Haiti

Presenting the Secretary-General’s report on MINUSTAH, Sandra Honoré reported that the country had made “measurable gains towards the holding of long-overdue elections” by the end of 2015, despite the lingering “uncertainty” caused by the absence of a functioning Parliament.

Visiting members of the U.N. Security Council on Sunday called for Haiti to organize credible elections as soon as possible and for the country's leadership to govern responsibly and inclusively in the absence of a functioning legislature. … Justice Minister Pierre-Richard Casimir asked the U.N. delegation not to make the planned troop reductions until Haiti's elections were over. Besides the long-overdue legislative vote, Haiti is due to hold presidential elections this year.

Haiti's new government is headed up by Prime Minister Evans Paul, a former mayor of Port-au-Prince and an unsuccessful contender in the 2006 presidential elections when he received just 2.5% of the vote.

A new prime minister has taken office in Haiti as the country enters a period of political uncertainty after the dissolution of Parliament because of a stalemate between lawmakers and the president.

Parliament in Haiti has been dissolved after the failure of last-ditch negotiations over a new electoral law.

Urging all Haitian stakeholders to form a consensus Government, the top United Nations official in in the country joined the ambassadors of several countries today in deploring the fact that the Haitian Parliament became “dysfunctional” after failing to hold elections within its constitutional framework.

Hundreds of people in Haiti have marched through Port-au-Prince, demanding the resignation of President Michel Martelly. The protest turned violent as police used tear gas to disperse the crowd.

Laurent Lamothe, Haiti's prime minister, has announced he is resigning along with several ministers in the wake of violent anti-government protests and a commission's call for him to step down.

Thousands of anti-government protesters have clashed with police in Haiti's capital Port-au-Prince. They burned tyres and threw stones at officers who responded with tear gas. The protesters want President Michel Martelly and Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe to resign and long-overdue elections to be held.

The United Nations Security Council today adopted a resolution renewing the mandate for the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) in the Caribbean nation, urging political stakeholders in the country to fully commit to the democratic process and calling on international donors to strengthen their efforts in helping the Government.