Topic:
Country: United Kingdom
Delegate Name: Andre Stoll
There is currently not a single elected official in the Haitian government, a government that has control of less than 20% of its capital. This is due to the ongoing tragic conflict in the region, in which over 150 opposing gangs and criminal organizations have seized control of the majority of the country. This ongoing anarchy and violence has completely disrupted Haitian food and water supplies and has left over 40% of the nation with secure access to food and drinking water. As a result, the number of children in Haiti suffering from malnutrition has increased by over 30% in the past year alone. Over 200,000 Haitians are internally displaced and over 60,000 have fled from the country. Refugees from Haiti have faced racism and ethnic violence in other nations, and have also been deported back to Haiti, further perpetuating violence and humanitarian issues in the nation. At least 2,000 people have been killed this year alone, and countless more have been wounded, raped, and abused. Haitian police and military have proven ineffective in combatting the gangs, and some have accused the government of being corrupt and collaborating with the criminal groups. Humanitarian workers have not been spared from the violence, and have been reportedly kidnapped and/or killed. Some cities exist in a state of complete anarchy, and in at least one city the sewage system has been destroyed, resulting in residents living in garbage heaps amid sewage-flooded streets. This situation mirrors the crisis that occurred in the early 2000s in Haiti which required UN peacekeeping intervention, and the UN Security Council (UNSC) will likely have to send armed forces to end this current outbreak of violence.
The United Kingdom (UK) has had relations with the country of Haiti since before it even was an independent state and assisted the Haitians in their revolution against the French in the early 1800s. Since then, the UK has maintained relations with the country and has an embassy in the now embattled capital of Port-au-Prince. The UK assisted with international efforts to assist Haiti in the past and continues to attempt to limit the violence ongoing in the nation in its current crisis through a variety of efforts. The UK has frozen international assets belonging to gang forces in Haiti and groups backing the gangs. Additionally, the UK has leveled strict sanctions against Haiti that have included restrictions on the sales of firearms to the nation and limited travel status for numerous actors in the region. The UK has championed the idea that sanctions alone will not solve the crisis in Haiti, and is a major supporter of the upcoming UN-backed peacekeeping mission to Haiti.
The UN has had a long and controversial history of involvement in Haiti, dating back to the 20th century. The UNSC deployed a force in 1993 and again in 2004 to attempt to restore peace and government function to the country following a series of coups and violence. However, this mission was plagued with accusations of abuse of power, including sexual assault. It was also accused of the introduction of a cholera outbreak that led to the deaths of over 10,000 people. The mission restored order in Haiti to some extent, but through violent and forceful means, destroying gangs through techniques that also harmed Haitian civilians. As such, the mission was widely criticized and disbanded in 2017. Almost immediately after the UN exited the region, gangs began to reestablish themselves and the current crisis began to take place. The UN Security Council has responded to the current situation by authorizing a peacekeeping mission led by Kenya consisting of a multinational armed force.
It is the opinion of the UK that the situation in Haiti must be resolved through force, and countries in the region should support the Kenyan group through military and financial assistance. However, once the gangs are dealt with, a long-term plan must be implemented, or else the UN risks repeating what happened the last time its mission left. The UK believes that the UN should aid in restoring food and water to Haiti, as well as provide humanitarian and medical care. Additionally, after peace has been restored, the UN should help hold and oversee elections, to ensure the continuation of democracy in Haiti. Finally, the UNSC must establish some form of semi-permanent mission in Haiti dedicated to the reforming and reintegration of gang members, or else gang violence will likely continue in the future. These actions must occur as soon as possible, as the longer this conflict continues, the more innocent people starve and the more refugees are forced to flee the country.
