UN Security Council Voices 'Significant Concern' Regarding Haiti's Escalating Crises
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United Nations, Dec 24 (NationPress) The UN Security Council has voiced 'significant concern' regarding the escalating crises in Haiti, denouncing the ongoing gang violence and urging solidarity with the Haitian people.
In a press statement, the members of the Security Council reiterated their serious concern over the persistent and worsening political, economic, security, human rights, humanitarian, and acute food insecurity and nutrition crises in Haiti, along with obstacles to humanitarian access, and reaffirmed the international community's commitment to continually support the Haitian populace.
The council members strongly denounced the ongoing destabilizing activities of armed gangs and stressed the necessity for the international community to intensify its efforts to provide humanitarian aid to the population and to assist the Haitian National Police, including enhancing its capacity to restore law and order through the Multinational Security Support Mission.
Specifically, they condemned reports indicating that an armed gang had murdered at least 184 individuals between December 6 and 8 in the Wharf Jeremie area of Port-au-Prince.
The council members underscored the need to establish security conditions favorable to an inclusive political process and free and fair elections in Haiti, encouraging the mission to expedite its deployment and bolster support for the initiative.
Furthermore, the council members reiterated their condemnation and profound concern over the grave and increasing instances of abuses against children in Haiti, highlighting the urgency of ensuring child protection and urging all parties, particularly gangs and criminal networks, to immediately cease and prevent all forms of abuse against children.
Moreover, the council members expressed alarm over the sluggish progress on Haiti's roadmap to restore democratic institutions. They stressed the essential nature of urgent advancements in the political transition and urged all political actors to engage constructively to facilitate and expedite the holding of free and fair legislative and presidential elections, aiming to restore democratic institutions as swiftly as possible.
The council members also conveyed serious concern regarding the ongoing illicit flow of arms and ammunition into Haiti, which remains a significant factor of instability and violence, and called for necessary actions to enforce the arms embargo.
