New York, 21 avril 2025

Monsieur le Président, 

Mesdames et Messieurs les Membres distingués du Conseil, 

Excellences, 

Je vous remercie de m'accueillir une fois de plus aujourd'hui pour m’adresser à vous en cette période critique pour Haïti. 

Depuis mon dernier exposé au Conseil en janvier, la situation sécuritaire en Haïti s'est encore une fois dégradée. Cette fois-ci, je veux lancer un cri et un appel qui puissent vous aider à mieux comprendre ce que risque d’être un point de non-retour dans la crise haïtienne. 

Since late January, organized criminal groups have launched coordinated attacks to expand territorial control and undermine the state authority. They targeted Kenscoff, the last road out of Port-au-Prince not fully under gang control, and advanced simultaneously into Delmas, downtown Port-au-Prince, and Pétion-Ville—areas previously spared—deepening the city's destabilization. 

Attacks also spread across the West, Centre, and Artibonite departments, signaling a strategy to stretch national security forces. Most recently, gangs seized Mirebalais. During the attack, over 500 inmates were freed in the fifth prison break in under a year—part of a deliberate effort to entrench dominance, dismantle institutions, and instill fear.

The scale and duration of this violence overwhelmed the Haitian National Police, despite support from the Armed Forces of Haiti and the Multinational Security Support Mission, further obstructing stabilization. 

In February and March alone, 1,086 people were killed and 383 others injured. According to the International Organization for Migration, over 60,000 were forcibly displaced in the past two months, adding to the one million already displaced by December 2024. These numbers are expected to rise.    

L’échelle de la violence a semé la panique parmi les Haïtiens, qui craignent le total effondrement de l'État sous la pression des groupes criminels. Beaucoup se sont organisés pour protéger leurs quartiers, leurs familles et communautés. 

Ces derniers jours, la frustration a poussé des milliers de citoyens à manifester pour réclamer des mesures plus efficaces, tandis que certains politiciens ont exploité cette insécurité croissante pour contester le pouvoir en place.

Les autorités nationales ont intensifié leurs efforts, dans la limite de leurs moyens, pour renforcer les forces de sécurité et améliorer la coordination entre la police, les Forces armées d’Haïti et la Mission multinationale de soutien à la sécurité. 

Le 14 avril, un budget révisé a été adopté pour soutenir les capacités de la police et de l’armée. Il est essentiel que toute mesure future renforce les institutions de sécurité, dans le respect de l’État de droit, sous autorité civile, et en conformité avec les normes en matière de droits humains.

Néanmoins, je dois être très franche, responsable et honnête : tout effort du gouvernement haïtien ne suffira pas pour réduire significativement l’intensité et la violence des groupes criminels.

In this context—and this might sound repetitive—stepping up international support for Haiti is more critical than ever, particularly through increased funding and operational capacity for the Multinational Security Support Mission. 

I commend Kenya’s steadfast leadership and thank all contributing Member States. But at this critical juncture, all Member States must increase support to Haiti’s security forces—particularly the Multinational Security Support Mission—not as a matter of choice, but of necessity as no viable alternative remains. 

The Secretary-General’s 24 February letter to the Council provides proposals that must be urgently considered.

Monsieur le Président, Excellencies, 

As the security crisis affects all aspects of life in Haiti, the UN’s presence is also strained. The ongoing isolation of the capital—due to suspended commercial flights since November 2024 and blocked road access—remains the greatest operational challenge. In response, BINUH and UN agencies have adopted hybrid modalities and reduced their presence in Port-au-Prince to maintain operations and deliver life-saving support.

However, without sufficient and predictable funding, even a minimal UN presence may become unsustainable, jeopardizing our ability to meet mandate priorities. I thank the World Food Programme and UNHAS for ensuring access under extreme constraints and urge continued and scaled-up support to WFP Haiti. 

Without this critical lifeline, UN operations could be further reduced—at a time when the country needs us most. 

