(2023-07) BINUH - Report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti

S United Nations /2023/492 Security Council Distr.: General 3 July 2023 Original: English United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti Report of the Secretary-General I. Introduction 1. The present report is submitted pursuant to Security Council resolution 2645 (2022), by which the Council decided to extend until 15 July 2023 the mandate of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH), in accordance with resolution 2476 (2019) establishing BINUH. The report includes significant developments since my previous report dated 14 April 2023 (S/2023/274) and provides an update on the implementation of the BINUH mandate. II. Political issues and good governance 2. Amid a rapidly deteriorating security situation, efforts have continued in order to broaden political consensus and further implement the National Consensus for an Inclusive Transition and Transparent Elections signed on 21 December 2022. 3. In line with the provisions of the Agreement, also known as the 21 December Agreement, in April the Government invited various civil society organizations, including the media, women’s associations, human rights groups, religious entities, diaspora networks, academia and trade unions, to nominate candidates for a provisional electoral council. The proposed nominees will form a list of 20 candidates for consideration by the High Transitional Council, which will subsequently appoint the nine members of the provisional electoral council. Some of the non-signatories of the 21 December Agreement denounced the Government’s steps towards elections despite the deteriorating security situation and called for more inclusive transitional governance arrangements. 4. The High Transitional Council continued to lead discussions with various groups of stakeholders to encourage greater consensus around the transitional governance arrangements in line with the 21 December Agreement. Supported by BINUH and the United Nations Development Programme, the High Transitional Council convened a national political forum on 23 and 24 May in Port-au-Prince. Participants included a broad range of civil society organizations, political parties and private sector groups. Discussions centred on electoral and constitutional reform, democratic governance and the socioeconomic and security situation. The President of the High Transitional Council and the Prime Minister emphasized the need to continue Haitian-led national dialogue to create the political and security conditions 23-12256 (E) 120723 *2312256* S/2023/492 necessary to enable the holding of elections. More than 350 representatives, including 130 women, from both signatories and non-signatories of the 21 December Agreement, as well as more than 40 civil society and community leaders from across the 10 departments, participated in the event. 5. On 24 May, a declaration was adopted at the national political forum that contained calls for the deployment of “robust international operational support to the Haitian National Police” and the “design of a national security policy”. While noting the urgent need to provide the national police with the necessary resources and equipment, the potential role of the national army in supporting the police in addressing insecurity was recognized in the declaration. With regard to constitutional reform and elections, the declaration contained a request for the High Transitional Council to establish an expert group to review the Constitution, calling for popular consultations on the matter, as well as the prompt establishment of the provisional electoral council to prepare the holding of free, transparent and credible elections. Key reforms proposed include reviewing public administration appointments, strengthening anti-corruption institutions, implementing fiscal and custom reforms and designing a new socioeconomic development plan. 6. During the twenty-sixth meeting of the Council for Foreign and Community Relations of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), held in Jamaica on 16 and 17 May, CARICOM reiterated its good offices support for Haiti and discussed options for technical and security assistance. In May, CARICOM established an eminent persons group, composed of three former Prime Ministers, namely, Perry Christie (Bahamas), Bruce Golding (Jamaica) and Kenny Anthony (Saint Lucia), to lead the body’s good offices on Haiti. The group hosted a meeting of Haitian stakeholders, including the Prime Minister, in Jamaica from 11 to 13 June. The meeting was intended to facilitate inclusive dialogue as part of efforts to find a solution to the protracted multidimensional crisis and move towards the restoration of democratic institutions. The High Transitional Council declined the invitation, noting that the political dialogue must be Haitian-led. 7. According to a 15 June CARICOM statement, as a result of the discussions the Prime Minister will work with stakeholders to put in place a government of national unity, continue to work towards the appointment of members of the provisional electoral council and enlarge the High Transitional Council beyond the current three members in order to include representatives of a wider group of stakeholders. Also announced in the statement was an upcoming visit to Haiti by the eminent persons group to continue its good offices. Separately, a number of non-signatory stakeholders of the 21 December Agreement, but which participated in the CARICOM meeting, issued a declaration calling for, among others, a presidential council 8. In a letter dated 7 June addressed to the Secretary-General, the Prime Minister reiterated the urgent need for a specialized international force in support of the Haitian security forces. 9. Since her arrival in Haiti in April, the Special Representative of the Secretary- General, María Isabel Salvador, has met with a wide range of stakeholders to facilitate inter-Haitian dialogue and engaged with international partners to advocate enhanced support for Haiti. On 8 June, she briefed the Security Council Informal Expert Group on Women and Peace and Security. On 15 June, she briefed a ministerial-level international partners meeting on Haiti, organized by Canada on 15 June, at which participants pledged further backing for a Haitian-led solution to the crisis and support for the national police and the work of the United Nations. 