Mr. President,
Distinguished Members of the Council,
Excellencies,
As we start a new year, there are high expectations for tangible progress on the political and security track in Haiti to bring the transition to a close. To achieve this, political responsibilities must be assumed, security efforts, sustained, and international engagement must remain focused and coherent.
Monsieur le Président,
Haïti est entrée dans une phase critique de son processus de restauration des institutions démocratiques. Les arrangements de la transition actuelle prendront fin le 7 février.
Il est impératif que les acteurs nationaux s'efforcent de contenir la fragmentation politique, de mettre de côté leurs divergences, de préserver une continuité institutionnelle et de se concentrer sur l'organisation des élections. Soyons clairs : Le pays n’a plus de temps à gaspiller dans les luttes intestines prolongées. La situation exige que les autorités, les institutions étatiques, les partis politiques, la société civile, le secteur privé et les leaders religieux et communautaires – priorisent l'intérêt national et agissent avec responsabilité et retenue.
Monsieur le Président,
Une convergence autour de dispositifs de gouvernance efficaces au-delà du 7 février reste essentielle pour faire progresser et mener à bien la transition, renforcer la reddition de comptes et accélérer les préparatifs électoraux.
At this critical juncture, I have continued to exercise the good offices of the Secretary-General in support of Haitian-led efforts to ease political tensions. Engagement with political stakeholders, civil society, women and youth groups, and institutional counterparts has focused on fostering inclusive exchanges around security, electoral priorities, governance challenges and impunity concerns. BINUH will continue to facilitate inter-Haitian consultations and encourage stakeholders to engage constructively on ways to create the necessary conditions to end the transition and restore democratic institutions.
Mr. President,
Steps taken in recent months to advance electoral preparations are particularly encouraging. The adoption of an electoral decree on 1 December and the publication of an electoral calendar on 23 December provide an operational framework for moving forward after years of delay.
New legal provisions on voter registration, diaspora participation, women’s political inclusion and the decentralization of vote tabulation, if effectively applied, stand to contribute to credible and inclusive elections. In particular, the introduction of new requirements on women’s representation on candidate lists, coupled with financial incentives, constitutes an important step toward addressing longstanding barriers to political inclusion.
The Prime Minister declared 2026 an electoral year. Achieving this goal will require sustained coordination among relevant institutions, predictable financing of the electoral process and security conditions that allow all voters and candidates to participate without fear.
In this regard, the United Nations remains engaged in supporting the Provisional Electoral Council, to help ensure that preparations advance in a manner that is technically sound, inclusive and credible. I stand ready to further lead and reinforce the United Nations engagement on this front and coordinate international assistance to national efforts to hold elections.
Distinguished Members of the Council,
Gangs continue to demonstrate the capacity to mount coordinated attacks, exert control over key economic corridors and agricultural regions, force displacement, stretch humanitarian response capacity, and push police resources to its limits. Intentional homicides in 2025 increased by nearly 20 per cent compared with 7,574 in 2024.
At the same time, sustained pressure on gangs has yielded results. National security forces have intensified operations to reclaim territory and disrupt gang activity. In some parts of Port-au-Prince as well as the Artibonite Department, police operations, supported by the Gang Suppression Force, have led to the reopening of some road networks.
In the heart of the capital, Port-au-Prince, limited improvements are visible. State presence around the Champ de Mars, where the National Palace and several key ministries are located, is gradually being restored.
The challenge now lies in expanding and sustaining security gains as well as creating conditions for the delivery of basic services to communities. Without this, security improvements risk reversal.
Distinguished Members of the Council,
The transition of the Multinational Security Support Mission to the Gang Suppression Force, alongside the establishment of the United Nations Support Office in Haiti (UNSOH), as authorized by resolution 2793, represents a critical step to enhance international support to assist Haiti.
I welcome the progress made for the establishment of UNSOH with the support of Haitian and Dominican authorities, as Under-Secretary-General Khare informed this Council last week. I also welcome the appointment of Mr. Jack Christofides as Special Representative for the Member State-led Gang Suppression Force and I look forward to working closely with him to ensure coordination and complementarity in our joint support to Haitian institutions.
Recognizing the positive momentum created by the Force Generation Conference last December, I would like to take this opportunity to reiterate the urgent need for Member States to continue to provide the Gang Suppression Force with the necessary resources to execute its mandate, including through voluntary contributions to the UN-managed Trust Fund.
At the same time, immediate security objectives must be balanced with longer-term strengthening towards the autonomy of national security institutions. The benchmarks annexed to the report of the Secretary-General provide a framework for progress, accountability and sustainability in this regard.
Mr. President,
Lasting stability will require renewed efforts to design and implement credible pathways for disengagement from violence and reintegration into society, particularly for youth and children. Gangs continue to recruit and exploit children by manipulating grievances and daily suffering of ordinary citizens from marginalized neighborhoods.
From this perspective, reinstating a national authority on Disarmament, Dismantlement and Reintegration remains a priority. A nationally led approach on DDR is essential to complement enforcement measures led by national security forces with the Gang Suppression Force.
BINUH, working alongside the United Nations Agencies Funds and Programs, will continue to support national authorities in designing and implementing safe exit, DDR and CVR initiatives, prioritizing children.
Mr. President,
The humanitarian situation remains a source of grave concern.
Approximately 6.4 million people require humanitarian assistance in Haiti, placing the country among the largest humanitarian caseloads in the region. The humanitarian response remains underfunded. Last year, Haiti was one of the least funded global humanitarian appeals. In 2026, $880 million is required to help 4.2 million among the most vulnerable.
Mr. President,
The period ahead is crucial for Haiti. Managing the political calendar, supporting still-fragile stabilization efforts, and addressing persistent humanitarian needs will directly determine the country's ability to progress toward credible elections and a gradual return to normal institutional functioning.
The developments we have observed demonstrate that progress is possible, but that it remains reversible. Such progress requires continued national commitment, unwavering international support, and close coordination among the security, political, humanitarian, and stabilization components. Any disruption to this coherence would pose a real risk of setbacks.
In this particular juncture, unwavering and timely support from the Security Council is as important as ever.
Thank you.
