Lachezara Stoeva was speaking at a special crisis meeting on Haiti organized by ECOSOC to address the country’s urgent food security needs and noted that the humanitarian response program for this year is only 22.6 percent funded.
Morning time
“This program targets 3.2 million Haitians while about 5.2 million Haitians are in need. This should be our wake up call“, he told the group of Prime Ministers, UN aid chiefs, civil society and other partners gathered at the UN headquarters in New York.
During the high-level meeting, both the World Food Program (WFP) and the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) announced that they would be travel to Haiti in the next few days to show the depth of the crisis there.
Recent earthquakes, floods and landslides, have exacerbated political and economic turmoil with rampant insecurity and violence perpetrated by armed gangs – all of which have led to food and health crises. for millions.
“We must learn from our past efforts in Haiti. A whole-of-society approach that engages the Haitian people will be the key to building resilient food systems”, he said, calling for bold thinking combined with immediate action.
‘Alert’ went down
Bob Rae, Chairman of the ECOSOC Advisory Group on Haiti said the crisis continues to worsen “at an alarming rate.”
Humanitarian needs have doubled in the past year. Now 1.8 million Haitians are facing emergency levels of food insecurity and nearly five million do not have enough to eat. “This represents half of the country’s population”, he added.
UNICEF delegation: Russell
UNICEF chief Catherine Russell warned that the country “is on the brink of disaster.”
He reminded the meeting that the agency has worked in Haiti for decades and is deeply committed to supporting all the children there.
“Alongside our partners, we engage with local leaders and other relevant partners to facilitate the safe movement of humanitarian workers and supplies,” he said.
“We are still here expand our answer in health, food, protection, education, water, sanitation and hygiene. This year, we have screened more than 243,000 children under the age of five for malnutrition, helped 70,000 women and children access health care, provided more than 417,000 people with safe water and reached 30,000 children. including educational materials. “
Action is long overdue now, he said, announcing his intention to go to Haiti “in the coming days” to assess the joint response and “repeat UNICEF. commitment to help the people of Haiti.”
Investments and action are much needed for Haiti, he said.
“Let’s work together to make sure this happens. Together we can join the people of Haiti to fight through the conflicts and start building towards a more peaceful and hopeful future. “
Welcome focus on ‘forgotten crisis’: McCain
WFP chief Cindy McCain, said she will be on the ground next week, “So I get your focus on this neglected crisis.”
The situation is dire and getting worse every day, he added.
“We are hungry has reached record levels. 4.9 million people – almost half the population – are severely food insecure. This includes 1.8 million people who are at serious risk of starvation.”
He said that “representation and good humanitarian intervention must be part of A comprehensive strategy to restore security and political stability in Haiti.”
Despite the challenges, WFP has persevered and delivered, with support for 1.8 million people and a plan to reach 2.3 million by this year, having already supported 1.4 million with life-saving food and life support so far.
“But we urgently need the support of the international community. At no additional cost, we will not be able to reach all the targets for help”, Ms. McCain insisted.
“Women and men: we must work now, and work together to get food and remittances to the millions of people who depend on us. Together we can make a difference – and help the people of Haiti rebuild their broken lives. “
Build community food resilience
The head of the Humanitarian and Community Organization in Haiti, Ulrika Richardson, told the special meeting that the UN is working hand in hand with Government, together with local and international partners, to make food systems more efficient.
This includes the recent national policy and strategy for food security and independence, and should not be forgotten as the impact of climate change and climate risks on food supplies.
The UN in Haiti is promoting local production and promoting local agriculture, through measures such as basing school meal programs on locally produced crops. By 2030, he said all food systems should be locally sourced.
“Addressing root causes of instability and restoring social and economic peace in Haiti can be achieved through promoting food sovereignty, replicating effective strategies, promoting stakeholder consensus and increasing international support. “
