PRIME Minister Andrew Holness has issued a plea to European Union (EU) member states to contribute to the financial resources needed to alleviate the humanitarian and security challenges facing Haiti.
Addressing the third European Union (EU) Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) Summit in Brussles, Belgium, on Monday, Holness, who is the region’s lead voice on Haiti, highlighted the deteriorating situation in that country as he called for urgent action.
“We know that the EU and individual EU countries have been providing technical and financial support. This is well-appreciated, especially as Europe confronts the ravages of war on its own front step. However, much more is needed to ease the suffering of the Haitian people. The comparative benefit/potential results which could be derived from the contributions sought are truly worthy of consideration,” said Holness.
“We are therefore calling on the EU and EU member countries to play a more active part. More particularly, we point out that the 2023 UN Humanitarian Response Plan — which requires US$720 million to support some three million Haitians affected by extreme gang violence, hunger and cholera — is currently only 23 per cent funded.
“The Haitian National Police, the only legitimate defence for the ordinary Haitian, is in need of financing, training and equipment to tackle the deplorable security conditions. The UN Basket Fund, established for this purpose, is also in need of further funding,” added Holness.
He told the summit that Jamaica and other Caribbean countries are prepared to play their part, within their limited resources, in providing training and other assistance to the Haitian National Police.
Holness pointed out that during a recent visit to Haiti, United Nation’s Secretary General António Guterres highlighted the depth of the crisis facing that country as he recalled that a recent earthquake and flooding have compounded the existing political and economic turmoil and widespread insecurity — especially for women and girls — as a result of gang violence.
“Citizens fighting back with vigilante justice and the gang’s further efforts at repression mark a dangerous phase of deterioration which we cannot afford to ignore,” argued Holness as he noted that the insecurity in Haiti is well known and has impeded access to health care, education, and other basic goods and services.
“It is most certainly undermining efforts for a lasting solution which the ordinary Haitian people desperately want, one that is Haitian-owned and Haitian-led,” said Holness.
The prime minister also pointed out that Caricom heads of government discussed the issue when they met in Trinidad recently, and underscored the need for deliberate and urgent steps towards a solution to the political impasse.
“We agreed on an immediate need for a humanitarian and security stabilization corridor under the mandate of the UN Security Council, and that for this to materialise we need an urgent decision by the Security Council, reinforced by the support of the international community, in financing its establishment and providing the necessary human and other resources,” said Holness as he reiterated a call he had made to the Security Council when he addressed it on Caricom’s behalf last week.
Holness underscored that Caricom intends to continue its good offices role towards building consensus among Haitian stakeholders on a way forward.
He noted that the Caricom-established Eminent Persons Group, which comprises former prime ministers of The Bahamas, Jamaica and Saint Lucia, has just returned from Haiti where they held consultations with Haitian stakeholders.
“This was a follow-up to the discussions held in June in Kingston when, together with the then chairman of Caricom, I welcomed some 50 Haitian stakeholders to Jamaica for three days of talks.
“These talks, while not conclusive, allowed for the relevant parties to discuss openly, matters of interim governance and transition. We regret the lack of an outcome at this last meeting but we understand progress is not linear, although they remain hopeful,” said Holness.
“It is crucial that the international community commits to implementing strategic and targeted action that will allow Haitians to go about their daily lives and for the political process to make concrete progress,” Holness added.
