Haiti

Haitian President-elect Michel Martelly has criticised the "desperately slow" pace of reconstruction in his country.

The United Nations envoy for Haiti said today that the recent successful electoral process in the Caribbean nation is a demonstration of the resilience of its people and an indication of their determination to build a better country for themselves.

Haitians must embrace the rule of law to advance peace and prosperity, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon stresses in a new report, adding that the country and its new leadership will require sustained international support to achieve this goal amid a set of daunting challenges.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has appointed new force commanders for the United Nations missions responsible for helping to foster stability in the Middle East and in Haiti. … Mr. Ban has also appointed Major General Luiz Eduardo Ramos Pereira of Brazil as Force Commander of the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), which has been on the ground since mid-2004 when violence erupted in the small Caribbean nation.

The international community gave its blessing on Monday to Haiti's presidential run-off and urged Haitians to calmly wait for the first results due next week to ensure a credible, transparent outcome.

Voicing deep concern at acts of violence marring the campaign for Sunday’s elections in Haiti, some of them fatal, the United Nations today called on all candidates, especially those in the presidential run-off, to avoid threats, intimidation and harassment.

The 3,500-strong United Nations police force in Haiti is planning to reinforce its support of national police for the presidential run-off election on 20 March.

The United Nations peacekeeping mission in Haiti is conducting a two-pronged campaign to combat crime and violence, tracking down gangs while providing job training for youths in the impoverished country’s two largest cities.