In meeting yesterday in Montevideo [Uruguay] the Ministers of Defence and Foreign Affairs of the nine South American Nations (UNASUR) that make up the bulk of the troops of the UN Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) have agreed to propose to the Security Council "a strategy of gradual withdrawal of the military component."

Celso Amorim the new Brazilian Minister of Defense has called, during this meeting, to a decrease of 15% of the staff of the UN peacekeeping mission in Haiti, aiming to hand over to the Haitians the responsibility for the security of their country. The Brazilian Minister said that Brazil was negotiating with the United Nations to initiate this withdrawal, but that it would maintain its troops in Haiti until the local forces are ready to take over.

Mariano Fernandez, the head of the Minustah has indicated that he will make the request to the Security Council within a week.

Commanded by Brazil since 2004, the mission currently has 12.300 men from 18 contributors, a majority of the staff comes from the Latin American countries (Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, Guatemala, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay).

See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-3755-haiti-security-tomorrow-thursday-important-day-for-the-future-of-the-minustah.html

S/ HaitiLibre