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Statement by Hon. Fred Mitchell, Minister of
Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of The Bahamas, and Chairman of The
Council for Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR) of the Caribbean
Community at the Open Debate at The United Nations Security Council on
the Situation in Haiti, 27 March 2006
March
28, 2005
Mr.
President,
The Caribbean
Community appreciates the opportunity to participate in this debate,
which is taking place during a critical phase in Haiti’s transition to
constitutional rule.
On 7 February 2006,
after two years of calamitous trials, the people of Haiti in large
numbers demonstrated their yearning to be governed by persons of their
choice. The tremendous courage, determination, discipline and patience
they displayed in exercising their franchise
is commendable. The Member States of the CARICOM Community
congratulates His Excellency Mr. Rene Preval on his election to the post
of President of the Republic.
There is no room,
however, to be complacent about the process that led to this result; the
electoral season in Haiti has not yet ended. Every effort must be made
by all involved to rectify the organizational shortcomings which
bedeviled the presidential and legislative elections of 7 February, and
which have led to the delay of the second round, as well as the
postponement of the inauguration of the President-Elect. The attachment
of the people of Haiti to the democratic process demands no less.
Similarly, the preservation of the integrity of the electoral
process is of paramount importance for the legitimacy of the new
government, the future stability of the country and the development of
the Haitian society. The importance of the local and municipal
elections, essential building blocks in Haiti’s constitutional system
of democratic governance, should not be allowed to fade
from our awareness.
In the past, the
Caribbean Community has offered its own electoral expertise; it takes
this opportunity to reiterate its offer.
It is ready, and intends, to field again an electoral observation
mission for the second round of the legislative elections and for the
local government elections in company with other international support
groups.
Mr. President,
The principled
position adopted by CARICOM two years ago is well known. We were of the view that
the fundamental tenets of democratic practice and behaviour had been
compromised in the process of seeking
a resolution to the Haitian political impasse. As the Caribbean
Community emphasized in this very Council Chamber during the debate of
12 January 2005 on the situation in Haiti, “We cannot vacillate on
principle since it is essential to our security as small states”.
From the outset,
the Caribbean Community indicated its willingness to welcome the return
of Haiti to its Councils once
constitutional rule had been restored. In his recent letter of
congratulations to the President-Elect, His Excellency René Préval,
the CARICOM Chairman intimated that that process was well on the way to
being achieved since President-Elect Preval’s victory “opens the
path to the re-engagement of Haiti at the highest levels of the Councils
of the Community given the all-embracing endorsement of your election as
a reflection of the will of the people”.
The Chairman also
emphasized that the Caribbean Community stands ready to accompany the
government and people of Haiti as they confront the many challenges in
their quest for the sustained political, economic and social development
of their country. In this regard, the Community proposes to meet soon
with the President-Elect to better determine how best it can contribute,
and continue to make good, on its commitment to the people of Haiti.
Mr. President,
A new dawn of hope
is rising in Haiti. This opportunity must not be squandered. The people
of Haiti, the regional community, and the international community will
have to coordinate their respective roles and inputs. Yet ultimately,
the responsibility for coming together, for working together, for
transforming hope and expectation into uplifting reality lies ultimately
with the Haitian people themselves.
Stability and
security are imperative. Without these essential cornerstones there can
be no social and economic progress, there can be no revitalization of
the fundamental institutions of governance, the judiciary and police in
particular.
Reconciliation, bridge-building, compromise and respect for
each other must become key elements of a new Haitian ethos and polity if
the people of Haiti are to overcome the deep social and political
divides which have historically impeded progress; if Haiti is to rise to
the multiple, complex and deep-seated challenges that await; if the
country is to find consensus on the direction it must take in order to
grasp the opportunity of transformation. Towards this end, the Interim
Administration has a primary rule of law obligation to fulfill before
relinquishing office, as well as an opportunity full of symbolic
resonance to contribute to the new dawn by bringing to urgent completion the judicial processes that will
ensure the release of the numerous persons arrested arbitrarily and kept
in detention without legal justification or adjudication over the past
two years.
Stability and
security will also require a renewed emphasis, adapted to the realities
of Haiti, on disarmament, demobilization and social reinsertion. In this
regard, the peacekeeping mission has a key role to play in collaboration
with the relevant Haitian authorities. The multiplicity and activities
of illegally armed groups of all persuasions constitute an ominous
impediment, certain to thwart the best intentions and efforts aimed at
fostering a
peaceful environment, economic
recovery and political renewal.
Mr. President,
As Haiti moves
towards the post–electoral phase and the establishment of a new
constitutional government, it will be necessary for the United Nations
to reaffirm its commitment to Haiti and to review the role of the
peacekeeping mission, MINUSTAH, with greater emphasis being placed on
its peace building aspects. In this context, the Government of Haiti,
under President-Elect Preval, will no doubt wish to consider whether the
newly-established Peacebuilding Commission can make a useful
contribution to Haiti’s recovery.
We believe that the coordinated efforts of the relevant
actors evolving from the advice to be proffered by the Peacebuilding
Commission could provide Haiti with invaluable assistance for its
reconstruction and institution-building process by ensuring integrated
strategies and predictable financing, among other things.
At their meeting
last month, the donor community renewed their commitment to long-term
engagement with Haiti. This is extremely encouraging, as Haiti will
require both the resources that the donors can provide as well as
collaborating with the international community over the long-term for
its recovery and development.
The proposed
stocktaking between the donors and the new authorities should facilitate
whatever adjustments are necessary in the ongoing Interim Cooperation
Framework (ICF) to take into account the new governance arrangements and
priorities. The review should also help to identify the accomplishments
and strengths as well as the gaps and weaknesses that need to be
addressed in order to increase the effectiveness of the international
financial assistance. Though
some $780 million dollars pledged in the context of the ICF had been
disbursed as of the end of December 2005, the lot of the ordinary
Haitians has not improved appreciably.
The return to constitutional rule and democracy must produce
early, visible dividends in order to promote further stability and to keep hope alive.
Mr. President,
Helping Haiti to
overcome the difficulties it previously experienced
in seeking to become an integral part of the Caribbean Community
will constitute a priority for CARICOM in its assistance to Haiti. An
important aspect of this effort will involve facilitating the smooth
integration of Haiti into the CARICOM Single Market, which came into
being on 1 January 2006, and into the various programmes and
institutions that coordinate and underpin the functioning of the
Community.
With the green
light of the new constitutional authorities, the Community will also
seek to build on the activities it set in train during the transition
period in the areas of institutional development for the establishment
of a permanent electoral council; completion of a study, with
recommendations, of Haiti’s energy and fuel needs
an academic conference on the transition to democracy bringing
together the region’s universities; and the provision of French
translations of key CARICOM documents of a technical nature. CARICOM’s
contribution will be constrained only by its lack of resources and not
by a shortage of political will.
Mr. President,
The road ahead for Haiti will be long and difficult. Building
democracy and creating the conditions for stability and for social,
political and economic development will require the dedicated engagement
of the Haitian government and people.
A long-term horizon of commitment from the international
community will also be required. In this connection, the support in the
field provided to Haiti by the United Nations peacekeeping mission (MINUSTAH)
and its key contributing nations, the Organization of American States,
and the donor community must be commended.
Haiti is a small
but complex society. The nature of the problems to be overcome is such
that expectations on all sides, Haitian and international, should be
tempered and remain realistic. Success may have to be measured in small
increments. However, the opportunity for Haiti to move from instability
and deprivation to peace and development is once more present. It should
not be lost.
I thank you Mr.
President.
While in New York, Minister Mitchell also met with Haitian President elect Rene
Preval. |