2/14 23-12256 S/2023/492 III. Violence reduction 10. Gang-related violence has continued to escalate and spread. Residents of gang- controlled neighbourhoods have continued to be victims of extreme violence, including killing, injury, burning, kidnapping, disappearance and restriction on movement. Rape against women and girls is pervasive. There are frequent reports of the destruction or looting of houses, and thousands of people have been displaced. 11. Between 24 April and 20 June, dozens of suspected gang members were killed in Port-au-Prince, reportedly lynched by civilians. Characterized by extreme violence, including stoning, and burning of suspected gang members and alleged affiliates, the vigilante movement, known as “Bwa Kale”, initially emerged in the metropolitan area of Port-au-Prince but has now expanded to all 10 departments. Gang members have retaliated through their own movement called “Zam Pale”. The emergence of the “Bwa Kale” and the “Zam Pale” movements has sparked a new and alarming cycle of violence that, if not urgently addressed, is likely to escalate through further mobilization, arming and recruitment, especially of young people. 12. Murders and kidnappings rose for the fifth consecutive year during the reporting period. Between January and June, homicides increased by 67.5 compared with the second semester of 2022, corresponding to an unprecedented number of 2,094 homicides registered by the national police, in contrast to 1,250 registered in the previous semester. The main perpetrators were gangs operating in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area and in Artibonite Department. In the same period, authorities registered 1,014 abductions, including of 256 women, 13 girls and 24 boys. Gangs increased the intensity and severity of attacks in Source Matelas (Cabaret), Brooklyn (Cité Soleil) and Onaville (Croix-des-Bouquets), all in West Department. 13. On 11 May, the Special Representative opened the twenty-fourth session of the interministerial task force on the national strategy for disarmament, dismantlement and reintegration/community violence reduction. Discussions focused on the security situation and the planning of upcoming consultations to formulate a national action plan for the strategy. To broaden support and ensure inclusiveness in the implementation of the strategy, a forum was held with civil society actors on 19 and 20 May under the joint leadership of the interministerial task force and the National Council of Haitian Civil Society, bringing together 243 participants (including 85 women) from 14 Haitian civil society sectors. 14. In a continuation of the Peacebuilding Fund-supported community violence reduction project, following a series of forums held in the previous reporting period with communities in each of the 10 administrative departments of Haiti to build support for the national action plan on community violence reduction, a national forum was held on 22 June. The national forum served to validate recommendations and consolidate the national fact-finding report from the consultations on the disarmament, dismantlement and reintegration/community violence reduction strategy under the leadership of the interministerial task force, with support from the United Nations and the European Union. 15. Close coordination between the interministerial task force on the national strategy for disarmament, dismantlement and reintegration/community violence reduction and the United Nations system continues with a view to strengthening effective weapons and ammunition management and considering recommendations from the recently finalized evaluation of a two-year Peacebuilding Fund project on firearms and ammunition control. The report highlights key recommendations, including the need to further strengthen the capacity of the interministerial task force and to advance the implementation of the national road map against the illicit trafficking in firearms and ammunition in the Caribbean. 23-12256 3/14 S/2023/492 IV. Security and the rule of law Police 16. Increased rates of attrition continue to hamper the expansion of the ranks of the national police. This is due primarily to the rising number of resignations by officers, as well as death, retirement and the abandonment of posts. Operational, financial and administrative pressures continue to have an impact on front-line officers, while substandard working conditions, a lack of opportunity for career advancement and increased armed gang attacks on police continue to undermine morale. Delays in recruitment and training have prevented the much-needed admission of new police officers, raising serious concerns about the national police’s capacity to enforce the law and restore public order throughout the country in the absence of urgent measures to address police workforce strength. 17. As at 30 June, the current workforce stood at 14,295 police officers, of whom 1,667 were women (11.7 per cent), corresponding to a ratio of 1.17 police officers per 1,000 inhabitants. However, only approximately 10,000 police officers perform police tasks as active-duty officers, of whom 3,300 are assigned to public safety duties nationwide at any given time. 18. Between January and June 2023, 34 police officers were killed (22 on duty and 12 off duty), while 31 others sustained injuries (23 on duty and 8 off duty). Operations are undermined by insufficient resources and capabilities to counter heavily armed gangs. In its current state, the national police can contain gang activities in some areas temporarily but cannot sustain police presence and consolidate these gains. 