(2010-09) MINUSTAH - Report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (S/2010/446)

S/2010/446 United Nations Security Council Distr.: General 1 September 2010 Original: English Report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti I. Introduction 1. By its resolution 1892 (2009), the Security Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) until 15 October 2010, and requested me to report on its implementation semi-annually and not later than 45 days prior to its expiration. The present report covers major developments since my report of 22 April 2010 (S/2010/200 and Corr.1) until 31 August 2010. The report describes activities undertaken by the Mission in line with its mandate under Security Council resolutions 1542 (2004), 1608 (2005), 1702 (2006), 1743 (2007), 1780 (2007), 1840 (2008), 1892 (2009), 1908 (2010) and 1927 (2010), and provides a framework for the evolution of MINUSTAH over the coming year, including through the identification of milestones with respect to the fulfilment of the Mission’s mandate. II. Political and security update Political update 2. Since my last report, despite a fragile political environment, progress has been made towards holding elections. At the request of the President, René Préval, in April I dispatched a multidisciplinary electoral feasibility mission to Haiti, which concluded that presidential, legislative and municipal elections were technically possible before the end of 2010. On 24 June, the Government issued decrees giving the Provisional Electoral Council a mandate to conduct presidential elections, and establishing 28 November 2010 as the date of presidential and legislative elections. On the same day, during the second meeting of the high-level Electoral Task Force, President Préval explained that municipal elections would not be held at the same time as the presidential and legislative elections, given the technical complexities of organizing elections for mayoral posts, Assemblées des sections communales and Conseils d’administration des collectivités territoriales within the tight electoral time frame. 3. Political party registration was opened for new parties and alliances wishing to take part in the presidential elections. Registration for the legislative elections postponed from February 2010 was not reopened since the November legislative elections would be considered a resumption of the previously suspended poll. Of a 10-49400 (E) 020910 *1049400* S/2010/446 total of 19 newly registered parties and alliances, 12 were approved by the Provisional Electoral Council to participate in the presidential elections, bringing the total number of parties and alliances to 66. Thirty-four presidential candidacy applications were received by the Provisional Electoral Council, of which 19 were approved. 4. On 16 April, the Government issued a decree extending the state of emergency initially declared on 16 January and renewed on 31 January by 18 months. The Senate adopted an amendment to article 232 of the electoral law on 8 May, as previously approved by the Chamber of Deputies, allowing the President to remain in power until 14 May 2011, should presidential elections not be held in November 2010. On 10 May, the mandates of all the members of the Chamber of Deputies and one third of the Senate expired, leaving only 19 Senators to exercise legislative functions. Draft legislation referred to the Senate by the Chamber of Deputies for approval, prior to its dissolution, remained pending because of political deadlock between opposition Senators and those of the Inite party, triggered by the controversial amendment to the state of emergency law approved by the Senate on 10 May. The amendment paved the way for the establishment of the Interim Haiti Recovery Commission and provided exceptional powers to the executive branch, including requisitioning of land and property. 5. The amendments to article 232 and the state of emergency law adopted by the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies, as well as the decree establishing the Interim Recovery Commission, have been denounced by the political opposition and some civil society groups. Those parties and groups called for the replacement of the Provisional Electoral Council, which they accuse of partiality to President Préval and his party. MINUSTAH, through the good offices of my Special Representative, has been conducting consultations with a wide range of actors in order to address concerns and build trust in the political process. An Organization of American States (OAS)/Caribbean Community (CARICOM) electoral observation mission deployed to Haiti on 4 August and will observe the entire electoral cycle. Security update 6. The security situation in Haiti remained generally calm but fragile. Although United Nations police reported an increased number of criminal incidents in the months following the earthquake of 12 January, the number of incidents filed to date is comparable to those of the same period in 2009. Nevertheless, the continuing existence of some 1,300 camps for displaced people, together with increasing gang activity linked in part to the escape of prisoners during the earthquake, the continuing weakness of rule-of-law institutions, and the potential political unrest associated with the electoral period, are factors contributing to a potentially volatile security environment. 7. Small-scale but frequent anti-Government demonstrations have been held throughout the country, organized by opposition groups. The demonstrations, typically demanding the resignation of President Préval, a reshuffling in the composition of the Provisional Electoral Council, and the acceleration of the reconstruction process, have to date not been widely supported or resulted in significant civil disorder. Many of the demonstrations have been associated with the aim of re-establishing an interim government and blocking the constitutionally mandated elections. 