UAE STATEMENT AT THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL MEETING ON HAITI

At the outset, I would like to thank Ms. Helen La Lime, Mrs. Ghada Waly, and Ms. Valerie Guarnieri for their thorough briefings and providing a detailed picture of the developments in Haiti, which the UAE continues to follow closely. I also welcome the participation of their Excellencies, the Ministers of Haiti and Dominican Republic in this meeting, as well as the representative of Canada.

Considering the developments in Haiti, we express our deep concern over the serious escalation of unrest erupting across Haiti, including attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure, such as educational and health facilities. We condemn all acts of violence, as they unravel the social fabric of Haitian communities and undermines efforts to achieve sustainable peace in Haiti. The current situation requires the cessation of all hostilities and underscores the urgent need for calm and inclusive dialogue. Such steps are critical so Haiti can begin rebuilding the path towards a sustainable political solution.

The looting of humanitarian warehouses, including those belonging to the World Food Program, is unacceptable. Not only is  almost half of the country’s population chronically food insecure,  but also, actions like these also seriously impede the delivery of urgent humanitarian aid, including food and water, which is a lifeline for the most vulnerable. We must ensure the safe, timely, and unimpeded delivery of aid to lessen the worsening living conditions in Haiti.

The deteriorating situation in Haiti further underscores the urgent need to build the capacity of the country’s security sector, including the judicial system and the national police.  Capacity-building in this area will strengthen the response to complex security challenges, such as the escalation of gang-violence and the illegal flow of weapons, and we will look into the draft resolution that the penholders will propose in this regard. We believe that the complementary role of UNODC will be essential in this regard and we look forward to seeing tangible results from its programs.

The security, economic, humanitarian and political challenges in Haiti require a comprehensive and inclusive approach. As the Security Council continues to follow the situation, we look forward to the two upcoming reports of Secretary-General as well as the updates to be provided by the Haitian government on developments related to the political settlement. These will be essential in guiding the Council’s discussions on Haiti next month, and we will study these reports carefully.

In conclusion, we appreciate the efforts of BINUH and all UN staff who work tirelessly in the difficult conditions. The UAE also reaffirms its solidarity with the people of Haiti.

Thank you, Madam President.

Source: Permanent Mission of the United Arab Emirates to the United Nations

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