Monsieur le Président,

Malgré les énormes défis sécuritaires, les autorités haïtiennes, avec le soutien du BINUH, ont pris des mesures pour faire avancer le processus politique. Le Conseil présidentiel de transition, dirigé par M. Fritz Jean, a réaffirmé l’engagement de tenir des élections pour transférer le pouvoir à des autorités élues d’ici février 2026, conformément à l’accord conclu il y a un an. 

Le Comité de pilotage de la Conférence nationale a mené de larges consultations dans les départements du pays et avec la diaspora sur la révision constitutionnelle, tandis que le Conseil électoral provisoire a lancé des consultations avec les acteurs politiques et de la société civile et avancé dans les préparatifs administratifs et logistiques. 

Le PNUD a redéfini son projet d’appui électoral, et une Task Force des agences de Nations unies, sous la direction du BINUH, a été créée selon les recommandations de la Mision d’Évaluation de Besoins. Malgré ces progrès, nombreux sont ceux qui s’inquiètent de la faisabilité du calendrier, la détérioration sécuritaire compromettant les préparatifs essentiels à l’organisation d’un référendum et d’élections inclusives, participatives et crédibles.

BINUH remains committed to supporting authorities and stakeholders in engaging constructively on how to realistically advance electoral preparations, while understanding that restoring security and a stable environment is essential to end the cycle of transitional arrangements and replace it with democratically elected institutions.

In light of the deteriorating environment and based on the Secretary-General’s message, it is vital to align BINUH’s scope with on-the-ground realities. 

Strategic prioritization of the mandate—grounded in the current security context and available resources—is essential to allow the Mission to deliver meaningfully on core responsibilities: political dialogue, national capacity support, community violence reduction, human rights protection, and enabling conditions for democratic renewal. This is a call to focus BINUH’s efforts where they can be most impactful, sustainable, and credible.

Amid widespread insecurity, BINUH continues to support governance improvements and political progress. We are working closely with the newly appointed National Commission for Disarmament, Dismantlement and Reintegration. Its installation reflects determination by national authorities to advance, despite the challenges.

The work on the National Strategy for Community Violence Reduction and a draft law on weapons and ammunition are steps toward reducing violence.

I welcome the Government’s recent decree creating specialized judicial units to address heinous crimes, financial crimes, and corruption, and its commitment to prosecuting white-collar criminals and financiers of criminal groups, as well as strengthening control over arms and illicit trafficking.

The UN in Haiti has long supported these efforts through advocacy and technical assistance. I urge the authorities to implement these measures without delay.

I also call on this Council to renew its engagement and support for the Sanctions Committee and Panel of Experts—including by adding names to the sanctions list and urging Member States to fully enforce the arms embargo. 

Justice is a system; it requires every part to act for it to function.

Haiti’s humanitarian crisis has reached critical levels. Cholera outbreaks and gender-based violence—especially in displacement sites—are widespread. Insecurity has closed 39 health facilities and over 900 schools in Port-au-Prince. 

I urge Member States to support the 2025 Humanitarian Response Plan. The UN remains committed to helping deliver life-saving assistance—especially to women, girls, and children—and to promoting social peace through government-led efforts.

Monsieur le Président,

Haiti has reached a pivotal moment. As I have already said, we are approaching a point of no return. As gang violence continues to spread to new areas of the country, Haitians experience growing levels of vulnerability and increasing skepticism about the ability of the state to respond to their needs. 

The national security forces, while deploying their utmost effort, cannot succeed without a unified, strategic command structure—free from political interference and operating under civil authority. In addition, they require more specialized anti-gang units, better equipment, and improved working conditions.

However, and it must be said, without timely, decisive and concrete international assistance, the security situation in Haiti may not change. 

Haiti could face total chaos and any delay in your support could be a direct cause of such stark deterioration. I urge you to remain engaged and answer the pressing needs of the country and its people.

For its part, notwithstanding the enormous security challenges that we face, BINUH, as mandated by this Council, will spare no effort in supporting the Haitian-led political process towards the restoration of democratic institutions, as soon as conditions are met.