2 10-49400 S/2010/446 8. Security in the camps for displaced people, in particular the vulnerability of women and children and the extent of sexual and gender-based violence, is of concern, especially in camps adjacent to traditional slum areas such as Cité Soleil and Martissant that are insecure at night because of reported gang activities. It is difficult to determine the extent to which the currently reported numbers represent an increase compared to the pre-earthquake period, owing to the lack of reliable and comprehensive data. As living conditions remain difficult, there is also a risk that the displaced may be vulnerable to manipulation by political opportunists and criminals. 9. The electoral period may bring to the fore new threats to stability. MINUSTAH has noted an increasing number of weapons in circulation, especially in the traditionally high crime areas of the capital. In addition, there is a risk that campaigning for the forthcoming elections — particularly the legislative — may be tainted by financing from illegal activities, including the drug trade, which continues to be a destabilizing factor in Haiti. Before the earthquake, drug trafficking tended to consist of cocaine and marijuana being trans-shipped through Haiti, using the southern coast and clandestine airstrips in the south and north. The earthquake seems to have had little effect on the shipments. Just weeks after the disaster, MINUSTAH received reports of regular use of illegal airstrips, particularly in the north, and nearly all drug routes and operations seem to have been reactivated. Incidents of criminal activity, particularly kidnapping for ransom, have increased since the earthquake, with more affluent victims targeted, particularly in the Pétion-Ville area in the capital and in the North and North-East Departments. III. Update on the humanitarian and recovery situation 10. The Government of Haiti estimates that 1.3 million people continue to be displaced, spread across some 1,300 spontaneous settlement sites in Port-au-Prince, Jacmel and Léogâne, as well as in Artibonite Department, and host families outside the capital. While efforts to register all displaced and their locations are ongoing, their continuing movements have hampered the compilation of reliable data. The situation in the camps remains complex, given a shifting population and fluctuating use of camps. Of the more than 600,000 people believed to have left Port-au-Prince in the wake of the earthquake, the majority are now thought to have returned. 11. The Ministry of Public Works, with the support of the international community, has assessed the structural damage of some 230,000 buildings, including over 150,000 residences since my last report. Of these, 50.2 per cent are deemed to be structurally sound, some 27.3 per cent are assessed to need some repair work, and 22.4 per cent are recommended for demolition. Despite these assessments, returns remain slow and reconstruction is still hampered by immense amounts of rubble and debris. Forced evictions, or threats to evict the displaced from spontaneous camps by landowners or their tenants, have become increasingly frequent. A recent survey of 1,268 camps found that 29 per cent of closed camps had been closed because of forced evictions or negotiated departures. In an effort to identify sites for sustainable resettlement, the Government has identified over 6,500 hectares of land in the Port-au-Prince area. Assessment of the viability of that land for large-scale resettlement is ongoing. 10-49400 3 S/2010/446 12. More than half a year after the earthquake of 12 January, the immediate humanitarian needs of the displaced population in Port-au-Prince and the regions have largely been addressed. Since my last report, some 4.3 million people have received food aid, and more than 1.5 million have received emergency shelter. Over 90 per cent of the internally displaced persons in the capital have access to nearby health clinics, and 2.1 million people have received non-food items, including hygiene kits. A total of 11,000 latrines have been installed, sufficient for the majority of the displaced. Water supply continues to reach 1.2 million people and the nutrition situation remains stable and under the emergency threshold. IV. Activities of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti Preparations for elections 13. In accordance with Security Council resolution 1927 (2010), and at the request of President Préval, MINUSTAH has been providing technical, security and logistical support to the Government and the Provisional Electoral Council in the preparation of presidential and legislative elections, and has begun to coordinate international electoral assistance, in cooperation with international partners, particularly OAS and CARICOM. 14. Since my last report, MINUSTAH has, in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), provided technical support to the Provisional Electoral Council in the preparation of the timetable and budget for the elections. On 4 August, the Government, the Provisional Electoral Council, UNDP and MINUSTAH signed the project document with a budget of US$ 28.9 million, which covers the costs of organizing presidential and legislative elections. The Government will contribute $7.03 million towards the electoral budget, in addition to the $992,862 left over from previous elections. The following donors announced their pledges for the organization of elections: the United States ($5 million), the European Union (€5 million) and Brazil ($500,000). With additional contributions expected to be announced shortly, the electoral budget deficit is expected to be around $4 million at the time of writing. MINUSTAH also assisted the Provisional Electoral Council in developing a project to update the voter list, which will enable the displaced persons to vote. The voter list update, being conducted by the Provisional Electoral Council in coordination with the Office national d’identification, began on 20 August and should be completed by 28 September. 