenges they bring to peace – as drivers of conflict, and as entry points for collaboration, and inclusion.
Ministers, Excellencies, Friends,
The support from this Group of Friends to our work over the past decade has been invaluable. As we move forward and further develop our mediation practices, we look forward to continuing our collaboration.
I thank you.
The launch of a possible intermediate-range ballistic missile by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) drew condemnation from UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Tuesday.
Following a verdict in the case of the brutal murder of two its experts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) nearly five years ago, the UN on Tuesday urged authorities to uphold their moratorium on the death penalty.
The United Nations’ Secretary-General on Tuesday made the “strongest possible appeal” for all parties in Ethiopia to immediately end the fighting in Tigray and other areas, in the spirit of the General Assembly’s Olympic Truce which began just a few days ago.
Season 2 | Episode 22 Available | She Stands For Peace | Click here: https://unoau.unmissions.org/podcast-series-she-stands-peace
One year on from Myanmar’s military coup, violence and brutality has only intensified, but “a window of opportunity” does exist, “to build upon a unique unity across religious, ethnic, and communal lines”, the UN’s top envoy for the country said on Monday.
The Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) is taking advantage of a new initiative, to become the first UN peacekeeping mission to provide gender-sensitive housing and invest in better working conditions for women peacekeepers serving there.
Following weeks of heightened tensions around Ukraine, with reports that Russia has been deploying more than 100,000 troops and heavy weapons close to its border, the United Nations’ Security Council held its first meeting to discuss ways of de-escalating the crisis on Monday.
Madam President,
The United Nations is closely following the ongoing diplomatic discussions on the future of European peace and security architecture between representatives of the Russian Federation, the United States, members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the European Union, and the Organization for the Security and Cooperation in Europe,. We hope the outcome of these talks will strengthen peace and security in Europe, including for Ukraine.
Madam President,
Although not an active participant in these exchanges, in all his contacts, the Secretary-General has unequivocally supported the ongoing diplomatic efforts at all levels. Still, we remain greatly concerned that, even as these efforts continue, tensions keep escalating amid a dangerous military build-up in the heart of Europe.
It is reported that over 100,000 troops and heavy weaponry from the Russian Federation are positioned along border with Ukraine. Unspecified numbers of Russian troops and weaponry are also reportedly being deployed to Belarus ahead of large-scale joint military exercises in February on the borders with Ukraine, Poland and the Baltic States.
NATO members are also reportedly planning additional deployments in Eastern European member states, and NATO has advised that 8,500 troops are now on high alert.
Accusations and recriminations among the various actors involved in the ongoing discussions have created uncertainty and apprehension for many that a military confrontation is impending.
Madam President,
The Secretary-General has made clear that there can be no alternative to diplomacy and dialogue to deal with the complex \ and long-standing security concerns and threat perceptions that have been raised.
He has expressed his strong belief that there should not be any military intervention in this context and that diplomacy should prevail. He has been equally explicit that any such intervention by one country in another would be against international law and the United Nations Charter. His expectation is that we all contribute to avoiding confrontation and to creating conditions for a diplomatic solution to end this crisis.
We, therefore, welcome the steps taken so far by all involved to maintain dialogue. We urge and expect all actors to build on these efforts and to remain focused on pursuing diplomatic solutions by engaging in good faith.
We further urge all actors to refrain from provocative rhetoric and actions to maximize the chance for diplomacy to succeed. Achieving mutual understanding and lasting, mutually acceptable arrangements is the best way to safeguard regional and international peace and security in the interest of all.
Madam President,
Let me repeat the full commitment of the United Nations to the sovereignty, political independence, unity and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders, in accordance with relevant General Assembly resolutions.
It is important, especially at this time, for the international community to intensify its support for the efforts of the Normandy Four and of the OSCE-led Trilateral Contact Group to ensure the implementation of the Minsk Agreements, endorsed by this Council in its resolution 2202.
We welcome the recent meeting of the Normandy Four Advisers in Paris and their agreement to reconvene shortly in Berlin as another sign that diplomacy can work. We commend these efforts and those of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission.
Likewise, United Nations agencies in Ukraine are committed to continue delivering on their mandates, in accordance with the humanitarian principles of neutrality, impartiality, humanity and independence. Safe, unimpeded humanitarian access must be respected, under any circumstances, to provide support to the 2.9 million people in need of assistance, with the majority in non-government-controlled areas. In this regard, I encourage Member States to contribute to the Humanitarian Response plan. Further, the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine continues to document civilian casualties in the conflict area.
