"France wishes to reaffirm its solidarity with the Haitian people." [fr]

First of all, I would like to thank Special Representative Ms. La Lime for her presentation, as well as the Deputy Executive Director of the World Food Program and the Executive Director of the UNODC. I would also like to salute the presence among us of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Haiti and the Dominican Republic, as well as the Permanent Representative of Canada.

Dear colleagues,

There is an emergency in Haiti. And France is very concerned by the escalation of violence in recent weeks. It condemns the attacks against people, the blocking of roads and the looting that has been committed throughout the country.

We heard the concerns of the states in the region, which we share, at the meeting of the UN Economic and Social Council’s Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Haiti, which was chaired by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, last week.

The Haitian authorities must respond, and the international community must become more engaged. We are closely following the implementation of Resolution 2645 of July 15, 2022, which clearly reiterates our collective commitment to accompany Haiti towards a way out of the crisis, by defining our expectations and by mobilizing the United Nations more on the ground.

For my part, I have three simple messages:

First, France urges all Haitian political actors to find an agreement leading to the organization of democratic elections when the security conditions are met. We call on the political class to show responsibility in order to renew the dialogue and break the current deadlock. We will pay close attention to the report that the Haitian authorities must submit to the Council in order to present all the progress made.

Second, gang violence must be stopped. Criminal groups multiply their abuses with impunity, undermining the authority of the State and plundering its resources. As we all know, without security, there can be no rule of law and no development. We have taken action to strengthen the Haitian National Police, including through BINUH. And we will continue to do so. France stands ready to exert more pressure on all those who fuel the spiral of violence in Haiti. Support for effective justice and the fight against impunity must be our priority. In particular, the idea of an independent international investigation mechanism deserves to be further developed. France supports the principle of a resolution as it has just been presented by the representatives of the United States and Mexico.

Third, the violence of the last few weeks is linked to the alarming deterioration of the socio-economic and humanitarian situation. How can we hope to stabilize a country where nearly half of the population is now suffering from hunger? There is an urgent need to reinforce humanitarian support and in particular food aid, as has been mentioned on many occasions. And we must guarantee supplies to the most vulnerable, ensuring access to the poor neighborhoods of Port-au-Prince and the provinces. We condemn the unacceptable looting of humanitarian stocks, dedicated to these populations.

In return, the Haitian state must strengthen governance and the accountability of its institutions, particularly in the fight against corruption. This is why the emerging cooperation with the UNODC is welcome.

In conclusion, France wishes to reaffirm its solidarity with the Haitian people. Together with the European Union and the International Organization of the Francophonie, France will continue to mobilize the international community to provide the necessary assistance.

Thank you.