Haiti

Without an inclusive national pact on critical priorities, President Michel Martelly faces the spectre of a failed presidency, and Haiti risks international abandonment. “Governing Haiti: Time for National Consensus”, the latest report from the International Crisis Group, examines the race against time to convince its own people, donors and potential investors that progress and stability are still achievable.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has appointed Mr. Nigel Fisher of Canada as his acting Special Representative for Haiti and Head of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH).

Mariano Fernandez Amunátegui, Special Representative of Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for Haiti, welcomed, in that context, work begun by the country’s President and the President of the National Assembly to organize local, municipal and mid-term legislative elections by the end of the year.

Mr. Martelly said the government had directly received only one third of the aid pledged.
Aid donors needed to co-operate more closely with the Haitian government, he added.

The Organization of American States (OAS) has intensified its support to Haiti following the visit of a technical mission to this Member State.

Haiti must focus on strengthening its rule of law institutions, including its national police and electoral council to consolidate the gains it has achieved in recent years, the United Nations Security Council heard today as it reviewed developments in the Caribbean country.

Haitian Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe and more than 50 national and international non-governmental organisation (NGO) representatives defined today a new roadmap to better coordinate the transition from Haiti’s humanitarian to a long-term development phase, with increased accountability and transparency.

“Haiti is at a crossroads. If the right steps are taken on a number of key issues, there is potential for progress – but at the same time, there are risks of backsliding,” said the Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, Ivan Simonovic, who just finished a four-day visit to the Caribbean nation on Saturday.

The report covers major developments from the issuance of the GS report of 29 February 2012 (S/2012/128) until 31 August 2012.