19. The recruitment exercise of the thirty-third class of recruits, in which 6,732 candidates, including 1,374 women, are enrolled, was halted on 28 February owing to logistical constraints and recurring gang-related incidents in the immediate vicinity of the police academy. Nevertheless, renewed efforts led to the convening of the written examination on 11 June, in which 5,923 applicants, including 1,102 women, participated. BINUH will continue to work with the national police throughout the remaining steps of the recruitment process to support the selected candidates of the thirty-third class in starting their seven-month basic training at the police academy without any further delay. On 1 June, the national police relaunched the police personnel vetting system to improve background checks and maintain continuous vetting, including of serving police officers, throughout their careers. This process benefits from continuous support from BINUH advisers. 20. The consistent attacks by gangs in efforts to expand territorial control, especially in West and Artibonite Departments, forced dozens of police officers to temporarily abandon police stations. Moreover, as at 30 June, 34 police stations had been attacked or vandalized by armed gangs, while 412 police facilities across the country remained non-operational owing to gang attacks, including 26 in West Department alone. Reconstruction of some of these police facilities has been impeded by ongoing gang attacks. The national police fleet has not fared better. Of the 2,272 vehicles in the national police fleet, 900 are in the process of being decommissioned. 21. Following efforts by the Government to equip the national police, personal protective equipment, weapons and ammunition and other items were delivered during the reporting period. The Government has also received 15 of 18 armoured personnel carriers procured commercially in 2022. Two of the newly acquired armoured vehicles were set on fire during police clashes with gangs on 17 and 18 May, in the Source Matelas area in Cabaret (West Department). In general, the national police continue to face persistent challenges in safely and effectively 4/14 23-12256 S/2023/492 conducting operations, in particular against gangs, owing to insufficient equipment and resources. 22. As of the end of June, of an estimated budget of $28 million for the two-year joint programme to support the professionalization of the national police (known as the basket fund), an amount of $17.7 million has been received. Renewed commitment and further consultations are ongoing with additional donors regarding financial or in-kind contributions to implement specific activities to bolster national police capacity to address immediate security needs and long-term capacity-building. Efforts during the period focused on purchasing police vehicles, acquiring information and communications technology, constructing and refurbishing police premises, training, enhancing police intelligence and strengthening police integrity. Corrections 23. As at 30 June, Haitian prisons held 11,836 inmates, including 335 women, 14 girls and 252 boys, with an estimated overall occupation rate of 332 per cent, with 10,009 inmates (84.6 per cent) awaiting trial. Such excessive use of pretrial detention drives endemic overcrowding, which further exacerbates the poor conditions in the Haitian prison system. 24. On 20 May, the women’s prison in Cabaret (West Department) was evacuated and the entire prison population transferred to a juvenile prison in Port-au-Prince owing to gang-related insecurity. The Cabaret prison has been under regular attack by gangs since September 2022 owing to its isolated location in a gang-controlled area, thus raising concerns over the well-being and the security of both staff and inmates. 25. Various external attacks and escape attempts, including at the Croix-des- Bouquets prison (West Department), continue to affect the penitentiary system. On 9 May, a mass escape attempt led to one inmate escaping and the death of another. 26. In May, BINUH held several meetings with the presidents of the courts of Port- au-Prince and Croix-des-Bouquets to review the most critical juvenile cases. BINUH, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the office of the resident coordinator continued to advocate with judicial authorities against the excessive incarceration of minors. Justice 27. The justice sector was affected by a series of strikes. The Collectif des magistrats debout d’Haiti stated that it would lift it strike, which had begun on 6 March, between 1 June and 31 July to facilitate the settlement of criminal cases and the holding of trials. The Collectif, however, warned the Government of a possible resumption of the strike on 1 August if its demands, which include salary increases and improved working conditions, were not met. 28. Consultations among justice sector stakeholders over the certification process for judges and prosecutors continued. On 20 April, the Prime Minister met representatives from the National Network of Haitian Magistrates and the Professional Association of Magistrates to discuss a review process carried out by the Superior Council of the Judiciary in January that led to the non-certification of 28 judges and prosecutors. Subsequently, a group of magistrates called the “Collective of Magistrates Victims of Non-Certification” sent a letter dated 10 May to the Superior Council of the Judiciary pleading for the recognition of a right to appeal the certification process. In a memorandum dated 1 June, the Superior Council of the Judiciary underscored the importance of the certification as a legal requirement for all magistrates, without distinction, and specified that there was no legal provision for appeal in the matter. 23-12256 5/14 S/2023/492 29. The Superior Council of the Judiciary made progress in filling its vacant seats after the Office of the National Ombudsman confirmed, on 22 May, the designation of the human rights sector representative to the Council. The nomination was welcomed by the Electoral Committee for Human Rights and other human rights organizations. Two vacant seats remain on the Superior Council of the Judiciary. 