Ban Ki-moon Recommends Renewal of MINUSTAH Mandate. Sept. 9, 2012, Haiti Libre
In the Report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Mission for Stabilization in Haiti (Minustah), dated August 21, 2012, and submitted to the Security Council on August 31, Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations recommends to renew the mandate of the Minustah for one year “Reaffirming my commitment to continue to focus the activities of the Mission, I recommend that the Security Council extend its mandate of one year, until 15 October 2013”
For the period covered by the report, Ban Ki-moon believes that the security situation remained relatively stable although punctuated by sporadic civil unrest due mainly to socio-economic demands and to the instability caused by members of the former armed forces. The report states that “The crime figures collected by the National Police and the Minustah show a sharp increase in the number of homicides during the period, with an average of 99 per month, from March to July 2012, against 75 in the same period in 2011, with a peak of 134 in July 2012 […] from March to July 2012, the number of kidnappings has decreased, reaching 10 per month against 14 during the same period, the previous year. The violence are still concentrated in large cities, the metropolitan area of Port-au-Prince and the densely populated municipalities that surround […] During the reporting period, 65% of homicides committed in Haiti have been in Port-au-Prince, 85% to 90% in the sensitive neighborhoods of the capital (Bel Air, Fort National et Martissant), Cité Soleil, Carrefour and Croix-des-Bouquets. […]” The report also notes that the National Police of Haiti “[…] continues to gain in efficiency, but is not yet ready, to fully ensure the internal security in the whole country. The military and police officers of the Minustah, have therefore continued to play a vital role in maintaining the security and general stability.”
In its resolution 66/273, the General Assembly decided to open a credit of nearly $650 million to finance the operation of the Minustah for the period from 1 July 2012 to 30 June 2013 if the Security Council decides to extend the mandate of the Mission beyond 15 October 2012, which leaves no doubt… HL/ HaitiLibre