Statement delivered by H.E. Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, Permanent Representative of Guyana to the UN, on behalf of the A3+, at the Security Council Adoption of Resolution on Haiti Sanctions

Thank you, Madam President,

I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the A3+, namely Algeria, Sierra Leone, Mozambique, and my own country Guyana.

The A3+ welcomes the unanimous adoption of resolution 2752 renewing the Haiti sanctions regime and mandate of the Panel of Experts. We thank the co-penholders, Ecuador and the United States, for their constructive efforts throughout the negotiations and for delivering, yet again, a consensus text.  

By unanimously adopting this resolution today, the Security Council reaffirms its strong commitment to curbing gang violence in Haiti and to helping the men, women, and children who have been victimized by brutal gang violence for far too long.   

We also welcome the Council’s decision to broaden the scope of the arms embargo, covering all types of weapons and ammunition, and to include activities that destabilize Haiti through the illicit exploitation or trade of natural resources, demonstrating yet again its readiness to respond to the evolving situation on the ground and the demands of the Haitian people.

We stress the importance of greater coordination among the Sanctions Committee, Panel of Experts, BINUH, UNODC, and other regional frameworks, to implement the sanction measures, as called for in this resolution, and encourage them to work together to raise awareness among Member States and relevant Haitian authorities, on the provisions of those measures. We see this as a critical step to strengthening the implementation of the sanctions regime and encourage all UN Member States to fully comply with its provisions.

We also urge the international community to scale up support to the Haitian National Police (HNP), where needed, so that they can meet the expectations outlined in this resolution by bolstering their capacity to combat illicit firearms and ammunition trafficking, the illicit possession and misuse of such weapons, and border and customs control.

These efforts must also go hand in hand with the continued advancement of a transparent Haitian-led and-owned political process and support for the humanitarian response.  

We commend the progress being made in the implementation of the transitional governance arrangements and underscore the need for more robust support from the international community to help address, holistically, the security and humanitarian challenges in Haiti. The humanitarian response is critical to addressing the pressing needs of those affected by the crisis, including by providing protection services for women and children; addressing their immediate and long-term food and nutritional needs and preventing famine. It is also critical to ensuring that displaced children have access to a safe and protective education; and ensuring access to water, hygiene, and sanitation services. These efforts, together with the restoration of security and the promotion of economic recovery are critical components of the overall effort to strengthen the country’s stability and improve the living conditions of the Haitian people.

We would like to emphasize the crucial work of the Committee in continually updating the sanctions list to include individuals and entities responsible for insecurity in Haiti.

In closing, Madam President, I wish to extend our appreciation to the Panel of Experts for their excellent work in service of justice and accountability for the victims of gang violence in Haiti and to our fellow Council members for their constructive engagement on this text.

I Thank You.