Haiti

Mr. President, Mr. Secretary-General of the United Nations, Excellencies, Heads of State and Government, Ladies and Gentlemen, Heads of Delegation, Distinguished Delegates, Dear Compatriots,

I have the immense honor of representing, here at the podium of the United Nations General Assembly, at a particular crossroads in its history, the Haitian people, dignified and proud, who, despite storms of every kind, have always managed to rise again. As the world's first Black Republic, Haiti carries within it the pride of a heroic struggle for freedom and human dignity. Today, it finds itself at a decisive crossroads. It is therefore with the weight of this history and the hope of a better future that I address you, calling for the active solidarity of the international community.

Allow me first to extend my warm congratulations to you, His Excellency Philémon Yang, former Prime Minister of Cameroon, on your election as President of this 79th session of the General Assembly. Haiti stands firmly by your side and assures you of its full support throughout your mandate, so as to make this session a success for the entire international community.

Allow me also to salute the excellent quality of the work accomplished during the 78th session by your predecessor, His Excellency Mr. Dennis Francis of Trinidad and Tobago, who conducted the proceedings with skill, wisdom, and leadership.

I also take this opportunity to express, on behalf of the Haitian people, our deep gratitude to you, Secretary-General António Guterres, for your visit to Haiti. Your presence on our soil and your unwavering support for our efforts before the Security Council, particularly to strengthen the Haitian National Police, as well as your recent interventions on Haiti's behalf, have been greatly appreciated and will remain etched in our memory.

I wish to express my deepest gratitude to the international community for the support given to my country in these times of crisis. This solidarity, whether expressed through security initiatives, humanitarian aid, or development support, is greatly appreciated. Through this continued and better-adapted cooperation, Haiti will recover stronger, more resilient, and will confidently pursue its steady march toward development and progress.

I salute here all Haitian compatriots throughout the world who, while remaining attached to their native land, are compelled to seek more welcoming shores in order to earn their living. Everyone recognizes that they are hardworking people. I want to tell them, wherever they may be, that the Presidential Transitional Council and the Government are thinking of them as we await the conditions that will allow them to return home. I take this opportunity to salute Amnesty International and other human rights organizations that closely monitor violations of the rights of Haitian migrants around the world.

Allow me, on behalf of the Haitian people, to extend fraternal greetings to all the friends of Haiti who have shown solidarity with the migrants from our country, particularly those residing in Springfield, Ohio, in the United States. The long history of friendship and mutual solidarity between our two nations, dating back to our participation in the Battle of Savannah in 1779, allows us to say with confidence that the American people reject any incitement to hatred against our community. The active participation of Haitian immigrants at various levels of life in the United States is tangible and significant.

In this regard, the passions that naturally arise during an election campaign should in no way serve as a pretext for xenophobia or racism in a country such as the United States, a nation forged by immigrants of all origins and one that has established itself as a model of democracy on the world stage.

Mr. President,

Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The theme of this 79th General Assembly, "Leaving no one behind: acting together for the peace, sustainable development and dignity of present and future generations," resonates deeply with the major challenges the world faces today. This theme is an urgent call for unity and international cooperation in a context where inequalities, conflicts, and the climate crisis are exacerbating the vulnerability of millions of people around the globe. As many nations struggle to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), it is more necessary than ever to ensure that all voices, particularly those of the most marginalized, are included in global decision-making processes.

This theme is also of paramount importance in the context of the current crisis in Haiti. It embodies the very essence of our struggle to restore peace and stability, while ensuring that every Haitian citizen, man and woman alike, can enjoy their fundamental rights. Acting together, as the theme emphasizes, is essential for Haiti, because our recovery cannot be fully achieved without this international solidarity.

Mr. President,

Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Today, our world faces challenges of unprecedented scale, challenges that deeply concern the entire international community. The United Nations, in its historic mission to promote peace, security, and sustainable development, finds itself on the front line facing crises that threaten not only isolated nations but humanity as a whole.

Climate change is undoubtedly one of the greatest perils of our time. According to recent data from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the global temperature has already risen by approximately 1.1°C since the pre-industrial era. This rise has caused an intensification of extreme weather events such as hurricanes, droughts, and floods—disasters that particularly affect the most vulnerable nations, such as Haiti.

