Tuesday, in a report to the Security Council, the Secretary General of the UN Ban Ki-moon asks to consider to further reduce the size of the UN Mission in Haiti (Minustah). He recommends a further reduction of 15% in the number of peacekeepers in Haiti due to the improvement of safety and of training program of the Haitian National Police (PNH), which goes as planned.

The report states that the promotion which will complete his training in November, will bring the number of police officers in Haiti to 11,200 for a target of 15,000 active police officers in 2016.

This additional reduction of 15% would allow to pass the authorized troop of 6,270 men to 5,021 by June 2014 [The Mission also includes 2,600 police officers].

This reduction would be the second since October 2012 where military personnel had increased from 7.340 to 6.270 ans police force from 3.241 to 2.601 during the renewal of the mandate of the Minsutah.

Furthermore, in this report the Secretary General of the UN, states that it wishes to meet with the Haitian government and the Member States about the best way for the United Nations to continue contributing towards greater stability and development in the country, indicating that it was considering the possibility of replacing the peacekeeping mission, by an Assistance Mission smaller, but with more specific goals by 2016.

HL/ PI/ HaitiLibre