Thank you, Mr. President. SRSG Salvador, thank you for your briefing and for the BINUH team’s efforts in Haiti. And I also thank UNODC Executive Director Waly for your briefing.
It is clear from these briefings that Haiti continues to face significant challenges in both governance and security.
The transitional government should prioritize governance over competing personal and political interests. Now is not the time for political infighting.
We encourage the Transitional Presidential Council to continue working with BINUH to support the political transition and the people of Haiti. That includes working together in setting the conditions for free and fair elections.
We strongly encourage Haitian efforts aimed at addressing corruption allegations and promoting transparency and accountability. These measures are essential for the transition government to maintain the trust of the Haitian people.
Ensuring that women and youth meaningfully participate in the political process is also important, and we encourage BINUH to continue its work in this regard.
On the security side, gang violence is rampant. Coordinated attacks by gangs have forced tens of thousands of residents from their homes and continue at very alarming levels, including targeted killings, mass rapes, kidnappings, forced recruitment, exploitation, and trafficking of children by gangs.
The United States condemns the ongoing attacks and escalation of gang violence in Port-au-Prince and throughout the country. Gang brutality continues to terrorize the Haitian people, cutting off necessary lifelines, including humanitarian assistance.
Colleagues, in September, the Security Council designated Prophane Victor and Luckson Elan for asset freezes and travel bans.
We commend the efforts of MSS led by Kenya in assisting the Haitian people to stabilize the situation and we encourage international donors to increase their funding support. Now more than ever, the security situation needs to be improved.
Working closely with HNP, MSS mission has worked to protect residents of several areas, repel gangs, capture weapons, and eliminate multiple gang members.
We welcome a comprehensive assessment that UN is currently undertaking. And we look forward to Secretary-General’s report on full range of options on roles UN can play to address crisis.
For our part United States is deploying every tool at our disposal we are working closely with BINUH Haitian government MSS mission international community drive progress forward
To support people Haiti amidst multidimensional crisis Haiti needs humanitarian assistance provide immediate life-saving services
We call all involved respect humanitarian organizations which are Haiti impartially provide emergency food assistance health care other life-saving aid all those need
Mr President closing Haitian people must have security freedom engage daily activities without fear whether it’s going work school house worship
United States remains determined assist Haitian people achieve peace security prosperity they deserve
I thank you.