UN chief echoes call for int’l armed forces to quell crisis in Haiti

Secretary General of the United Nations Antonio Guterres yesterday urged the Security Council to consider as a matter of urgency the request by the Haitian government for the immediate deployment of an international specialised armed force to address the humanitarian crisis in the country.

In a statement on Sunday, a spokesperson for the UN secretary general said that Guterres remained gravely concerned about the situation in Haiti, which is facing an outbreak of cholera amid a dramatic deterioration in security that has paralysed the country.

The UN chief is pushing for the deployment of international armed forces in order to secure the free movement of water, fuel, food, and medical supplies from main ports and airports to communities and healthcare facilities.

Guterres yesterday submitted to the Security Council a letter with options for enhanced security support to Haiti as requested by the council in its resolution.

The comments from the UN chief come a week after Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry sought assistance from the international community to send a specialised armed force to the beleaguered Caribbean state that has been overrun by gang violence in the capital.

The blockage of the Varreux fuel terminal has brought critical services required to prevent the rapid spread of cholera to a standstill, including the distribution of potable water.

Noting that the most vulnerable sectors of the Haitian population are those hit the hardest, Guterres said that priority must be to save lives.

The secretary general has also called on Haitian stakeholders to rise above their differences and to engage, without further delay, in a peaceful and inclusive dialogue on a constructive way forward.

“The United Nations stands by the people of Haiti and will support efforts to build consensus, reduce violence, and promote stability in the country.”