Joint Statement Under Item 10: Concern About the Situation in Haiti
The United States joined the following statement delivered by Brazil on behalf of a group of 14 countries.
ITEM 10: GENERAL DEBATE. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND CAPACITY-BUILDING
STATEMENT BY A GROUP OF COUNTRIES IN THE AMERICAS
As Delivered by Brazil Ambassador Mr. Tovar Da Silva Nunes
October 6, 2022
I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of thirteen countries, as well as my own country, Brazil.
In line with the recent comments by the interim High Commissioner, at the beginning of the current HRC session, we are deeply concerned about the rising levels of violence in Haiti, involving gangs and other armed criminal groups.
Unless urgent action is taken at the domestic front, the deteriorating circumstances on the ground threaten to overwhelm state institutions and undermine the human rights and humanitarian situation in the country.
We are alarmed by reports about systemic attacks by criminal gangs, especially on women and girls, and on humanitarian assets, which may hamper the ability of international agencies to operate in the country. We are especially concerned about the state of affairs in the prison and justice systems.
We are committed to continue engaging with Haiti, at the bilateral, regional and international levels, to build the necessary consensus to address the current crisis and promote sustainable solutions. To that effect, we reaffirm our support for meaningful and effective dialogue between the government, political parties and civil society in Haiti, in order to agree on concrete steps to combat the escalating violence and protect human rights on the ground.
We reiterate the need for a Haitian-led political process to conduct inclusive, peaceful, free, fair and transparent legislative and presidential elections, as soon as security conditions and logistical preparations permit.
In this regard, we call on the Office of the High Commissioner to redouble efforts of technical cooperation and assistance to Haiti, as well as humanitarian assistance provided by the appropriate UN agencies, in order to support the country to face the complex situation on the ground from a human rights and sustainable development perspective.
Supporters: Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Peru, the United States, and Uruguay.
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