Canada’s statement to UN Security Council meeting on the situation in Haiti

November 20, 2024 – New York City, New York

Statement by H.E. Bob Rae, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Canada to the United Nations

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Thank you for inviting Canada to join this discussion at a very critical time. 

Canada strongly condemns the horrific violence perpetrated by heavily armed gangs in Haiti that have designs on destabilizing the country and undermining its transition process.

The Haitian population is suffering immensely. Together with the UN Country Team, I recently visited a school in Tabarre, a neighbourhood in Port-au-Prince that is being held hostage by gangs. Children, women and men are sheltering there having fled extreme violence in search of protection and food. They escaped burned homes, were subjected to kidnapping, sexual violence and multiple displacements. The conditions which the Haitian people are facing is extremely alarming. 5.5 million people in Haiti require humanitarian assistance and protection.

The situation is preventing the country’s return to democratic governance and its social and economic development, and risks creating further instability in the region.

It is imperative that Haitian transitional authorities put the interests of the country first and work constructively with the sectors they represent to restore security, fight corruption, ensure accountability, and organize credible elections. This unity among the sectors that came together to create the Transitional Presidential Council is an integral part of its success and legitimacy.

There is an urgent need for the international community to rally, with its tools and resources, to support Haitian institutions to restore stability for the Haitian population and help the country emerge from this crisis.

The Haitian National Police, with the assistance of the Armed Forces of Haiti and the Multinational Security Support Mission, have stepped up operations to re-establish state authority over neighborhoods dominated by gangs.

We commend Kenya for its leadership of the Multinational Security Support Mission in support of the Haitian National Police and thank countries that are contributing with personnel, equipment and logistical resources.

Canada has invested 86.2 million Canadian dollars in the Multinational Security Support Mission Trust Fund and is the largest cash contributor to the Fund.

Over the past two years, we have provided over 400 million Canadian dollars in international assistance to Haiti. This includes humanitarian, development and stabilization assistance, such as support to fill gaps in equipment and training for the Haitian National Police, transport equipment, strengthen the police response to sexual and gender-based violence, and detect and deter illicit cross-border activities.

The situation demands more support. We all need to step up to ensure that the Haitian National Police and Multinational Security Support Mission are enabled to secure communities, vital transport routes, and critical infrastructure.

Canada urges this Council, with the support of the UN system, to assess what further tools it can deploy to support stabilization in Haiti and to respond with a plan, taking into account lessons from the past, and focussing on the need to build Haitian capacities.

We join regional partners in encouraging this Council to urgently support Haiti’s request to transition the Multinational Security Support Mission into a UN peace operation, while continuing to support robust coordination between the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) and the MSS mission.

Canada urges all Member States to strengthen implementation of the UN sanctions regime, including the arms embargo. We also encourage this Council to apply UN sanctions to individuals and entities that are supporting the gangs and fuelling violence.

We must keep working to mobilize sufficient resources to meet the urgent protection and humanitarian needs of the Haitian people. The Humanitarian Response Plan for Haiti this year remains significantly underfunded at 43%.

We also need to support Haiti in addressing the root causes of the country’s multifaceted crisis to achieve lasting peace and stability for the Haitian people.

We must act now. There is not a moment to lose.