The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) said it “notes with great interest and anticipation” the recent tabling of a draft United Nations Security Council resolution aimed at providing further security assistance to Haiti, following a request by the Haitian government and recommendations from UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
“This initiative comes at a critical moment in the continuing degeneration of the insecurity and humanitarian situation in Haiti with its increasing cortège of killings, kidnappings, gender-based violence, loss of territory and the displacement of huge numbers of people at the hands of the armed gangs,” the 15-member regional group said in a statement.
The draft resolution, moved by the United States and Panama, acknowledges the contribution of the Kenya-led Multilateral Security Support Mission (MSS) to peace and stability in Haiti, highlighting Kenya’s leadership and the support of other member states that have provided personnel, as well as donor contributions.
According to CARICOM, the resolution endorses Guterres’ recommendations, approved by the Haitian government, for deploying an increased security force and establishing a UN Support Office in Haiti to provide logistical and operational assistance. The MSS would transition into a “Gang Suppression Force (GSF)” with a ceiling of 5,500 personnel and a robust mandate. Funding for the GSF will come from voluntary sources, while the Support Office will be funded through UN member state assessments.
The draft also references the recent Organization of American States (OAS) Roadmap for Stability and Peace in Haiti, supporting Haitian-led efforts and potentially providing logistical support for the GSF.
“Further to its continued international advocacy in support of Haiti, a CARICOM member state, the Caribbean Community calls on the member states of the UN Security Council, in particular the permanent members, to take into account the dire and precarious straits in which the people and country of Haiti have found themselves,” CARICOM said.
“The people of Haiti have had to suffer for far too long. Adoption of this draft resolution will bring a glimmer of hope and the promise of relief to a people who, as the UN Secretary-General observed at the recent Council consultations on Haiti, ‘are in a perfect storm of suffering,’” the statement added.
Last month, United States Deputy Chief of Mission Kimberly J. Penland told the OAS that Washington is drafting a resolution to “properly resource” Haiti’s fight against gang territorial control. She also emphasized robust regional participation in providing strategic leadership of the force, praising Kenya for its “dedication, leadership and support” over the past year, noting the risks taken by Kenyan personnel to prevent a collapse of the Haitian state.
The UN has reported that less than 10 per cent of the US$908 million required for Haiti has been received, describing the effort as “shamefully overlooked and woefully underfunded,” while armed groups continue to block humanitarian access and attack aid workers.
