“[…] we have discussed, in particular, the situation in Haiti.  Haiti is in a tragic, tragic situation. You have dramatic humanitarian needs. You have a political system that is paralyzed, and you have levels of violence by gangs that are absolutely appalling.   

The number of people killed, the number of people unable to live their lives, the dramatic food insecurity problems are indeed something that needs a much stronger commitment by the international community.   

We have a political problem, the need to bring the different stakeholders together to find the political way for a legitimate government to be recognized by all, at the moment in which that political process is successful.   

And we need to address the violence of the gangs. I made a proposal to the Security Council a few months ago that I can see that it would be necessary, in the context of the support, the equipment and training of the national police force, to be able to have the presence of an international robust police force to crack down on the gangs, and in parallel with a political process to create the conditions for a team to be able to address its dramatic situation.   

This has been a difficult exercise. It has been difficult to mobilize the will of those that would have the best capacity to lead this operation. And it has been difficult to create, also, the political conditions to make it easier for different countries to accept to be part of this action.   

And here, once again, I want to pay tribute to Jamaica.   

First of all, Jamaica was the first country that immediately expressed its readiness to be part of this operation and second, Jamaica -in the context of CARICOM -, is involved in a very important political process trying to bring together the different stakeholders to find their way out of this political crisis.   

And I know of the visit that was paid to Haiti, and I know that a new meeting is scheduled, and that three eminent personalities were put in charge of leading this process of dialogue.   

I want to express my full support to the initiatives of Jamaica and CARICOM. And I want to once again, ask the international community to understand that an effective solidarity with Haiti is not only a matter of generosity, it is essentially a matter of enlightened self-interest. Because the present situation in Haiti reflects a threat to the security of the whole region and further afield.  […]”