Madam President,
No one is watching the current diplomatic efforts more than the people of Ukraine. They have endured a conflict that has taken over 14,000 lives since 2014 and that tragically is still far from resolution. It is painfully obvious that any new escalation in or around Ukraine would mean more needless killing and destruction. Whatever one’s position regarding the current situation or the status quo in eastern Ukraine, this should be inconceivable. The fact that it is not should give us pause. The principles enshrined in the UN Charter, the Helsinki Final Act and multiple other commitments to safeguard regional and international peace and security are crystal clear. Any escalation or new conflict would deal another serious blow to the architecture so painstakingly built up over the last 75 years to maintain international peace and security, just when we need it most.
Once again, I would like to stress the Secretary-General’s appeal to all concerned to take immediate steps to de-escalate tensions and continue on the diplomatic path. The United Nations stands ready to support all efforts to that end.
Thank you, Madam President.
As Myanmar nears the first anniversary of the military coup that saw the arrest of national icon Aung San Suu Kyi and her civilian government dissolved, the UN chief said on Sunday that he stands in “solidarity with the people”, and for a return to an inclusive, democratic society.
Chun Jie Kuai Le!
Happy Lunar New Year.
I am pleased to send you my warmest greetings as we begin the Year of the Tiger.
The tiger denotes strength, vitality, courage, tenacity, and boldness.
These are qualities we need as we face the unprecedented challenges of the day.
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The UN Mission in Colombia was the target of an attack on Thursday, when three vehicles that were part of a joint expedition travelling through a remote area, were approached by armed individuals, although nobody was ultimately injured during the incident.
A UN envoy will travel to Burkina Faso over the weekend on a “good offices mission” in the wake of the military coup last Sunday.
Airstrikes last week by the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen that hit a detention facility in the northern city of Sa’ada, killed some 91 people and injured dozens more, the UN human rights office, OHCHR, said on Friday, citing preliminary figures.
UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet appealed on Friday for the international community to intensify pressure on Myanmar’s military to stop its campaign of violence against citizens, and to insist on the prompt return to civilian rule, almost one year after seizing power in a coup.
New York, 28 January 2022
In a few days, our human family will come together in Beijing for the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
The top athletes from around the world have a date with history, in a spirit of mutual understanding, hard work and fair play.
This spirit inspires us all.
The...
The UN and its partners need to reach more Syrians with immediate life-saving aid, the UN relief chief warned the Security Council on Thursday, calling for expanded access and more funds to sustain humanitarian operations, as the country struggles with an uptick in violence, deepening economic crisis, and a winter storm that has left a ‘trail of destruction’ in its wake.
With no shifts in the frontlines in almost two years, the UN Special Envoy for Syria warnedt he Security Council about “a strategic stalemate” in the nearly 11-year-old war.
With Afghanistan “hanging by a thread” six months after the Taliban takeover, the world cannot abandon the country now – for the sake of its people and overall global security, UN Secretary-General António Guterres told the Security Council on Wednesday.
New York, 27 January 2022
Today we remember the six million Jewish men, women and children who perished in the Holocaust, the Roma and Sinti, and the countless other victims of its unprecedented horror and calculated cruelty.
The Holocaust defined the United Nations.
...People everywhere must stand firm against hate, amid rising antisemitism and other forms of religious bigotry, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said on Tuesday.
Violence in Yemen continues to escalate, raising casualties and spilling across the war-torn country’s borders, the Special Envoy for the country and the Humanitarian Coordinator warned on Tuesday.
Opening a Security Council debate on how to protect civilians caught up in urban conflict,the UN Secretary-General on Tuesday said that more than 50 million people are currently impacted by fighting inside towns and cities.
Opening a Security Council debate on how to protect civilians caught up in urban conflict,the UN Secretary-General on Tuesday said that more than 50 million people are currently impacted by fighting inside towns and cities.
Authorities in South Sudan must investigate a report of deadly intercommunal violence in Jonglei State earlier this week, the UN mission in the country, UNMISS, said on Tuesday.
UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet deeply deplores this week’s military takeover in Burkina Faso, her office, OHCHR, said on Tuesday.
