The Security Council Tuesday decided to extend for one year the mandate of the United Nations Mission for Justice Support in Haiti (MINUJUSTH), while also laying out a staggered decrease in its uniformed personnel and requesting periodic progress assessments on the Secretary-General’s proposed drawdown and exit strategy.

Adopting resolution 2410 (2018) under Chapter VII the Charter of the United Nations by a recorded vote of 13 in favour to none against with 2 abstentions (China, Russian Federation), the Council extended until 15 April 2019 the mandate of MINUJUSTH. It further decided that MINUJUSTH would maintain 7 formed police units and 295 individual police officers until 15 October 2018 — to be adjusted down to five units between that date and 15 April 2019 — and that it would maintain the 295 individual officers until 15 April 2019.

Deciding that the reduction would take into account Haiti’s evolving security situation and be adjusted accordingly, the Council requested the Secretary-General to report on the implementation of the present resolution every 90 days, beginning on 1 June. Recalling the two-year, benchmarked exit strategy detailed in a 20 March report of the Secretary-General (document S/2018/241), it requested him to develop specific dates and indicators for achieving its benchmarks, with the goal of transitioning tasks and responsibilities to the Government.

The Council encouraged the Government to work with MINUJUSTH towards implementing those benchmarks, including adopting the draft Criminal Code and Code of Criminal Procedure, strengthening the judicial and correctional systems and increasing internal oversight and accountability mechanisms in the justice, corrections and police sectors. It further requested the Secretary-General to conduct a strategic assessment mission to Haiti and submit, by 1 March 2019, recommendations on the United Nations future role in the country including relating to a drawdown and exit.

In that vein, the Council affirmed its intention — based on the security conditions on the ground and Haiti’s overall capacity to ensure stability — to consider the Mission’s withdrawal and transition to a non-peacekeeping presence no sooner than 15 October 2019.

Speaking following the adoption, some Council members voiced support for the resolution’s specific stipulations and its commitment to taking Haiti’s evolving situation into account as MINUJUSTH proceeded to its drawdown and ultimate exit. Others, however, raised serious concerns that their positions on several key issues — especially the designation of the MINUJUSTH mandate under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter — had been ignored by the text’s sponsors and especially the penholder, the United States.

See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-24043-haiti-politic-towards-the-renewal-of-the-mandate-of-the-minujusth.html

HL/ HaitiLibre