In 2023, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) estimated that more than 100 million additional people risk falling into poverty by 2030 due to the effects of climate change. For Haiti, one of the countries with the lowest greenhouse gas emissions but one that suffers the most devastating impacts, this global crisis exacerbates our difficulties in guaranteeing food security, access to clean water, and economic stability.

Armed conflicts also continue to sow destruction and devastate human lives. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the number of forcibly displaced persons reached 110 million in 2023, a figure never before so high in human history. Whether in Syria, Ukraine, or the Sahel region, these prolonged conflicts exacerbate poverty, destroy vital infrastructure, and lead to massive flows of refugees. The world cannot remain idle while millions of men, women, and children flee violence in search of safety and dignity. The engagement of the international community is more necessary than ever to find diplomatic solutions and promote peacebuilding initiatives.

Another major challenge concerns the widening economic inequalities. According to UNDP's 2023 Human Development Report, nearly 1.2 billion people still live in multidimensional poverty, meaning they lack access to essential services such as health, education, and decent living conditions. The COVID-19 pandemic has amplified these inequalities, pushing millions more people into poverty. For nations like Haiti, the impact has been devastating. With one of the highest poverty rates, the country faces deep structural challenges. But these inequalities are not solely a Haitian problem; they are a global problem requiring comprehensive economic reforms.

Furthermore, challenges related to food insecurity have intensified in recent years. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), more than 735 million people worldwide suffered from hunger in 2022, an alarming increase reflecting the disruptions caused by conflicts, economic crises, and climate change. Haiti, unfortunately, is no exception. The World Food Programme (WFP) recently pointed out that nearly half of the Haitian population is in a state of acute food insecurity. This situation is not only a humanitarian emergency but a threat to the stability of our nation. We must work together to strengthen agricultural systems, ensure equitable access to food resources, and combat hunger in a concerted and sustainable manner.

Finally, technological progress brings new opportunities, but also new threats. The acceleration of artificial intelligence development, the proliferation of cyberattacks, and disinformation endanger the stability of democracies around the world. The report of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) shows that the digital divide remains a major challenge, with nearly 2.7 billion people still lacking access to the Internet in 2023. Haiti, being one of the least connected countries, must urgently receive support to bridge this digital divide and fully participate in the global economy of the 21st century.

This year, Haiti reaffirms its commitment to preserving our common heritage, the oceans. That is why I announce today, with pride, that Haiti will sign the Agreement on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ), adopted on June 19, 2023, and open for signature since September 20, 2023. This agreement is a crucial tool for guaranteeing the protection of marine biodiversity, promoting the sustainable use of marine resources, and strengthening the resilience of island states like ours in the face of the challenges of climate change. Haiti is determined to work with the international community to ensure that this agreement benefits all of humanity, while contributing to the protection of the marine ecosystems on which we all depend.

These global challenges can only be met through a renewed commitment to multilateralism, solidarity, and collective action. Haiti, despite its difficulties, stands ready to work with the international community to overcome these crises and build a future where peace, justice, and human dignity prevail. But we cannot achieve this alone. It is together that we must act to ensure that no one is left behind.

In proclaiming Haiti's independence on January 1, 1804, General Jean-Jacques Dessalines, the Founding Father of our homeland, gave Human Rights their universal character. In other words, with the triumph of the Haitian Revolution of 1804, which launched the process of dismantling the colonial and slaveholding order, Human Rights ceased to be solely the rights of the white man and became the rights of all men and all women—that is, the rights of all of humanity.

As such, as the representative of the Republic of Haiti and official spokesperson of the Haitian people, I feel obliged to draw the attention of the leaders of the great powers to the danger of nuclear war threatening the existence of peoples on every continent.

With this in mind, on behalf of the Republic of Haiti, I issue a heartfelt appeal to the Heads of State of all United Nations member countries, asking them to spare Humanity the peril of the end of civilization on Earth.