Secretary-General António Guterres is urging the world to “build a culture of peace” through the power of sport, calling for nations to observe the Olympic Truce, endorsed last week through a resolution of the UN General Assembly.
Following Sunday’s coup in Burkina Faso carried out by sections of the armed forces, the United Nations’ Secretary-General is following the developments in the landlocked West African nation with deep concern.
Libya is at a “delicate and fragile juncture in its path to unity and stability”, the UN Political Affairs chief told the Security Council on Monday, urging the international community to remain united in supporting national elections postponed last month.
Madam President
Thank you for the opportunity to brief the Security Council on the latest developments in Libya.
Since the last briefing to this Council on 24 November 2021, growing polarization among political actors and disputes over key aspects of the electoral process ultimately resulted in the postponement of the 24 December elections, despite the advanced stage of technical preparations by the High National Commission for Elections (HNEC).
In announcing the postponement, the HNEC cited shortcomings in the legal framework for the elections, contradictory court rulings on candidacies, and political and security concerns. The HNEC referred the matter to the House of Representatives.
In response, on 28 December, the House of Representatives established a Roadmap Committee to elaborate a new political path towards national elections. On 17 and 18 January, the Speaker of the House of Representatives convened Parliament and announced that the new roadmap would define the timetable and process for the holding of elections, in coordination with relevant institutions.
The Roadmap Committee is delivering its preliminary report today and the Parliament is expected to deliberate on it today or tomorrow.
Madam President,
On 5 December, the Secretary-General appointed Ms. Stephanie Williams as his Special Adviser on Libya. The Special Adviser is working closely with the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), as well as with Libyan, regional and international stakeholders.
Since her arrival in Libya on 12 December, the Special Adviser has undertaken wide-ranging consultations in Tripoli, Benghazi, Misrata and Sirte. She has met members of the Presidency Council, the Government of National Unity (GNU), the High National Election Commission, the House of Representatives, the High State Council and the Supreme Judicial Council, as well as candidates for the presidential and parliamentary elections. She has also consulted with relevant political, security and civil society actors from across the country.
Clearly, Libyan stakeholders hold different views regarding the path that can take the country to free, fair, inclusive and credible national elections and a peaceful transition. Discussion in the House of Representatives and among political actors is also increasingly focusing on the status of the Government of National Unity (GNU). SASG Williams has reiterated to Libyan interlocutors that the focus of the political process should remain on the holding of parliamentary and presidential elections to be held in the shortest possible timeframe.
In all her meetings, the Special Adviser highlighted the 2.8 million Libyans who have registered to vote. She called on all stakeholders to respect the will of the Libyan people. She also encouraged them to continue to focus on the holding of presidential and parliamentary elections as soon as possible and to adhere to the timeline agreed to in the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum (LPDF) roadmap, which was endorsed by the Security Council.
Earlier this month, the Special Adviser held talks with authorities in Tunisia, Turkey, Egypt, and the Russian Federation. She also had exchanges with the African Union, the European Union, the League of Arab States and many other international stakeholders. The Special Adviser stressed that it was critical for the international community to remain united in its support for the timely holding of presidential and parliamentary elections.
Madam President,
Since our last briefing to the Council, there have been ongoing dialogue initiatives among political, security and economic actors from across Libya.
We have seen reports of consultations between the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the High State Council, as well as among presidential candidates from western and eastern Libya.
On the security track, there have been meetings among various armed groups.
The Chief of General Staff of the Western Military Forces under the Government of National Unity and the acting General Commander of the Libyan National Army also met in Sirte, where they were joined by military chiefs and heads of military departments from both sides.
On the economic track, further steps were taken towards reunification of the Central Bank of Libya, based on the recommendations of the independent financial audit of the Bank completed in July last year. The Governor and Deputy Governor of the Bank shared with the economic working group of the Berlin Process their agreed overview of the way forward on reunification.
These are welcome developments.
We also welcome renewed efforts, particularly by the Presidency Council, to advance national reconciliation based on the principles of transitional justice. Together with the African Union, we remain committed to support a rights-based reconciliation process, which should advance in parallel to the ongoing Libyan-owned and Libyan-led dialogue tracks.
Madam President,
The ceasefire has continued to hold. However, political uncertainty in the run up to the elections negatively impacted the overall security situation, resulting in shifting alliances among armed groups affiliated with certain presidential candidates.
