Declaração do Representatne Permanente, Embaixador Ronaldo Costa Filho, em reunião do Conselho de Segurança sobre a situação do Haiti - 16 de junho de 2022 (texto em inglês)

June 16,2022

PLEASE CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY

         Mister President,

         I would like to thank SRSG Helen La Lime for her comprehensive and stark report.

         As the discussions for the renewal of BINUH`s mandate, which should be adopted no later than July 15, start to gain momentum, it is imperative to recognize that the efforts of the international community regarding Haiti have simply not rendered the expected results.

         As pointed out in the most recent report by the Secretary General, nearly a year after the assassination of President Moïse, and two and a half years since the dissolution of Parliament, the political deadlock remains, gang violence has increased and the legislative and judicial branches of power remain “inoperative”.

Not only do there seem to be no relevant signs of improvement regarding any of the dimensions of the multifaceted crisis in Haiti, but also the situation, in some aspects, such as security, seems to be deteriorating.  We had hoped that during our Presidency in July we would be able to organize a field mission to Haiti, before the renewal of BINUH’s mandate, but the security conditions in Haiti and BINUH’s insufficient resources to guarantee the safety of the mission made us postpone the idea.

         The economic, political and institutional situation of the country is extremely fragile and holding elections in such a context remains a daunting and elusive objective.

         Such a bleak scenario makes it almost self-evident that UN efforts in Haiti, especially BINUH’s structure, is currently insufficient to prompt progress on the ground.

         Let me be clear: there is an urgent need to change our approach, before the situation spirals out of control and becomes a possible threat to regional security.          

         The assessment of BINUH’s mandate at the request of the Security Council, conducted under the leadership Mr. Mourad Wahba, provides important insights on some of the changes needed. Besides BINUH’s good offices initiatives to break the current political stalemate, BINUH’s efforts should encompass urgent measures to support the Haitian authorities to control gang violence and improve the functioning of the justice system - which are paramount for eliciting institutional normalcy in Haiti -, as well as longer-term projects that will help Haiti address the root causes behind the persistent levels of violence and instability in the country.

         As we firmly believe in Haitian solutions for Haitians problems, we are glad that the assessment recognizes that the Haitian National Police, “with steady national and international commitments and investments” may acquire the capability level necessary to curb violence in the country.

         Having those elements in mind, Brazil proposes the following actions in the context of the renewal of BINUH’s mandate:

1. Reinforce BINUH’s structure to provide specialized support to the Haitian National Police to deal with the deterioration of security conditions and the greater sophistication of gang activities. Additionally, BINUH’s security contingent needs to be strengthened and better equipped to guarantee the safety and mobility of UN staff;
2. Provide BINUH with a specific mandate to support the Haitian authorities in controlling illicit financial flows;
3. Scale up BINUH's capacity to support the Haitian judiciary;
4. Strengthen BINUH’s mandate concerning prevention, monitoring and investigation of human rights abuses, in light of serious reports on the pervasive levels human rights violations, especially those of a sexual and gender nature.
5. Encourage more proactive use of strategic communications in order to raise local awareness of BINUH`s mandate and build trust and confidence among the local population. The assessment of the independent expert Wahba found there is a lack of clarity of BINUH’s purpose and an expectation gap among local actors. Strategic communication is an important tool to help addressing this issue;
6. Finally, we concur with the UNSG assessment that BINUH`s mandate should be kept broad enough to allow for some flexibility to respond to the instability and changing situation on the ground.

Mr. President,

         In summary, we consider it a moral imperative to increase efforts towards relieving the plight of the Haitian people. We propose, therefore, that the UN presence in Haiti be strengthened, in terms of resources, capabilities, personnel and security. BINUH needs bold and innovative approaches, as well as an enlarged structure, better equipped for the challenges that it faces.

         Furthermore, Brazil encourages enhanced cooperation between the Security Council and other UN bodies, such as ECOSOC and the Peacebuilding Commission.

         It is clear that there is no short-term solution for Haitian problems. But I would like to stress, once again, that Brazil`s commitment to Haiti is unwavering and that the Haitian people may count on our continued support and solidarity.

         Thank you.