Mr. President,

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

I speak today with the experience of many years devoted to the service of my country. My political career, deeply rooted in Haiti's history, has allowed me to go through many trials, always with the same goal: the progress of my country; the restoration of pride and dignity, and the well-being of the wounded Haitian people. Having presided over the Senate of the Republic from 1995 to 2000, and having witnessed critical moments in our political history, I have seen firsthand the challenges our nation has faced. My political engagement dates back to a time when struggles for stability and democracy were omnipresent.

Today, as President of the Presidential Transitional Council (PTC), I once again find myself at a pivotal moment in Haiti's history. My journey has taught me that resilience and collective will are the only paths to guaranteeing a stable and prosperous future. It is with this vision, this dedication, and the strength drawn from this rich political experience that I commit to leading the Transition, determined to bring Haiti toward peace, security, and participatory democracy through the holding of the National Conference and the renewal of political personnel through free, credible, and transparent elections.

The Haitian people, despite the trials they face, refuse to be overwhelmed by despair. Challenges of unprecedented scale—devastating violence, persistent political instability, near-general precarity, and degrading poverty—confront their intelligence and their capacity for action. In the midst of this storm, they have understood that they must make a courageous decision: to come together, to unite despite deep differences, in order to rise up and move forward, in full confidence, toward emerging from the multidimensional crisis that has afflicted them for far too long.

The creation of the Presidential Transitional Council is a materialization of this decision, a tangible example of this will to reconcile with oneself. This Council, which brings together civil society organizations and all political tendencies of the country, is the result of long negotiations. It embodies the plurality of Haitian society. Its roadmap is clear: restore public security, organize free and transparent elections by the end of 2025, and restore confidence in state institutions. To achieve this, we, the highest-level officials of the State, know that we will need the support of the international community, but first we must rely on ourselves, on our resilience, our capacity to overcome divergences and internal divisions.

It is important to emphasize that resolving Haiti's problems rests, above all, on the shoulders of the Haitian people. It is our duty, as a sovereign nation, to take charge of our destiny, to overcome our divisions, and to build together a future of peace and prosperity. However, this responsibility does not fall on us alone. The international community, the United Nations, and the foreign powers that have often played a decisive role in Haiti's history also have an essential part to play in this process of restoring peace, economic recovery, institutional development, and the establishment of the rule of law. In this sense, Haiti's failure to recover is not solely that of one nation. It reflects a collective failure, a global inability to fully honor the principles of solidarity, justice, and international cooperation. It is together, with shared responsibility and renewed commitment, that we will be able to transform this crisis into an opportunity and chart a sustainable path toward peace.

Today, Haiti faces a security crisis of unprecedented gravity. The rise of armed gangs, widespread violence, and political instability have plunged the nation into a state of extreme vulnerability. Citizens live in fear, unable to move freely throughout the national territory, to go to work, or to send their children to school without risk, particularly in the metropolitan region of Port-au-Prince, the capital. This situation affects every aspect of Haitian society, weakens institutions, paralyzes the economy, and undermines hope for a better tomorrow.

The country's future is under threat. Fifty percent (50%) of gang members in the capital region are children and adolescents, both girls and boys. They are often used as cannon fodder in operations against law enforcement. They are subjected to serious violence of all kinds, including sexual violence. These abuses and acts of violence committed against children and adolescents must be considered a crime against humanity.

Restoring national security is an absolute priority for the Haitian authorities. They are fully committed to putting an end to this spiral of violence and restoring order, in order to guarantee every citizen, man and woman, the fundamental right to security. They are aware that peace and stability are the indispensable foundations that will allow Haiti to recover, restore confidence in its institutions, and ensure the socio-economic development of its people.

With this in mind, the Security Council's decision to authorize the deployment of the Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS) through resolution 2699 was a direct response to the appeals of the Haitian people. This mission, although not a conventional UN force, embodies the international community's commitment to supporting Haiti in its fight against insecurity. I express, on behalf of the Haitian people, my deep gratitude to the contributing states, particularly Kenya, for having agreed to take on the leadership of the Mission, as well as to all the countries that have provided their support. The national security forces, with the support of the Mission, have already shown tangible results on the ground, allowing the population to gradually regain a certain sense of normalcy. Much remains to be done.

