MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Guterres says Haiti needs international help

“On the humanitarian front, the needs are increasing, but the international response is not,” Guterres said

United Nations (UN) Secretary-General António Guterres Saturday called for international help to support local police efforts in crisis-torn Haiti.

 The Portuguese diplomat voiced his “appeal to the international community to continue to support Haiti, including with a strong international force to assist the Haitian National Police” from Port-au-Prince, where he discussed with Prime Minister Ariel Henry the importance of a security force to curb gang activity so that humanitarian aid can be distributed.

Guterres urged the Security Council to authorize the immediate deployment of an international force to assist the Haitian National Police in its fight against gangs and insisted on the need to form such a squad. Nine months ago, Guterres proposed that one or more nations send a “rapid action force” to support Haiti’s security services. No such force has yet been deployed as no country has stepped up to take the lead.

“I'm in Port-au-Prince to express my full solidarity with the Haitian people and call on the international community to continue to stand with Haiti, including with a robust international force to assist the Haitian National Police,” Guterres said.

“I am deeply concerned about the extreme vulnerability of individuals and communities to these predatory gangs and in particular the disproportionate impact of the violence on women and girls,” he added while calling for urgent and sustained attention and a broadened focus on security, the rule of law and humanitarian concerns. He also called for increased support to police forces in areas such as training, financing, and equipment.

“On the humanitarian front, the needs are increasing, but the international response is not,” Guterres also pointed out during a press conference.

“We are in full agreement about the need for the international community, the (U.N.) Security Council and member countries to provide the necessary forces for the international community to come and support the Haitian police,” Guterres also noted.

“We also discussed [with Henry] different steps that are being taken … for credible elections to be able to take place,” the UN Chief admitted.

Henry, who took power in 2021 days after the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse, has repeatedly postponed elections citing insecurity concerns, although he has pledged to leave office by Feb. 7, 2024. Port-au-Prince is surrounded by armed groups, which prevent access to the northern and southern regions of the country, and dominate access routes to water, food, health care, and other services, affecting citizens.