Miroslav Jenča (DPPA-DPO) on Haiti - Security…

Assistant Secretary-General Miroslav Jenča today (2 Jul) told the Security Council that Haiti has continued to witness a sharp erosion of state authority and the rule of law there, with brutal gang violence affecting every aspect of public and of private life.

Jenča, who visited Haiti in January, said, "I was struck by the profound transformation of Port-au-Prince. The capital city was, for all intents and purposes, paralyzed by gangs and isolated as a result of the ongoing suspension of international commercial flights into the Toussaint Louverture International Airport. Since then, gangs have only strengthened their foothold, which now affects all communes of the port au Prince metropolitan area and beyond, pushing the situation closer to the brink."

On the political front, he said, "clear divergencies among stakeholders are apparent regarding the feasibility of holding a constitutional referendum and elections by February 2026," and added that "any delays or efforts to undermine the political transition, reaching the 7th February 2026 deadline for the installation of a newly elected executive and Parliament would be worrisome. Haiti cannot afford a drift in the political transition."

Jenča said, "despite their best efforts," the Multinational Security Support (MSS) and the Haitian National Police "have been unable to make headway in restoring state authority, and without the additional security support from the international community, the outlook is bleak."

He said, "additional voluntary contributions to the MSS trust fund are needed to sustain the mission and ensure the achievement of its objectives."

Jenča told the Council that the Secretary-General's recommendations that were contained in his letter of 24 February, proposing to establish a UN support office to provide logistic and operational support for the MSS, are a realistic and practical proposal to address Haiti's immediate security needs.