Haiti has hosted several United Nations missions over the past three decades, notably MINUSTAH. While some of these missions helped temporarily stabilize the country, they also left behind a heavy legacy of consequences. Allegations of serious human rights violations, including sexual abuse, shook the trust of the Haitian people. The absence of prosecutions and reparations for victims reinforced a certain sense of impunity, undermining reconstruction efforts.

However, it is never too late to act rightly and to learn from the past. By rethinking our approach, we have the opportunity to restore the reputation of international missions in Haiti and to build a better future for the Haitian people. It is in this spirit that we wish to see reflection begin on transforming the Security Support Mission (MSS) into a Peacekeeping Operation (PKO) under the mandate of the United Nations. This transformation would not only secure more stable financing and expand the mission's capacities, but would also strengthen Member States' commitment to security in Haiti. I am convinced that this change of status, while ensuring that the mistakes of the past are not repeated, will guarantee the full success of the Mission in Haiti.

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

I stand today before this Assembly as the voice of the Republic of Haiti, a country whose history is inextricably linked to the ideals of freedom and justice that we all celebrate here. But Haiti, the world's first independent Black nation, is also the great victim of a historical injustice that not only delayed its development but also marked its people with a burden whose repercussions are still felt today.

In 1825, barely 21 years after having won its freedom at the cost of a heroic struggle, Haiti was forced to pay a colossal debt to France, its colonizer, in exchange for recognition of its independence. This ransom, imposed under threat, drained the resources of the young nation, plunging it into an infernal cycle of impoverishment from which it still struggles to escape. This debt was a form of punishment for its boldness in freeing itself from the chains of slavery and raising the Haitian being to the dignity of Man. It was an unjust penalty that stifled the economic and social potential of the Black people of Haiti for generations.

In today's context, where attention is more than ever focused on efforts to restore security without delay and to respond to the immense humanitarian needs in Haiti, it seems important to me to draw the Assembly's attention to the aftereffects of the colonial past and the ransoms paid to certain powers, which have heavily mortgaged Haiti's development. It is worth recalling that Haiti was the only country to have paid for its independence, even though that independence was won through fire and blood. On the eve of the bicentennial of this unprecedented event in world history, has the time not come for the restitution of the sums extracted?

In this regard, my country has welcomed the proposals put forward by a number of Governments, as well as certain United Nations agencies, for concrete actions toward the recognition, reparation, and restitution of past wrongs. Haiti places its unreserved trust in the United Nations, whose pillars are the struggle for equality among peoples and the maintenance of peace among nations, to play its role, particularly in establishing appropriate mechanisms to facilitate dialogue between countries that were victims of colonization and former colonial powers.

Here, at this 79th session of the General Assembly, Haiti is present, through me, not merely to demand reparation, but to raise a question of principle—that of immanent justice. My approach is resolutely committed, structured, and well documented. The National Committee for Restitution and Reparation, in collaboration with the CARICOM Reparations Commission, has already undertaken extensive work on this subject. We call for the recognition of a moral and historical debt and the implementation of fair and appropriate reparations that will allow our people to free themselves from the invisible chains of this unjust past.

Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

History teaches us that nations do not rise from isolation, but from the union of forces, from resolute commitment to building a common future. Haiti, this land that offered the world an unshakeable symbol of freedom and that helped several nations free themselves from the yoke of barbaric colonialism, does not seek charity, but justice, respect for its dignity, and its right to a dignified and prosperous existence. The challenges we face today are certainly immense, but they are not insurmountable. They demand of us all a shared vision, a deep sense of our common humanity, and the determination to transform crises into opportunities for renewal.

Every nation, large or small, rich or vulnerable, holds a share of our collective future in its hands. It is in this interdependence that the true strength of multilateralism lies. May this general debate be the moment when we reaffirm our unwavering commitment to peace, human dignity, and sustainable development, for what we do today will resonate for centuries to come. History will judge how we responded to the challenges of our time. Together, in a spirit of solidarity and cooperation, we can and must build a future where no people, no nation, will be left behind.

Long live Haiti!

Long live international cooperation!

TOMORROW, ANOTHER COUNTRY!

TOMORROW, ANOTHER WORLD!

Thank you for your attention.