Seven countries notify Guterres of their intention to contribute to the support force for Haiti – Current Affairs

In a statement, Guterres’ spokesperson’s office indicated that other countries have expressed interest, including publicly, but have not yet notified the secretary-general of this intention.

The international security support mission in Haiti, approved by the UN Security Council in October to support the local police in combating organized crime groups, currently has 18 million dollars (16.8 million euros), which was deposited in a trust fund.

According to Guterres’ spokesperson, of this total, 8.7 million dollars were provided by Canada, 3.2 million dollars by France and six million dollars by the United States.

“We thank all those who contributed and we urge all Member States to ensure that the mission receives the financial and logistical support it needs to succeed”, appealed the UN.

The first quarter of 2024 was the most violent since at least the beginning of 2022 in Haiti, a Caribbean country devastated by gangs, with at least 1,660 homicides, 50% more than the last quarter of 2023.

“Between January and March 2024, at least 2,505 people were killed or injured as a result of gang-related violence,” according to the quarterly report from the UN mission in Haiti (Binuh), released last week.

“This represents an increase of more than 53% compared to the previous period (October-December 2023), making the first three months of 2024 the most violent period since Binuh established its human rights monitoring mechanism at the beginning of 2022”, he added.

Haiti has been ravaged for decades by poverty, natural disasters, political instability and worsening gang violence.

Since late February, powerful Haitian gangs have banded together to attack police stations, prisons, the airport and the seaport in an effort to oust Prime Minister Ariel Henry.

The latter resigned on March 11 and this month a Presidential Transition Council was created, without putting an end to the crisis.

Since the end of February, “more than 4,600 detainees have escaped from the capital’s two main prisons, at least 22 police stations and sub-stations and other police buildings have been looted or burned and 19 police officers have been killed or injured”, pointed out the UN.

Gangs also continued to resort to sexual violence against residents of rival neighborhoods, the UN mission highlighted in the report, denouncing in particular the gang rapes suffered by young girls.

“Gang activities have severely limited access to essential services, including health care and education, and exacerbated food insecurity,” lamented Maria Isabel Salvador, head of the UN mission, cited in a statement calling for the acceleration of the deployment of the UN mission. international security to be led by Kenya.