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Haiti - Security : Reduction of Minustah, friends of Haiti very reserved 15/09/2014 11:20:59
Recall that in its latest report on August 29 on the Minustah, the Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon had recommended to the Security Council to extend for one year the mandate of the Mission until 15 October 2015, while proposing a withdrawal of the Mission in two stages. Initially, he proposes to reduce troop levels to 2,370 men by June 2015, namely: the headquarters of the force, with its supporting elements, two mechanized battalions, an engineer company, a level II hospital and a air fleet ready to assume the necessary airlift capability. Secondly, the force could be reduced further, perhaps to a battalion with elements empowering appropriate, following the presidential election in 2015 and the establishment of a new government, if the situation allows it. With this smaller staff, the military component will only assist the Haitian institutions if the National Police was not able to restore order with the help of the police component of the police of the Minustah. Uruguay, speaking on behalf of the Group of Friends of the Secretary-General for Haiti, for its part, expressed reservations about a decline in military strength of the Mission. Hoping that a decision of the Security Council on this issue taking into account the ground realities rather than budget requirements. The Delegation of Chile, abundant in the same direction as those of most South American countries, recalled that the only mission of maintaining peace on the continent had to succeed. It stated that 11 South American countries, including Chile, had written a letter to Secretary-General last month, to inform him of their point of view resolutely hostile to a hasty reconfiguration of the Minustah. The Chilean representative suggested that such staff reduction is considered after the presidential election scheduled in 2015. María Cristina (Argentina) expressed concern, however, over the acceleration of the timetable for the reconfiguration of the Mission. That acceleration did not seem to be linked to the situation in Haiti but to budgetary and other outside concerns. It was important to proceed with caution and make decisions according to the situation on the ground. The security sphere had not improved enough to support an abrupt troop reduction. The mandate should be kept as is and reconsidered in 2015. MINUSTAH had made an essential contribution to the stability of Haiti, but such events as the earthquake presented added challenges and slowed progress. Lessons learned from too hasty withdrawals should be kept in mind. Monica Bolaños Perez (Guatemala) stressed that it was also vital that security and trust reign with military and police on the ground, and that the United Nations must maintain an adequate presence. In regards to recommendations the Mission’s forces be reduced by half, she stressed that measures must be avoided that “put into risk the holding of elections”. The phase of consolidating the Mission was ongoing, and at that completion only should the reconfiguring and restructuring take place. Such decisions needed to be based on the reality on the ground. Gustavo Meza-Cuadra Velasuqez (Peru) said that the presence of Minustahg, to which his country had contributed, remained critical to help consolidate progress in stability and democracy in Haiti. Given the gaps in National Police capability, he stressed that an accelerated reconfiguration of the Mission would not be prudent, even given the budgetary considerations. The reconfiguration should be based on progress on the ground. History had shown that progress was endangered when missions had been drawn downed prematurely. Denis Régis (Haiti) of the Minustah, which would have a reduced presence on the ground, but maintain a military component of appropriate scale that would provide relevant support to Haitian institutions only when situations of enforcement would exceed the capacity of the latter. "We hope that this mandate, renewed and reconfigured, can afford to maintain a presence in the Mission which is consistent with the real needs of Haiti and the demands of the time." He added that this presence would continue to be a valuable support for Haitian institutions, particularly in the context of the next electoral cycle, providing for legislative and municipal elections this year and presidential elections in 2015. HL/ HaitiLibre
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