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ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL AND CHIEF OF THE OAS SPECIAL MISSION DESCRIBE THE SITUATION IN HAITI AS GRAVE

Assistant Secretary General Luigi Einaudi and the Chief of the OAS Special Mission for Strengthening Democracy in Haiti, David Lee, today made presentations to the Permanent Council regarding the disturbing situation in Haiti. During the meeting, the Council considered two documents: The Second Report of the Secretary General on the Implementation of CP/RES. 822, on which the Assistant Secretary General had made an oral presentation at the January 16 meeting, and The Work Program and Resource Requirements of the OAS Special Mission for Strengthening Democracy in Haiti.

Highlighting the work of the OAS Special Mission on security, human rights, justice and governance, Chief of Mission Lee noted that the Mission operates with a long term view but on the basis of short term actions. He praised the specific and integrated nature of the terms of reference that have been negotiated with the Government of Haiti for activities of the Mission and the Government on security, particularly electoral security, and disarmament and called for the conclusion of terms of reference for projects in other areas, such as human rights, impunity and reform of the judiciary. Haitian Ambassador Raymond Valcin confirmed the detailed commitments entered into with the Special Mission and requested that member states provide additional resources for the Mission for this purpose.

At the same time, both the Assistant Secretary General and Chief of Mission Lee underscored the deteriorating political and economic environment in Haiti, stressing that action is urgently required on the establishment of the Provisional Electoral Council and that failure to do so soon will seriously affect the country’s ability to hold elections this year on the basis of CP/Res. 822. Notwithstanding discussions with the international financial institutions (IFIs), multilateral assistance flows remain hampered by Haiti’s arrears to the IDB. The economic situation borders on the point of desperate in parts of the country.

There was substantial agreement that the many parties involved in Haiti --from the government and the opposition to civil society and the international community—should find ways to act simultaneously, a process the Haitian Ambassador described as “walking in concert.”

Spirited interventions were subsequently made by the Ambassadors of St. Lucia, Guyana, Canada, Grenada, the Dominican Republic and Panama, the Deputy Permanent Representative of the United States, as well as the alternate representative of Venezuela. St. Lucian Sonia Ambassador Johnny called for the visit of a group of Foreign Ministers to Haiti to reinforce the message and work of the Special Mission. Calling on all parties and entities in Haiti to honor their obligations under 822, the US Deputy Representative, Ambassador Peter Deshazo also suggested that “the Permanent Council send a mission to Haiti with representatives from the Permanent Council, non-OAS Friends of Haiti, and the international financial institutions, and led by the Assistant Secretary General.”

Reference: E-018/03