Statement on behalf of the Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Haiti to UN Security Council meeting on the situation in Haiti

H.E. Robert Rae, Permanent Representative and Ambassador of Canada to the United Nations and Chair of the Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Haiti

New York, January 22, 2025

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I am honoured to speak on behalf of the Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Haiti of the Economic and Social Council. The Group comprises 28 Member States that are committed to accompanying Haiti’s democratic transition and long-term socioeconomic development.

President,

We are deeply concerned about the serious humanitarian crisis and escalating violence in Haiti which is inflicting immense suffering on the Haitian population, and particularly on children.

We encourage Haitian transitional authorities to put the interests of the country first and work in an inclusive and transparent manner to build multi-stakeholder confidence, restore security, fight corruption, ensure accountability, and organize credible elections.

Supporting Haitian institutions to bring stability and help the country to emerge from this crisis must be the utmost priority. The Haitian National Police, with the assistance of the Multinational Security Support Mission, are working hard to re-establish state authority over neighborhoods dominated by gangs.

The situation however demands much more support to secure communities, vital transport routes and critical infrastructure.

We look forward to seeing from the Secretary-General robust options for the UN’s future role in Haiti, considering lessons from the past and focusing on the need to strengthen the capacity of Haitian institutions.

We urge this Council to quickly heed Haiti’s request, made three months ago, to transform the Multinational Security Support Mission into a UN peacekeeping operation as soon as possible.

It is also critical that the illicit flow of arms and financial flows to armed gangs is halted and that individuals and entities who are supporting the gangs and fuelling violence are sanctioned and brought before justice.

At the same time, we must mobilize urgent assistance to meet the critical protection and humanitarian needs of Haiti’s population and scale up investment in sustainable development to lay the ground for a better future right now.

We cannot lose sight of the critical need to: support displaced persons, restore essential health services, improve local food production, re-open schools, reintegrate children and youth recruited by gangs, create economic and social opportunities, and support survivors of sexual and gender-based violence and support prevention. We must also help Haiti to strengthen judicial and correctional systems, strengthen the participation of women in the country’s transition, create space for dialogue and social cohesion in communities, and bolster Haiti’s resilience to disaster risks.

President,

Last month, Samarre, a 15-year-old girl living in Port-au-Prince shared her experience with ECOSOC of being trapped in her school with her peers amidst violent clashes between armed gangs. Despite the trauma she has endured, she holds dear her dream of living in a country where children live in safety and peace and look forward to their futures.

We must act now to ensure that Samarre, other young people and their families in Haiti can realize this dream. Haiti cannot wait.