The United Nations: Russia and China have expressed opposition to a U.S.-backed push to turn the Kenya-led multinational force in Haiti into a UN peacekeeping mission. This move comes as gangs in Haiti have escalated their attacks, including shooting at four aircraft, which has led to the closure of the Port-au-Prince airport. On Tuesday, gangs also targeted the upscale neighborhood of Petionville.
The UN estimates that gangs now control around 85% of Haiti’s capital and have expanded their presence into surrounding areas. In response to the worsening violence, the U.S. proposed transforming the Kenyan-led force into a UN peacekeeping mission in early September, partly to secure steady funding for the multinational force, which is facing a serious financial crisis.
The U.S. attempted to gain approval from the 15-member UN Security Council last week to start the transformation but was met with resistance from Russia and China. Instead of supporting the proposal, both countries called for a Security Council meeting on Wednesday to make their opposition clear.
China's Deputy UN Ambassador, Geng Shuang, pointed out that the Security Council had extended the mandate of the multinational force just a month ago. He argued that discussing a shift to a peacekeeping operation at this stage would only complicate efforts to resolve the force's funding issues and secure the police promised to Haiti. Geng emphasized that peacekeepers should be deployed only in areas where peace exists, and since Haiti is far from peaceful, sending peacekeepers would simply put them in direct conflict with the gangs.
Russia’s Deputy UN Ambassador, Dmitry Polyansky, voiced his concern about the situation in Haiti, calling it "shocking" and blaming the U.S. and other countries for not properly funding the multinational force. Polyansky also argued that the current conditions in Haiti are not suitable for a UN peacekeeping mission. He stated that peacekeepers should focus on maintaining peace, not on fighting crime in urban areas or trying to stabilize a country in the middle of internal conflict.
Both Russia and China agreed that Haiti’s immediate needs should be addressed by providing the multinational force with necessary resources, funding, and expertise. Polyansky warned that without these resources, there may soon be no one left to host future peacekeepers.
Haiti's government has called for a UN peacekeeping force, and the Organization of American States (OAS) recently passed a resolution on November 13 supporting Haiti's request for such an operation.
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