30. The new decree on anti-money-laundering, financing of terrorism and financing of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction was made public on 10 June. The decree, which was approved by the Council of Ministers in late April and published in the official gazette on 4 May, established a set of measures to detect and discourage those crimes and facilitate the related investigations and prosecutions. V. Human rights 31. Clashes and targeted attacks by gangs against the population escalated in intensity, resulting in an unprecedented number of casualties per incident in the metropolitan area of Port-au-Prince. Attacks, such as those launched against the populations of Source Matelas (Cabaret), Brooklyn (Cité Soleil) and Meyotte (Pétionville), all in West Department, resulted in at least 1,238 persons killed or injured between 15 April and 21 June, a 6 per cent increase compared with the previous 10 weeks. In Cité Soleil, gangs continued to use snipers on rooftops to indiscriminately shoot people carrying out daily activities and to fire into residences. In Pétionville and Cabaret, gangs attacked residents, shooting children, women and men trying to escape the violence. In those areas, some victims were decapitated, while others had their throats slit. The attacks were often perpetrated along with other human rights abuses. 32. Gang violence has spread to Artibonite Department, with multiple clashes notably in the communes of Gonaïves, L’Estère, Liancourt, Petite Rivière de l’Artibonite, Saint-Marc and Verrettes. Between May and June, at least 60 persons were killed or injured in gang-related incidents, compared with 4 during the same period in 2022. In those areas, reported kidnappings increased (with 88 cases in May, compared with 36 in April). 33. Within the context of the “Bwa Kale” movement, between 24 April and 29 June at least 224 alleged gang members (217 men and 7 women) were killed by the population and/or vigilante groups. Incidents have been reported in 8 of 10 departments (Artibonite, Centre, Grand’Anse, North, North-East, North-West, South-East and West), with 84 per cent of cases concentrated in West Department. Mobs have brutally killed suspected gang members and anyone suspected of being affiliated with gangs, passing through or seeking to enter their neighbourhoods. Some victims were stoned and mutilated; others were burned alive in the middle of the street while police officers stood by. In some instances, victims were removed by mobs from a police station and lynched. 34. Sexual violence, including collective rape and mutilation, continued to be used by gangs to terrorize and inflict pain on populations under the control of rival gangs. In April, during gang attacks against the population of Brooklyn at least 49 women were collectively raped in an area known as “Dèyè Mi”. In this area, an open space that separates neighbourhoods controlled by rival gangs, women and girls are exposed to the risk of being raped daily as they try to go to work or gain access to services. After being raped, seven victims were killed and their bodies disposed of publicly. 35. A study of the incidence of gender-based violence in Cité Soleil, published on 10 May by the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN-Women) and the Global Initiative against Transnational Organized 6/14 23-12256 S/2023/492 Crime, found that 80 per cent of those surveyed (591 women and girls from Cité Soleil) had been victims of one or more forms of gender-based violence. The results show a concentration of gender-based violence, in particular sexual violence, in the Brooklyn area of Cité Soleil, which has seen intense fighting between gangs. The research identified a lack of adequate services for victims, including judicial, medical and psycho-social support. 36. Trapped by the violence, civilians in areas under gang control are unable to leave their homes and lack access to food, water, sanitation and health-care services. Key arterial roads in and around Port-au-Prince remained under the control of gangs. Trucks and other vehicles continued to be systematically extorted, robbed and hijacked along these roads. In areas affected by gang violence, economic activities are periodically paralyzed. 37. Deprived of a safe environment, children are highly vulnerable to recruitment by gangs. Furthermore, at least 29 children were killed by gunfire during gang clashes or targeted attacks against the population. 38. As at 16 March, the most recent evaluation carried out by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), at least 127,977 people lived in a situation of displacement across the capital owing to gang violence. A total of 38 per cent were sheltered in displacement sites in Port-au-Prince, with limited access to basic needs and services, and 62 per cent were hosted in communities. According to data collected by IOM, in April 10,305 Haitian citizens were returned from various countries, frequently in violation of international human rights norms, such as the prohibition of refoulement and collective expulsions. Migrants were repatriated by land (95 per cent) and by air (5 per cent). The Dominican Republic repatriated 9,776 migrants (95 per cent), among them 72 per cent at the border point of Ouanaminthe. Designation of United Nations expert on human rights 39. On 12 April, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights designated William O’Neill as an expert on human rights in Haiti, following a request from the Human Rights Council. With the assistance of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and in collaboration with BINUH, the expert will monitor the human rights situation in Haiti, focusing attention on the situation of children and gender issues and the prevention of human trafficking. The expert will provide advice and technical assistance to national human rights institutions and civil society organizations. Impunity 40. The lack of accountability for serious human rights violations and abuses committed by State agents and gangs remains a major concern. No progress was made in the investigation into several emblematic cases. The cases concerning the massacres in Grand Ravine (2017) and Bel Air (2019) stalled, in part because of the non-certification by the Superior Council of the Judiciary of the relevant investigating judges. With respect to the Bel Air case, progress in the investigation was further hindered by the fact that two judges were mistakenly assigned to the case. The investigation into the assassination of Monferrier Dorval (2020) has not progressed since the mandate of the assigned judge ended in June 2021. The investigation into the La Saline massacre (2018) has remained at a standstill since 2019 when a motion for recusal of the judge investigating the case had been filed before the Court of Cassation. The investigation by the Haitian justice system into the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse did not progress during the reporting period. Meanwhile, a federal judge in Florida, United States of America, sentenced a Haitian-Chilean businessman to life in prison on 2 June for his role in the assassination. 23-12256 7/14 S/2023/492 41. In support of anti-corruption efforts, technical support was provided by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to the Advisory Council to the Superior Council of the Judiciary in May for the formulation and dissemination of a deontological framework to be applied by magistrates in the performance of their professional responsibilities, as well as for a public awareness campaign on the framework. Detention conditions 42. The conditions in Haitian prisons remain appalling, with a cell occupancy rate of 333 per cent. Between April and June, 23 deaths of inmates were documented, most of them linked to malnutrition-related diseases. As part of its efforts to alleviate inhuman prison conditions, BINUH offered technical and legal support to judicial and police authorities in Gonaïves (Artibonite Department) to address the situation of 43 inmates crowded in a few police cells. Meetings with the dean of the Court of First Instance, the Public Prosecutor and the local representative of the Office of the National Ombudsman focused on strategies to speed up prosecution, including through habeas corpus processes and other special hearings, to reduce the rate of prolonged pretrial detention. Police oversight 43. BINUH continued to support the General Inspectorate of the Haitian National Police in investigating cases of human rights violations by police officers. Between 15 April and 29 June, 17 investigations were opened involving 19 police officers. A total of 15 investigations were concluded, resulting in 3 dismissals and 15 suspensions. A total of 3 of the 15 investigations were sent to judicial authorities for criminal prosecution. 44. During the reporting period, BINUH continued to support the operational capacities of the General Inspectorate through the acquisition of resources for case processing. BINUH also supported field missions in monitoring and assessing the processing of cases involving alleged human rights violations by police officers in local stations. Interministerial committee for human rights 45. BINUH supported the interministerial committee for human rights to review the national action plan on human rights and adapt it to the recommendations made to Haiti during its third universal periodic review by the Human Rights Council, in January 2022. Civil society organizations, the Office of the National Ombudsman and representatives of United Nations agencies and international non-governmental organizations reviewed the strategic priorities on 16 May. VI. Unemployment, youth, and other vulnerable groups Socioeconomic situation 46. Haiti’s economic and social development continues to be hindered by political instability and unprecedented levels of armed gang violence. The dire socioeconomic situation was further aggravated by a 9 per cent decline in remittances from the first half of the October 2022 to September 2023 fiscal year, compared with the same period previously. Remittances are estimated to represent nearly 25 per cent of the gross domestic product. 47. Year-on-year inflation remained above 45 per cent in the first half of the fiscal year, further diminishing already weak purchasing power. In March 2023, inflation 8/14 23-12256 S/2023/492 reached 48.3 per cent. The weakening of the national currency also contributed to elevated inflation, given the high reliance on imports. The gourde has depreciated against the dollar, from 119.5 gourdes to the dollar in October 2022 to 142.1 gourdes to the dollar in June 2023. 48. Between October 2022 and February 2023, year-on-year exports decreased by 21.6 per cent, owing to decreasing demand from the United States and reduced economic activity. During the same period, year-on-year imports decreased by 0.2 per cent, worsening the trade balance deficit. Social protection and food security 49. Insecurity and structural obstacles to sustainable development continue to exacerbate high levels of poverty. On 20 April, the Government and the United Nations signed a new United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework. A road map for the next five years, the document focuses on four key strategic priorities for the country: governance, security and rule of law; inclusive economic transformation; basic social services and support for the social contract; and multidimensional risk management, the environment and territorial development. The Cooperation Framework is based on innovative approaches to further integration of United Nations efforts in Haiti and the humanitarian, peace and development nexus, focusing on reaching the most vulnerable populations and developing tools to address long-term root causes and the complex challenges that the country is facing. 50. The United Nations ensured that a strategy for protection against sexual exploitation and abuse was integrated into the 2023 humanitarian response plan. It includes community outreach activities, coordination activities, capacity-building, risk mitigation and response and is aligned with the 2023 country-level protection against sexual exploitation and abuse workplan. 