15. In support of the electoral process, MINUSTAH and the Provisional Electoral Council inspected all 1,483 voting centres throughout the country, and identified new locations to replace those that had been damaged or destroyed in the West, South-East and Nippes Departments. The Haitian National Police, alongside the MINUSTAH military and police components, began a security assessment of all voting centres, to identify the most vulnerable and develop national and regional security plans. Preparations for an integrated National Police and MINUSTAH electoral logistics and security plan, to cover the provision of escorts and protection for electoral observers, and to secure electoral material and polling centres, began in mid-June. 4 10-49400 S/2010/446 Military component 16. The military component of MINUSTAH continued to deliver critical support to relief and recovery efforts during the reporting period, while gradually refocusing its work on three priority areas: ensuring a secure and stable environment, particularly through the protection of internally displaced persons and host communities; preparing for natural disaster response; and support to the elections. A total of 1,723 military personnel, of the additional 2,000 authorized by the Security Council in resolution 1908 (2010), have deployed as at 17 August 2010, and engineering companies from Indonesia and Paraguay, with just under 300 personnel, are expected to deploy by the end of the year. 17. Military engineers from Japan and the Republic of Korea, deployed as part of the surge, joined existing engineering companies from Brazil, Chile and Ecuador to support the Government’s post-earthquake humanitarian efforts. Major works include the improvement of public access roads, including the road linking Port-au-Prince to Malpasse on the border with the Dominican Republic; the demolition of damaged government buildings; the clearing of 4,730 cubic metres of debris from canals; and rehabilitation work on the National Penitentiary and the National Police Academy. The preparation of the terrain in three major camps in the Port-au-Prince area permitted the accommodation of approximately 14,000 internally displaced persons. In addition, mitigation projects to improve the terrain at the Pétion-Ville Club camp in Port-au-Prince ensured that 50,000 internally displaced persons had safer living conditions. Support to humanitarian partners, coordinated through the Joint Operations Tasking Centre, was conducted, including the removal of debris from schools, churches, hospitals and residential care centres for children, and the transport of containers filled with items donated to the Haitian population. 18. The military component, together with national and regional stakeholders, has developed a flooding contingency plan in anticipation of the hurricane season. For this, training and exercises have been carried out, including a simulation exercise in Gonaïves in July, which involved MINUSTAH components, the Government of Haiti, the United Nations country team and other partners. Flood prevention measures, including the clearing of ditches and the building of culverts and levees, have been taken in Port-au-Prince, Léogâne and Jacmel. 19. Since May, planning has focused on the development of an integrated approach to security for internally displaced persons in collaboration with the Haitian National Police and United Nations police, as well as civilian components of MINUSTAH. This community-friendly approach emphasizes the military’s sustained and visible presence in and around the camps most at risk, where gangs are known to operate. In view of the weakening of rule-of-law institutions by the earthquake, the military component has also expanded its support to the State’s border management efforts through increased land and maritime patrols, as well as air surveillance alongside Haiti’s immigration and Customs agents, the Haitian National Police and United Nations police. Police component 20. The Security Council by resolutions 1908 (2010) and 1927 (2010) authorized an increase of 2,180 officers, including 100 corrections officers and 2,080 police officers. This increase brought the total authorized police strength to 4,391, 10-49400 5 S/2010/446 including 1,351 individual police officers, 2,940 personnel for formed police units and 100 corrections officers. As at 15 August, 1,181 individual police officers and 1,838 formed police unit personnel are deployed, for a total strength of 3,019. The surge permitted the police component to expand its tasks, with particular focus on protecting displaced people and vulnerable groups, and building the capacity of the Haitian National Police. Another key post-earthquake activity includes assistance to the National Police in apprehending the prisoners who escaped from the National Penitentiary. As at 11 August, 629 prison escapees had been recaptured out of the 5,409 who left the prisons during the earthquake. 21. Police component activities aimed at protection of the displaced have increased during the reporting period. United Nations police have conducted joint foot patrols and sweep operations in camps of internally displaced persons across the capital. United Nations police gender focal points in each of the six high-risk camps assist victims of sexual and gender-based violence in filing police reports and monitoring National Police investigations. Regular and direct contact with internally displaced persons has gradually increased confidence. United Nations police also continue to co-locate with the National Police in the 10 departments of the country, monitoring and mentoring at commissariats and border crossing points. An updated, post-earthquake co-location plan has been developed, prioritizing engineering work in 50 commissariat locations. 