New York – 24 September 2026 :
It is really a pleasure to be with you today.
Let me begin by thanking the ECOSOC Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Haiti and the leadership of Canada for bringing us together once again and for its continued engagement on Haiti.
I would like to focus my remarks on what we are seeing from the ground and, particularly, on what we think will be required to translate progress on security into sustainable stabilization.
It all starts with security. So let me start with security.
As the Security Council considers the renewal of the Gang Suppression Force’s mandate before the end of this month, sustained international unity around the Force remains essential.
The renewal of the GSF is fundamental. But renewal is only part of the equation. The GSF must reach full deployment and operational capacity as early as possible, while Haitian authorities continue to strengthen their security forces.
And at the same time, we need to be ready for what comes next.
Because conducting security operations, as important as is, is only the first step. The real test is whether we can hold those gains and translate them into lasting change for the Haitian population.
When an area becomes accessible again, the State and basic services need to follow: police and local authorities, but also schools, justice institutions and economic activity.
Otherwise, the vacuum remains and gangs have an opportunity to return.
This means that national authorities, the United Nations, development partners and international financial institutions need to be ready to act quickly and in a coordinated manner whenever security openings emerge.
This also means that Haitian institutions must be at the center of the response. One of the clearest lessons from past international engagement in Haiti is that gains will only be sustainable if national institutions are able to establish their presence, deliver services and build confidence with communities.
But holding territory is only one part of the challenge.
We also need to address the ability of gangs to recruit – as the Prime Minister has said - and replenish their ranks, while strengthening efforts to stem the flow of weapons and ammunition that continues to fuel violence.
This is where disarmament, dismantlement and reintegration - DDR - becomes an integral part of the security and stabilization response.
The work under way with the Haitian authorities to develop a comprehensive, Haitian-led DDR framework is therefore critical.
And DDR cannot wait until security has been restored. It needs to work alongside security pressure: creating credible pathways for those willing to disengage, individually or collectively; establishing appropriate pathways and safeguards for children; and preventing further recruitment.
This is not about weakening the security response, nor is it about offering impunity to gang leaders. It is about making security pressure more sustainable. As pressure on gangs increases and incentives begin to shift, mechanisms must already be in place for those seeking to leave violence behind.
And this is precisely why justice must be part of the equation from the outset.
Communities that have suffered enormously from gang violence need to see a clear distinction between pathways from disengagement and pathways to impunity.
The challenge is therefore to advance security, DDR and justice together.
Maintaining pressure on gangs; creating differentiated pathways, particularly for children; while ensuring accountability for those responsible for serious crimes.
In this regard, progress towards the operationalization of the specialized judicial units is particularly important to effectively investigate and prosecute serious crimes.
Finally, these efforts must also help support and sustain political progress. The electoral process – as said by the Prime Minister – is under way, but its pace and reach will ultimately depend on the establishment of minimum security conditions.
Reopening strategic roads, restoring State presence and improving freedom of movement are therefore not only security objectives. They are also essential for restoring the space in which political and democratic life can take place.
As Haitian institutions consider the adjustments that may be required to advance the electoral process, it will therefore be important to maintain momentum towards elections, preserve confidence in the process, and avoid allowing uncertainty over the way forward to become a further source of instability.
I will conclude with one central point: progress on security, DDR, justice and elections cannot be pursued in isolation. Each needs to create the conditions for progress in the others.
Without credible pathways out of violence, security gains will remain fragile; without justice, DDR risks being perceived as a pathway to impunity; and without political progress, none of these gains will ultimately endure.
Ensuring these efforts reinforce one another is precisely at the core of the UN and BINUH’s mandate in Haiti: working alongside Haitian authorities and international partners to support an integrated response.
But achieving this also requires sustained and coordinated international support.
This is where this Ad Hoc Advisory Group can play an important role: sustaining international attention, mobilizing support and helping align it behind Haitian-led priorities.
And we now have a concrete mechanism to help translate that collective commitment into action. The recently launched Multi-Partner Trust Fund provides this opportunity to bring partners and resources together behind these shared priorities. We now need to ensure it is fully utilized as a vehicle for continued and coordinated support to Haiti.
This is a window of opportunity that we cannot miss. This is a window of opportunity to work collectively alongside Haitian authorities. It must be seized.
Thank you.