51. The United Nations country team continued to support economic recovery and job creation. At the Fifth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries, held in Doha in March 2023, the United Nations, the Government of Haiti and the private sector agreed to launch initiatives to boost the local economy, especially in rural areas, by facilitating access to credit for small and medium enterprises. To follow up, the resident coordinator’s office facilitated a workshop by the United Nations Capital Development Fund to educate relevant partners about the Agora platform, a tool to promote business growth and create decent employment. In addition, an event on 15 May facilitated connections between Haitian stakeholders, companies and investors to provide essential knowledge, technical support and capital for growth. 52. The food security situation remains alarming. The most recent World Food Programme analysis of the dynamics of agricultural areas in Artibonite Department, known as the country’s breadbasket, shows a reduction in cultivated land in 2022 (2,400 hectares) compared with 2018 (5,800 hectares). Many fields in the communes of Marchand-Dessalines and Petite Rivière-de-l’Artibonite have been abandoned owing to armed gang activity, as the farm labour force is displaced to safer areas with lower agricultural yield. Flooding early in June caused significant damage to the spring agricultural harvest. According to the General Directorate for Civil Protection, West Department was among the hardest hit. Floods washed away 95 per cent of the spring agricultural harvest in the commune of Fonds-Verrettes, 80 per cent of corn and pea plantations in Léogâne and 88 per cent of banana plantations in Cité Soleil. The earthquake on 6 June near the city of Jerémie (Grand’Anse department) further exacerbated the food insecurity in the southern departments. Building on the work of its Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Haiti, the Economic and Social Council convened a 23-12256 9/14 S/2023/492 special event on 16 June, “Haiti Free of Hunger”, aimed at mobilizing action and resources to improve food security in Haiti. 53. Following the United Nations Food Systems Summit in 2021, Haiti prepared a national pathway to transform food systems. The country’s first voluntary national review has been submitted ahead of the 2030 United Nations Food System Stocktaking Moment, to be held in Rome in July. The voluntary national review underlines financial agreements that the Government of Haiti undertook for large- scale agricultural project transformations, through bilateral and multilateral cooperation frameworks. These projects address climate change risks on agriculture and mitigation plans against natural disasters and are aimed at increasing productivity and livelihoods in the agricultural sector. The programmes reflect the growing attention given to merging preventive and long-term planning with short-term emergency response, to resolve the food security crisis at its roots. These efforts notwithstanding, the voluntary national review underlines that food insecurity persists in the country, owing to ongoing political instability, gang violence and weak institutions (including the absence of robust legal instruments to implement the State’s vision for national food transformations), impeding progress towards secure and sustainable food systems. In addition, the voluntary national review also notes the lack of development in technologies to support the transformation of food systems, such as climate resilience and increased seed productivity. VII. Basic social service delivery and resilience Humanitarian needs and access to basic services 54. The requirements for the 2023 humanitarian response plan, launched on 13 April, are estimated at $720 million, more than double the requirements of 2022 and the highest since the 2010 earthquake. A rapid assessment in Artibonite Department in April indicated that an increase in insecurity and violence had left at least 600,000 people in need of humanitarian assistance. Further analysis in May revealed that at least 73 per cent of the population of the metropolitan area of Port- au-Prince had been affected by gang violence and resulted in reduced access to basic services, especially protection, education, health care and food security. 55. Amid ongoing armed gang violence and the consequent displacement of families, the risk of school dropout is increasing. Approximately 81 per cent of households in the metropolitan area of Port-au-Prince and 46 per cent in Artibonite Department have indicated that the cost of education is too high. School feeding programmes continue to be a lifeline for many children, and the World Food Programme and partners have restarted school feeding programmes targeting 460,000 school children for the current school year, including in gang-controlled areas. 56. In Artibonite Department, a joint assessment mission led by the Deputy Special Representative (Resident Coordinator/Humanitarian Coordinator) in May found that insecurity characterized by gang violence had affected nearly 282 schools, with 104 schools completely closed and 178 operating intermittently. In Port-au-Prince, insecurity has forced several schools in communes controlled by armed groups to close their doors. 57. Armed violence has led to an increase in the number of children suffering from severe acute malnutrition. According to a national nutrition survey published by UNICEF on 11 May, the number of children expected to suffer from severe wasting in 2023 had increased by 30 per cent compared with 2022. More than 115,600 cases have, to date, been reported in 2023, up from 87,500 in 2022. Nearly one in four children in Haiti suffers from chronic malnutrition, which has long-lasting physical 10/14 23-12256 S/2023/492 consequences. West Department suffers from a 7.5 per cent acute malnutrition rate, 2 per cent higher than the national average. The malnutrition crisis further compounds the persisting cholera outbreak, given that 46 per cent of suspected cholera cases are children under the age of 14. 