UN chief says Haiti urgently needs international security force and humanitarian aid
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PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres visited Haiti on Saturday and again called on foreign governments with strong security forces to help the struggling country fight a surge in gang violence. The appeal was made after Guterres met with Prime Minister Ariel Henry, civil society leaders, U.N. staff and the heads of various political parties during his one-day trip. “Now is not the time to forget Haiti or weaken our solidarity with its people,” he said.
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres visited Haiti on Saturday and again called on foreign governments with strong security forces to help the struggling country fight a surge in gang violence.
The appeal was made after Guterres met with Prime Minister Ariel Henry, civil society leaders, U.N. staff and the heads of various political parties during his one-day trip.
“Now is not the time to forget Haiti or weaken our solidarity with its people,” he said.
Guterres said he spoke about the issue with Henry, as well as the need to hold credible elections.
“I am not here to tell Haitians what to do. I am here to listen to them and to encourage them to build consensus as broadly as possible to move the transition process forward,” he said.
“Haiti must return to democratic order as soon as possible,” Guterres said.
“I felt all the exhaustion of a population that has been facing for too long a cascade of crises and unsustainable living conditions,” Guterres said. “One in two people in Haiti live in extreme poverty, face hunger and lack regular access to drinking water.”
Guterres is scheduled to attend a summit Sunday in Trinidad and Tobago held by Caricom, a Caribbean trade bloc.
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Associated Press writer Dánica Coto in San Juan, Puerto Rico, contributed to this report.
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