UN envoy calls on Haiti to prepare for deployment of multinational force

UNITED NATIONS, US

The top UN envoy for Haiti on Thursday called on all stakeholders in the country to prepare for the deployment of the UN-authorized, Kenyan-led multinational police force.

Haiti remains plagued by a mounting scale of violence due to an unprecedented surge in kidnappings, rape and other crimes committed by armed gangs that increasingly affect the livelihoods of people and undermine humanitarian activities, said Maria Isabel Salvador, the UN secretary-general's special representative for Haiti.

"I cannot overstress the severity of the situation in Haiti, where multiple protracted crises have reached a critical point," she told the Security Council in a briefing.

Last year, the UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) documented more than 8,400 direct victims of gang violence, including people killed, injured and kidnapped, an increase of 122 percent over the previous year, she said.

The capital of Port-au-Prince accounted for 83 percent of killings and injuries, and violence also spread to other areas, specifically to Artibonite. South of the capital, gangs conducted large-scale attacks to control key zones and continue to systematically employ sexual violence in their areas of control, putting women and girls as young as 12 at risk, she said.

BINUH has continued working toward enhancing the capacity of the Haitian National Police (HNP) with a special focus on intelligence-led performance and training. High attrition rates, however, have continued, further diminishing the HNP's ability to counter gang violence and maintain security, said Salvador, who also heads BINUH.

She asked all Haitian stakeholders to effectively prepare for the deployment of the multinational police force and to create the necessary coordination mechanisms for its success. She asked UN member states to contribute generously to ensure the timely deployment of the police force in Haiti.

While improvement to the security situation is essential to break the cycle of crises in Haiti, long-term stability can only be achieved through a nationally owned and inclusive political process, she said. "I call on stakeholders from across the spectrum to engage peacefully and constructively in the political process."

The continuous support to the Haitian National Police, the rapid deployment of the multinational force, effective sanctions, and a sustained political process constitute fundamental elements to restore security and stability in Haiti, where, consequently, the rule of law, democratic institutions, and sustainable development become a reality for its people, said Salvador.