58. The volatile context in recent months has led to a significant drop in the use of and access to maternal health services. The Ministry of Health has recorded fewer institutional deliveries and a decrease in prenatal, postnatal and paediatric consultations. However, after 20 days without electricity in May due to a strike by employees of the electricity utility, the provision of electricity was restored to the main hospitals and operations have resumed. The Pan-American Health Organization and the United Nations Population Fund are advocating the introduction of solar panels. 59. In Artibonite Department, a quarter of health institutions report having problems with physical access to health service infrastructure for both patients and staff owing to insecurity, and 9 per cent say they are experiencing difficulties in obtaining supplies. 60. Notwithstanding many logistical and security difficulties, the cholera outbreak is showing signs of stabilizing in a large part of the country. However, some communes in Centre, West and North Departments continue to see a consistently high number of cases. The number of suspected cases of cholera recorded since October 2022 reached 49,812 as at 20 June, including 3,184 confirmed cases and 241 institutional deaths. A total of 1,564,869 people in West (Carrefour, Cité Soleil, Delmas and Pétionville, including Jalousie), Centre (Boucan-Carre, Cerca Carvajal, Cercal La Source, Hinche and Mirebalais) and Artibonite (Saint Michel de l’Atalaye, Ennery, Grande Saline and Desdunes) Departments have been vaccinated to date. 61. Access to water and sanitation remains concerning and has further deteriorated in some areas following prolonged instability, increasing levels of violence and insufficient investment in the sector. The World Bank approved $80 million to improve rural access to decentralized, sustainable and resilient water and sanitation. The programme is intended to increase access to potable water to 250,000 people and access to basic sanitation for 125,000 people, in small towns and rural communities across the country. 62. In line with the humanitarian, peace and development nexus, the United Nations country team continues to work with a wide range of local actors to support conflict prevention and social cohesion through peer-to-peer training, access to basic services and peace infrastructure, and the integration of recommendations from the community violence reduction workshop of 19 and 20 May into new initiatives, including those supported by the Peacebuilding Fund. 63. On 14 April, shortly after the launch of the 2023 humanitarian response plan, the Emergency Relief Coordinator activated a humanitarian system-wide scaling-up for an initial period of three months, until 14 July 2023, to urgently address the acute malnutrition, cholera, gender-based violence and child protection needs across Haiti. On 15 May, the Humanitarian Coordinator for Haiti activated five clusters (nutrition, education, health, camp coordination and camp management, and protection) and two areas of responsibility (gender-based violence and child protection). In addition, Haiti has also been identified as one of the four global crises prioritized by the Inter-Agency Standing Committee principals for high-level engagement. The UNICEF Executive Director has been identified as the Inter-Agency Standing Committee principal advocate for Haiti. On 10 May, the Central Emergency Response Fund approved a $9 million allocation to strengthen the scaling-up of humanitarian response to address gender-based violence and enhance efforts related to child protection, acute 23-12256 11/14 S/2023/492 malnutrition and cholera. In parallel, the humanitarian country team adopted a humanitarian access strategy and a communication and advocacy strategy. 64. In a humanitarian context that continues to be marked by armed violence, on 15 May the Humanitarian Coordinator, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and Kri Fanm Ayiti, a women’s rights organization, launched a national campaign, “#NòmImanitèYo”, on basic humanitarian standards. This campaign is intended to advocate, raise awareness and change the behaviour of crisis actors. The objective of the campaign is also to facilitate humanitarian access to populations in need, strengthen protection and enable the population to reach essential services and goods. 65. The hurricane season threatens to further aggravate the severity of the humanitarian and protection crises. Torrential rains early in June resulted in at least 58 deaths, 45,000 affected households and 9,119 displaced persons. There is a need to strengthen preparedness, disaster risk reduction, early warning and early action. 66. The Secretary-General selected Haiti to be among the first 30 countries where the Early Warning for All initiative, aimed at improving preparedness and disaster risk reduction, was initiated. Under the lead of the office of the resident coordinator and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, and with technical support from United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, the United Nations country team is working with the Government to establish a country-specific implementation plan based on the identification of existing capabilities for Multi-Hazard Early Warning Systems. VIII. Operating environment 67. Significant changes in the operating context shaped by the rapidly deteriorating security situation have affected areas across the mission, including logistical, communication, supply chain and human resource operations, substantially increasing the volume and complexity of support work and challenging the ability of the mission to deliver. With increasing levels of political uncertainty and gang violence, as well as frequent disruptions to basic services and supply chains, the outsourcing of many support services is no longer a viable option. A significant number of local, commercial enterprises have been forced to close, reducing an already lean supply pool. In the absence of local service providers, the need to rely on international vendors has lengthened procurement lead times, negatively affecting the mission’s financial resources and the timeliness of delivery. 