“Haiti cannot wait any longer” and although we are convinced that the only sustainable response to its problems “must come from the Haitians”, the international community “must act now” to prevent the situation in the country from “completely spilling over”, and offer the help that society expects, stated the Minister of Foreign Affairs in his presentation at the United Nations General Assembly.
Roberto Álvarez indicated that, as the President of the Republic, Luis Abinader, said last year in this auditorium, “The Dominican Republic reiterates its conviction that the only lasting and sustainable response to the Haitian crisis must come from the Haitians.”
According to a press release distributed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Dominican foreign minister explained that the violence “has created a deep social fragmentation, which does not allow the most basic cohesion. For their part, Haitians desperately await belated help from the international community.”
Likewise, the Dominican foreign minister stated that “despite the difficulties in reaching agreements, we advocate and hope that this is the case, and we hope that they will take the path required for Haitian society to achieve the necessary consensus to overcome such a serious situation.”
He emphasized that to achieve this goal, “international collaboration is vital, if we want to bring stability and tranquility to the people of Haiti, its neighbors and the region. That is our only interest.”
Just as the Special Representative of the Secretary General for Haitisaid Álvarez, “I would like to reiterate that the criminal gangs have increased their suffocation power in Port-au-Prince and everything indicates that the National Police of Haiti (PNH) does not have the capacity to contain them.”
During his speech, he also specified that “it is the responsibility of the Haitian authorities to control and put an end to the actions of the gangs that are generating such atrocious crimes that we could qualify as crimes against humanity”; But we must “take off the blindfold and admit that the Haitian police, by themselves, are not going to develop the capacity to guarantee order and subdue the gangs.”
Álvarez welcomed the fact that the Security Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) until July 2023 and that included the creation of a division to deal with sexual and gender-based violence, one of the most aberrant manifestations in this environment of violence.
Faced with this scenario, he warned that the expected results of the BINUH are subject to getting the Haitians to reach a national agreement as a starting point, to combat and neutralize the gangs, and secondly, to ensure the holding of the elections, as soon as possible. as circumstances allow.
He pointed out that to implement this necessary process, the UN’s action must be supported by Security Council resolution 2645 of 2022.
He cited that, as stated in that resolution, as soon as security conditions allow, it is necessary for all interested parties to reach an urgent political agreement led by Haitians, with a view to organizing legislative and presidential elections with the full participation of Haitians. the population, especially women, youth and civil society.
Haitians are capable
The Foreign Minister of the Dominican Republic recounted various moments in recent history that show that Haitian society does have the capacity to unite and act in difficult times.
He referred as an example, the overthrow of the dictatorship in 1986, and the reaction to the disaster created by the 2010 earthquake.
He recalled that in the face of that earthquake, the entire Haitian population unified and mobilized in solidarity to support and rescue their neighbors.
This Wednesday it was reported that the Haitian capital and its surroundings timidly resumed their activities, while the barricades, used last week to block roads during the protests caused by the increase in fuel prices, are gradually disappearing. According to a note on the website of the Gazette Haiti, the markets and small businesses were slowly resuming their routine, and public transport was starting to work on some routes within Port-au-Prince. They have also opened bank branches and hotels. The Haitian media indicates that fuel shortages continue and the G9 gangs block access to the Varreux port terminal, where fuel shipments arrive.
