UNITED NATIONS, CMC – The United Nations says it remains “deeply concerned” by the rapidly deteriorating security situation in Haiti amid ongoing gang violence and police clashes in some parts of the capital, Port-au-Prince.
UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said Haitian National Police had been able to push back coordinated gang attacks on crucial infrastructure, including the national airport.
“We are, however, apprehensive about reports of gangs having breached and looted Port-au-Prince’s seaport,” where operations have been at a standstill for days.
UN chief António Guterres reiterated his call on the government and all national stakeholders to agree on immediate steps to advance the political process leading to elections.
He also reiterated the need for urgent international action, including immediate financial support for the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission, which is “desperately needed to tackle insecurity in Haiti.”
Dujarric said the UN Chef de Cabinet had been invited to attend a meeting organized by the regional body, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), on Monday in Kingston, Jamaica. The meeting aimed to bolster support “for the restoration of democratic institutions in Haiti in the shortest possible amount of time.”
In a statement issued on Friday, the UN Country Team said that gender-based violence protection and services had been reduced or suspended for security and access reasons.
They reported that if violence continues around the capital area, 3,000 pregnant women could be denied access to essential healthcare.
On Thursday, the UN said the World Food Program (WFP) and its partners managed to deliver food to over 7,000 people in Haiti.
On Friday, the US Department of State said that Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke with Haitian Prime Minister Dr. Ariel Henry “to discuss the ongoing political, security, and humanitarian crisis in Haiti.”
“For more than a year, the United States has encouraged Prime Minister Henry and other key stakeholders in Haiti to reach a compromise that will end the ongoing political stalemate,” said State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller.
“In the past week, the political crisis in Haiti, combined with escalating violence and civil unrest, has created an untenable situation, which threatens the country’s citizens and security,” he added.
In his conversation with Prime Minister Henry, Miller said Blinken expressed support for a proposal developed in partnership with CARICOM and Haitian stakeholders “to expedite a political transition through the creation of a broad-based, independent presidential college to steer the country toward the deployment of a Multinational Security Support mission and free and fair elections.
“The Secretary urged Henry to support this proposal in the interest of restoring peace and stability to Haiti so the Haitian people can resume their daily lives free from violence and despair,” Miller said.
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