68. The mission has taken steps to build resilience and mitigate supply chain risks in the critical areas of fuel, power generation and communications. The recurrent lack of availability of fuel and poor or intermittent distribution of the State-owned electrical utility has resulted in the need for BINUH to invest in a solar power system at its headquarters to ensure business continuity during acute energy crises. BINUH is diversifying its fuel supply sources and establishing an in-house diesel fuel dispensing point to maintain a minimum stock for sudden supply disruptions. BINUH is also seeking to acquire an additional broadband satellite Internet service to establish necessary communication service redundancy and reduce its reliance on the main local Internet provider, which is frequently affected by outages. 69. Moreover, BINUH continues to experience an extraordinary increase in attrition rates of national staff, now standing at 47 per cent since mission inception. This is due to an unprecedented exodus of Haitian nationals from the country. The current levels of insecurity in Port-au-Prince mean that alternate measures had to be taken to ensure the maximum security of national staff when commuting. 12/14 23-12256 S/2023/492 70. Recent increases in security resources notwithstanding, capabilities remain insufficient vis-à-vis the worsened security situation, with personnel, armoured vehicles and other security capacities stretched by the requirements of even regular day-to-day business. In an unpredictable and fragile security environment, the current limited capacity to analyse security developments, including situational awareness on gang violence, to help to inform strategic and programmatic decisions in support of United Nations data-driven action, are constraints that need to be addressed. Increased interest in the situation in Haiti has also resulted in multiple official visits to the country, stretching security personnel and security resources to the limit. IX. Sexual exploitation and abuse 71. Between 1 April and 30 June, BINUH registered no allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse or paternity or child support claims involving personnel from a previous or the current mission. 72. During the reporting period, it became increasingly difficult for the Senior Victims’ Rights Officer to address basic needs of mothers and the children born of sexual exploitation and abuse owing to the constraints imposed by the security situation. 73. A new project aimed primarily at providing support to children born of sexual exploitation and abuse by former United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti personnel and to their mothers was recently approved by the review committee of the trust fund in support of victims of sexual exploitation and abuse. The project will be implemented by IOM and will run for an initial period of one year. 74. With the cooperation of Member States, some progress was made to expedite the resolution of pending paternity and child support claims relating to former United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti personnel. Following requests by three children, BINUH facilitated videoconferences among the children, mothers and fathers. X. Observations 75. Time is of the essence to take concrete action to stem the violence and the erosion of State institutions in Haiti. Since my letter dated 8 October 2022 to the Security Council, in which I recommended a non-United Nations force to support the national police in the fight against armed gangs, brutal gang violence has affected every aspect of public and private life in Haiti. I received a second letter from the Prime Minister, dated 7 June 2023, reiterating the request for robust support for Haitian security forces to re-establish peace and security in the country. The situation is unravelling. As I prepare to visit Haiti, I urge the Security Council and the international community to take bold and immediate action to prevent further deterioration. Alongside the strategic and advisory support provided by BINUH and other partners to strengthen police capacities, the deployment of a non-United Nations force remains indispensable to supporting police efforts and creating an environment conducive to the holding of future elections. 76. Of immediate concern is the alarming spread of armed gang activities and territorial control beyond Port-au-Prince. Violence is increasing in intensity and brutality, and in unprecedented numbers of casualties per incident. I am very concerned by gang violence and the appearance of vigilante justice groups in Port-au-Prince and beyond that conduct public lynchings of suspected gang members. Violence, of any kind, is never a solution. The risks associated with this are enormous, including human rights abuses, and further violence and erosion of State authority. I strongly condemn continued widespread sexual violence used as a weapon to terrorize women and girls. 23-12256 13/14 S/2023/492 77. The burden on the national police to address armed gang violence has depleted its capacity to deliver routine and necessary policing services. Furthermore, the effectiveness of the national police continues to be eroded by operational, hierarchical, governance and logistical challenges that hinder their ability to durably disrupt the actions of gangs and reduce crime and violence. Notwithstanding the determination of the national police to intensify operations against armed gangs, it has become evident that, without a substantial increase in resources, the police will not be able to prevent further gang expansion. Significant additional resources need to be allocated to the national police and to address alarming trends in police attrition, along with efforts to improve financial management for a police force that can effectively address gangs and restore public order. 78. It is critical for the international community to support the strengthening of the national police, addressing small arms trafficking and illicit flows and the prevention of community viole