UN chief calls for ‘enhanced security support’ for Haiti, as crisis worsens |
In a statement, Mr. Guterres announced that he had sent a letter to the Council, containing options for enhanced security support to Haiti. The move by the UN chief comes a week after Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry sent a request to the international community, for “a special military force” to intervene in a country that has effectively stopped it.
In a statement released on Saturday, the US State Department said it is reviewing the Haitian Government’s request, in coordination with international partners, to “determine how we can increase our support to help address Haiti’s oil shortage and security restrictions.” However, the composition of such a force has, so far, not been specified, and there are no commitments to send troops by any UN Member States.
Last month, terrorists blocked the Verreux fuel terminal, Haiti’s main oil port, leading to severe gas and diesel shortages, and causing businesses and hospitals to close.
Drinking water supplies have also been affected, at a time when Haitians are facing a cholera outbreak, following three years without any cases. The outbreak prompted Martin Griffiths, the UN’s humanitarian chief, to call on Saturday for emergency life-saving aid funding, and warned that, if the spread of the disease is not controlled, it could lead to “desperate levels of suffering for the the people of Haiti.”
In his statement, the Secretary-General of the UN urged Haitians to “rise above their differences and to participate, without further delay, in a peaceful dialogue and commitment on the way forward.”
Mr. Guterres promised that the United Nations stands by the people of Haiti and will “support efforts to build unity, reduce violence and promote stability in the country”.