22. With regard to strengthening the capacity of the Haitian National Police, the police component, together with UNDP, has continued to assist in implementing the National Police reform plan through support to the selection of 1,016 new recruits, and the vetting of new and existing personnel. Training activities have not recommenced since the earthquake, in part because the Police Academy was being used by parliamentarians until mid-August. United Nations police also provided technical capacity-building in border management and the protection of minors, the latter in coordination with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). To support the 28 November elections, United Nations police have begun preparations to train approximately 4,200 local electoral security agents. On 6 August, under the auspices of MINUSTAH, a letter of intent on cooperation between the Dominican and Haitian police was signed in Port-au-Prince by the Directors-General of the two police services. It is the first time that an agreement on security and police matters between the two countries has been reached. 23. The MINUSTAH police concept of operations has been updated to reflect developments on the ground, particularly relating to internally displaced persons, and on building the capacity of the National Police as called for in resolution 1927 (2010). Protection of vulnerable groups 24. Protecting vulnerable groups, including the displaced, particularly women and children, is a Mission priority. Since my last report, MINUSTAH has been focusing its efforts on addressing two threats to the displaced population, namely, physical insecurity and forced evictions. Living conditions in the camps, including overcrowding, poorly secured tents, open washing areas and inadequate lighting, have contributed to security incidents, including sexual and gender-based violence. Cases of forced — and at times violent — evictions have become increasingly common in recent months, as landowners wished to recover their property. Physical 6 10-49400 S/2010/446 vulnerability has been exacerbated by the insufficient presence of law-enforcement authorities, limited access to justice, and a lack of socio-economic opportunities for the displaced population. 25. The MINUSTAH police and military components, in coordination with the human rights and gender sections, are implementing a community-based approach in support of the Haitian National Police to deter criminal activity in and around at-risk camps of internally displaced persons. To this end, an Internally Displaced Person Camp Unit, comprising 195 individual police officers and 270 formed police unit personnel, and a Gender Unit comprising six female United Nations police officers were established. These units coordinate the police component’s activities on protection of the internally displaced. Permanent United Nations police presence is now maintained in the six most at-risk camps in Port-au-Prince. Furthermore, three Haitian National Police, United Nations police and formed police unit mobile squads, composed of six mobile patrol teams, have also begun daily patrols in 18 additional camps out of 70 pre-identified priority sites. 26. In addition, the military component conducts a combination of permanent, semi-permanent and random patrols around 863 camps in and outside Port-au-Prince. There are currently 20 camps covered closely by military security, including those identified as most at risk. Two of the 20 camps have static security (Corail Cesselesse and Tabarre Issa), four are covered by 24-hour patrols (Jean-Marie Vincent, Champs de Mars, Pétion-Ville and Sainte Bernadette) and 14 are covered by daily patrols. 27. MINUSTAH developed measures to address sexual and gender-based violence, including a training curriculum for Haitian National Police, United Nations police and military personnel in the identification and handling of those cases, the establishment of a referral system, and a mechanism for systematic reporting and data collection. The Mission’s Child Protection Unit, together with UNICEF and other partners, conducted regular visits to internally displaced person sites to monitor and report cases of serious child rights violations, and followed up with governmental counterparts. The National Police has also conducted investigations into allegations of trafficking and sexual exploitation and violence. Communication materials have been produced to improve the protection of displaced children, and campaigns are under way to protect children from trafficking, sexual violence and exploitation and abuse. 28. With regard to threats and cases of forced evictions, MINUSTAH has facilitated negotiations with landowners, mediated disputes, and advocated for the respect of the rights of internally displaced persons. Policy recommendations on the safeguarding of displaced persons’ rights during camp closures were transmitted by the protection cluster to the Government, and are under consideration. The issue of forced evictions can be resolved only through the establishment and implementation of a comprehensive national relocation strategy. Community violence reduction 29. Following the earthquake, the Community Violence Reduction Section rapidly scaled up projects by supporting communities in areas most affected by violence. One hundred projects totalling $14 million were ongoing during the reporting period. While the majority of projects address immediate needs in the Port-au-Prince area, 26 projects were approved in four additional areas, including 10-49400 7 S/2010/446 Cap-Haïtien, Gonaïves, Léogâne, Gressier, Petit-Goâve, Grand-Goâve and the nine communes of the South Department. 