Similarly, unfulfilled demands made to the Government of National Unity by the Petroleum Facilities Guards (PFG) in western Libya recently resulted in the shutdown of oil production, causing the National Oil Corporation to declare force majeure on 20 December. Oil production was restored on 9 January, following negotiations between the PFG and the GNU.
As part of efforts to implement the ceasefire agreement, the 5+5 Joint Military Commission (JMC) travelled to Ankara and Moscow in December, to discuss the implementation of their Action plan for the withdrawal of foreign forces and mercenaries with Turkish and Russian authorities, including the establishment of communication and information-sharing mechanisms. These welcome steps build on similar mechanisms already established with Chad, Niger and Sudan, which were discussed with the African Union.
Meanwhile, the second group of international monitors from the UNSMIL Ceasefire Monitoring Component deployed to Tripoli in December to replace the first group deployed in October. Despite serious logistical and security challenges, UNSMIL continues working on the establishment of the ceasefire monitoring hub in Sirte. In this regard, we look forward to the approval by the Government of National Unity to proceed with the needed work on accommodation and office facilities in Sirte.
Madam President,
The human rights situation in Libya remains very worrying.
Over the reporting period, UNSMIL documented incidents of elections-related violence and attacks based on political affiliation, as well as threats and violence against members of the judiciary involved in proceedings on eligibility of electoral candidates, and attacks against journalists, activists and individuals expressing political views. Such incidents are an obstacle to creating a conducive environment for free, fair, peaceful and credible elections.
We are particularly concerned that women and men working to protect and promote women’s rights continued to be targeted by hate speech, defamation and incitement to violence. Some of the disturbing social media posts that posed a threat to the safety and security of these persons were removed after UNSMIL brought them to the attention of social media platforms.
Arbitrary detention in facilities operated by State and non-State actors continues across the country, with many detainees subjected to serious human rights abuses. According to statistics provided by Libyan authorities, over 12,000 detainees are being held in 27 prisons and places of detention across Libya. Thousands of additional detainees, including children, do not appear in official statistics and are held illegally, often in inhumane conditions.
The situation of migrants and refugees in Libya remains highly concerning. Large numbers of migrants and refugees attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea and returned to Libya continue to be detained in inhumane and degrading conditions with restricted humanitarian assistance. Thousands are unaccounted for.
A joint UNSMIL-OHCHR report published in November documents that hundreds of foreign nationals were expelled in recent months to Sudan and Chad from Libya’s eastern and southern borders without due process. In many instances, the expelled individuals were placed in extremely vulnerable situations across remote stretches of the Sahara Desert without sufficient food, water, safety and medical care.
The United Nations remains ready to work with Libyan authorities on a long-term national response to migration and refugee management in line with international law to include addressing human rights concerns.
Madam President,
I am, however, pleased to report improvements in the overall humanitarian situation in 2021. The UN recorded a 30 per cent decrease in the number of people in need of humanitarian assistance, from 1.3 million at the start of 2021 to 803,000 by the year’s end. Of the 278,000 Libyans internally displaced one year ago, about 100,000 people returned home in 2021.
However, challenges persist in finding durable solutions for those still displaced and for returnee communities that lack basic services. Political and institutional divisions and the absence of an approved national budget resulted in limited improvements in basic infrastructure and service delivery in 2021. The Humanitarian Response Plan for Libya, extended through May 2022, is supporting the most vulnerable and refugee and migrant populations but requires additional funding.
Madam President,
Libya is at a delicate and fragile juncture in its path to unity and stability. We welcome and support the positive developments taking place across the three intra-Libyan dialogue tracks and recognize the challenges that must be overcome. We need to collectively nurture these positive steps.
It is critical that the international community remains united in its support for elections, guided by the aspirations of the Libyan people to be governed by elected institutions.
As so many Libyans have told us, the way forward towards a stable and united Libya is through the ballot box, not the gun. We must stand with them.
New York, 24 January 2022
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused chaos in education worldwide.
Some 1.6 billion school and college students had their studies interrupted at the peak of the pandemic -- and it’s not over yet.
Today, school closures continue to disrupt the lives of over 31 million students,...
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The UN chief has condemned airstrikes launched early on Friday by the Saudi-led coalition battling Houthi rebels in Yemen, that struck a detention centre in the rebel-held city of Saada, which have left at least 60 dead, and more than hundred injured.
