This mission was given the green light in October last year to provide assistance to local police in Haiti, which is suffering from violence by criminal groups.
The mission is led by Kenya, and there are currently 410 police officers on the ground. This number of security personnel is likely to increase to 2,500. Currently, Haiti is in the grip of a serious crisis.
The situation turned from bad to worse a few months ago when criminal gangs tightened their grip on the capital, Port-au-Prince. During this time, they attacked police stations and other important government institutions and broke into jails and freed thousands of prisoners.
Airplane flights were halted and the then Prime Minister Ariel Henry resigned. Due to gang violence in Haiti, millions of people have been forced from their homes.
Against this background, efforts are being made by the Multinational Security Mission to curb the violence, so that it becomes possible to meet humanitarian needs in a safe environment and pave the way for free and fair elections.
The 15-member Security Council, voting unanimously on Monday on Resolution 2751, urged the mission to accelerate the deployment process. Also, all countries have been requested to provide voluntary contribution and support for this mission.
It has been made clear in this proposal that UN Secretary Generalmay, upon request, provide operational support to the Mission. But this will have to be fully funded, and the process will have to take into account UN human rights policies.
unprecedented security crisis
Last week on Thursday, Haiti’s transitional government, President Edgard Leblanc Fils, addressed the UN General Assembly and warned that his country was facing an unprecedented security crisis.
“Civilians are living in fear instead of moving around freely or going to school, especially around the capital Port-au-Prince.” In view of this, he urged the United Nations to provide support for Haiti.
The violence has also led to a surge in humanitarian needs in Haiti, with more than half of the country’s population suddenly facing hunger.
Haiti’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Antonio Rodrigue, welcomed the extension of the mission’s duration, but cautioned that it needed to be transformed into a full-fledged UN peacekeeping mission.
At the same time, financial support will have to be increased, more security personnel will have to be deployed for the mission, and the mission will have to be transformed into a peacekeeping mission, which is not only necessary but also an immediate step.