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Delivered By Mrs. Amiera Alhefeiti, Deputy Permanent Representative

UNOFFICIAL TRANSLATION

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Mr. President,

At the outset, I would like to thank Ms. Helen La Lime, for her thorough briefing and their efforts in Haiti. We also welcome the participation of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs from Haiti and the Dominican Republic. We also welcome the representatives of Belize and the Organisation of Francophonie in today’s meeting.

Mr. President,

We strongly condemn the levels of extreme violence directly targeting civilians, including homicides, abductions and child recruitment, as gangs continue to exercise control of neighbourhoods and critical infrastructure in Haiti. We also condemn in the strongest terms acts of sexual and gender-based violence and its usage to terrorise, humiliate and control the population. We once more stress the need for an end to the violence and the need for calm. In this regard, we welcome the Government’s efforts to seek solutions that immediately respond to the violence and insecurity, and national, regional and UN initiatives in pursuit of developing strategies that can build the capacity of these institutions to tackle corruption and effectively increase well-equipped state presence in the long term.

We also look forward to discussing the options from the Secretary-General’s recent letter, and working with Council Members, including on two draft resolutions by the penholders, to support to the Haitian people at this critical juncture.

Mr. President,

The recent reports of the resurgence of cholera, severe food and water insecurity, and blockage of fuel facilities, particularly the main fuel terminal, further exacerbate the already multi-faceted socio-economic challenges that Haiti faces. We cannot let this escalate into another potentially severe health crisis. In this regard, we condemn the obstruction of basic services and delivery of humanitarian aid, and particularly the looting of such critical facilities. We reiterate the importance of ensuring the safe, immediate, and unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid to mitigate the suffering of the most vulnerable populations in Haiti. It is particularly relevant to keep this at the forefront during our current discussions on sanctions measures, to avoid any unintended implications on humanitarian efforts in Haiti.

Finally, there cannot be a sustainable, long-term answer to the economic, humanitarian and security crises in Haiti without finding a Haitian-led and Haitian-owned political solution. We note the Government’s update on the political track, and we call on all stakeholders to engage in good faith to arrive at a political settlement, and we continue to support BINUH’s engaging role in this regard. For all efforts to be sustainable, national dialogue must be inclusive, particularly with the full, equal and meaningful participation of women and the inclusion of youth, to create an environment conducive to peaceful elections, as soon as the security situation permits.  Any delay in efforts of finding a political solution will only prompt the gangs to continue their rampant violence.

In conclusion, the UAE will continue to participate constructively in discussions on action against armed actors in Haiti, including the sanctions measures currently under consideration. We reaffirm our appreciation of the efforts of BINUH and all UN staff in Haiti. The UAE also reaffirms its solidarity with the people of Haiti.

Thank you, Mr. President.