Mr. Deputy Assistant Minister,
Thank you for well as for the opportunity to provide you with a briefing on the current security situation in Haiti.
Following the shocking assassination of President Jovenel Moïse on 7 July of last year, Haiti’s turbulent politics entered a new phase of uncertainty that persists to this day.
Months of discreet discussions conducted by Prime Minister Ariel Henry have led to a new government, unveiled on 24 November, on the basis of a political agreement struck on 11 September with some national political and civil society sectors.
However, efforts by the Prime Minister to broaden this consensus and bring on board other Haitian stakeholders involved in competing transitional governance initiatives are yet to bear fruit.
Most recently, we saw the merging of two such initiatives, that of the Montana Group and the Protocole d’entente nationale, which calls for a 24-month transition led by an appointed five-member presidential college.
An inclusive common way forward is needed to foster the type of political and security environments that could result in the holding of elections, and thus the restoration of democratically elected institutions.
The Prime Minister has recently reiterated his call for dialogue to help chart just such a roadmap and begin to lead Haiti out of its current governance crisis and in a way that strengthens stability. We must be prepared to provide support in a manner that helps create a climate for this to happen sooner rather than later.
Excellencies, Ladies and gentlemen,
Amid the ongoing dispute over the governance modalities best suited for the institutional vacuum, the link between gangs and politics and the instrumentalization of criminal armed groups by some politicians and business leaders continue to pose an acute threat to Haitian society.
As we speak, large swaths of the country’s population live in terror of the gangs. These criminal groups are engaged in a growing competition for control over territory and the economy, which adversely impacts the security environment and poses a direct challenge to the Haitian National Police.
The security situation has continued to deteriorate in recent months. The Port-au-Prince metropolitan area, in particular, has recently witnessed multiple random deadly shootings against public transportation vehicles, an increase in homicides, the ballooning of kidnappings for ransom, and a weeks-long blockage of fuel terminals which severely constricted the supply of petroleum products in October and November of last year.
Those charged with the primary responsibility for the security of Haitian citizens, the Haitian National Police, are hampered by a chronic lack of adequate equipment as well as a dearth of logistical and financial support. The Superior Council of the National Police, headed by the Prime Minister, continues to affirm that the police can restore security throughout the country. But the Council has also requested support from the international community.
It is essential that bilateral partners, multilateral institutions, and Haitian authorities devise an effective collaborative approach to help Haiti tackle its security problems. Such an effort must have at its center the continued development and professionalization of the national police.
Within this framework, the UN Integrated Office in Haitia and the UN country team remain steadfastly committed to advising and supporting the national police as it strives to reinforce certain essential units – such as the anti-kidnapping and the drone units – in order to better address the security challenge. United Nations efforts also include providing support in the development of the next multi-year strategic plan for the Haitian National Police
In coordination with the leadership of the HNP, the United Nations and other stakeholders have undertaken to develop a short-term, quick impact police reform plan. The implementation of the plan could be supported through the creation of a basket fund. Designed to be led by Haitian authorities but managed by the UN Development Programme, such a multi-donor fund would respond directly to priorities identified by the national police following a recent administrative and financial management audit.
Madam Minister, ladies and gentlemen,
To be sure, gang violence cannot be addressed through policing alone. A law enforcement approach needs to be complemented by socio-economic projects and reintegration activities aimed at generating employment and revenue in the neighborhoods most affected by the scourge of gang violence. The UN has supported the Haitian authorities in developing the recently adopted national community violence reduction strategy premised on such a holistic approach. The Government must now ensure that it is swiftly and effectively implemented. We must also continue in our efforts to find solutions to the disproportionate impact of gang violence on women and girls. Our continued support to the Haitian authorities is crucial to the success of this effort.
I firmly believe that today’s meeting will significantly contribute to further boosting national efforts to strengthen police capacities and promote a safer security environment, which is an essential condition for credible, transparent, and democratic elections to be held and development to take place.
The Haitian National Police needs international support if it is to fulfill its role to serve and protect the Haitian people as they deserve. It is important that we do not abandon Haiti and its security institutions at this critical stage.
Ultimately, security will depend in the long run on stronger foundations for political stability. Supporting Haitian stakeholders to overcome their divisions, act cohesively, and assume joint ownership of a single and unified national vision that will lead the country towards the restoration of democratically elected, fully functional institutions as soon as possible is our main path to sustainable security and stability in the country.
Thank you.
