On Thursday, June 25, 2026, at the annual session of the United Nations Peacebuilding Commission in New York, Sandra Paulemon, Minister of Planning, addressed the UN General Assembly, where she advocated for a lasting peace based on hope and opportunity.

In her address, the Minister commended the commitment of the United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, particularly following his recent visit to Haiti (https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-47769-speech-by-sg-antonio-guterres-before-leaving-haiti.html), and emphasized that behind the statistics usually cited about Haiti are millions of human beings facing the daily consequences of violence.

Minister Paulemon illustrated her speech with the stories of two young Haitians : a young girl whose dream of becoming a nurse was shattered when violence forced the closure of her school, and a thirteen-year-old boy recruited by a gang at an age when he should have been learning mathematics and dreaming of his future.

"These two stories remind us of a fundamental truth: women must not be condemned to remain victims. Children are not born to become criminals. With opportunities, they can once again become builders of peace," the Minister explained.

For Sandra Paulemon, security is essential, but it will not be enough. She specified that it must be accompanied by justice, youth employment, the protection of women, the gradual return of the state, and the restoration of trust between citizens and institutions. "Security can silence the guns. But only peace can rekindle hope.

Peace is a mother regaining her dignity. Peace is also a father returning home with the hope of being able to feed his family and watching his children sleep, believing that tomorrow will be better than today," she said.

The Minister also advocated for strengthening the link between humanitarian action, peacebuilding, and development, believing that this complementarity is the only path to lasting stability. "When humanitarian aid saves lives, when peacebuilding restores confidence, and when development creates opportunities, then we create the conditions for true stability," she asserted.

On behalf of the Government, Minister Paulemon reiterated her gratitude to the Peacebuilding Commission and the Peacebuilding Fund (PBF), whose investments have strengthened the State's capacity, supported Disarmament, Demobilization, Reintegration, and Community Violence Reduction (DDR-CVR) programs, promoted the Women, Peace, and Security agenda, and financed several community infrastructure projects.

She also delivered a clear message to the international community : "Haiti is not asking for charity. Haiti is not asking for pity. Haiti is asking for peace."

See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-47769-speech-by-sg-antonio-guterres-before-leaving-haiti.html

HL/ HaitiLibre