30. In preparation for the hurricane season, projects include the rehabilitation of 56 drainage canals and 15 watershed management systems in high-risk flooding areas of Port-au-Prince. By November, these projects will have employed 44,000 workers, built over 3,000 dry-stone dams over a length of 45 km of ravines and rehabilitated 26 km of canals. A business mentorship and training programme has begun, which supports the creation of 34 small enterprises headed by women from slum areas, while 120 youths were being trained in professional skills and 200 other trained youths were being provided jobs with private sector enterprises. Repair work is under way at the Jacmel prison and the National Penitentiary in Port-au-Prince. Live transmissions of the 2010 World Cup football matches were shown on projection screens in disadvantaged neighbourhoods of the capital, internally displaced person camps and the national stadium. Simultaneously, 640 children from the neighbourhoods of the greater Bel Air area took part in a “Mini World Cup” tournament. Projection screens continued to show Haitian films, documentaries and social messages in the most violence-prone areas of Port-au-Prince. Support to State institutions 31. MINUSTAH continued its support to the Ministry of the Interior and State institutions at the subnational level through its regional offices. In particular, MINUSTAH helped the Ministry of the Interior prepare the 140 municipal budgets for the new fiscal year, and jointly identified capacity-strengthening requirements at the regional level to support the decentralization process. Accordingly, to foster the implementation of the Action Plan for National Recovery and Development of Haiti and the Government’s decision to assert the role of the departmental delegates and their deputies in the coordination of deconcentrated services, the Mission has so far placed four national officers to provide them with technical advice. In accordance with the provisions of Security Council resolution 1927 (2010), the Mission, together with UNDP, supported the Ministry of the Interior in the construction of five temporary buildings to facilitate the functioning of municipal administrations in earthquake-affected areas. The recently established sub-office in Léogâne, near the epicentre of the earthquake, continued to work with the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and local authorities to support relief and reconstruction efforts. MINUSTAH further facilitated the visit of nine technical staff from the Haitian Parliament to the Dominican Republic to exchange experiences and share administrative procedures and good practices. Justice 32. Although progress in strengthening the operational capacity of the justice sector as a whole has been slow, there have been encouraging developments. In July, the tribunal of Port-au-Prince resumed its criminal and correctional hearings in makeshift buildings. However, the Cour de Cassation remains non-functional because of the remaining five vacancies on the court. Eight members of the Conseil supérieur du pouvoir judiciaire have thus far been either elected or appointed, and the vetting and certification process for those members was completed more than a year ago and submitted to the Ministry of Justice and Public Security. However, the Government has yet to formalize the establishment of the Conseil supérieur du pouvoir judiciaire or appoint the President of the Cour de Cassation, who would also 8 10-49400 S/2010/446 serve ex officio as Chair of both the Conseil supérieur du pouvoir judiciaire and the Board for the Magistrates’ School. 33. To promote access to justice for the poor, MINUSTAH, together with the International Legal Aid Consortium and other partners, assisted the Ministry of Justice and Public Security in the establishment of three legal aid offices in the Portau-Prince area targeting internally displaced persons, and one office in Cap-Haïtien. In addition, the Community Violence Reduction Section, in partnership with Viva Rio, a Brazilian non-governmental organization, is opening a legal aid office in the area of Bel Air. A total of 14 legal aid offices now operate throughout the country. As a result of a selection process concluded in August, 20 new potential judges and prosecutors were recruited and will undergo a 16-month training programme beginning in September. Training of justices of the peace resumed in July, while inservice training courses for all prosecutors began with support from MINUSTAH and UNDP as part of the integrated partnership between MINUSTAH and UNDP across the rule-of-law sectors. In order to reduce pretrial detention rates, the Ministry of Justice and Public Security, with the assistance of MINUSTAH and UNDP, jointly developed a concept to rapidly increase the capacity of the justice sector in Haiti. This project would establish additional branches — or court annexes — to expand existing court capacity. Corrections 34. Before the earthquake, the Corrections Unit focused on the implementation of the Strategic Development Plan 2007-2012, developed by the Direction de l’administration pénitentiaire. After the earthquake, the priorities were altered to ensuring the security of the prisons and well-being of detainees. Assessments revealed considerable infrastructural damage to the prisons including the administration facilities, resulting in even more limited cell space and dire detention conditions. Prison administration is a challenge in view of the loss of files and registries during the earthquake, which contributes to increased instances of arbitrary and prolonged pretrial detention. Current activities focus on the training of 300 newly recruited corrections officers, increasing cell space, improving prisoners’ registration and living conditions, and encouraging Haitian authorities to implement basic remedial measures to minimize the disproportionate use of pretrial detention and reduce the prison population. Human rights 35. Under the lead of MINUSTAH, the protection cluster developed policy recommendations for the Government and the humanitarian community, and submitted policy proposals to the Government on the respect of internally displaced persons’ rights during relocations and camp closures. The cluster has also organized seven internally displaced person protection training sessions for more than 200 camp managers, human rights monitors and civil servants. On prolonged pretrial detention, an integrated MINUSTAH team undertook advocacy with the Haitian authorities, leading to the release of 37 illegally detained persons. MINUSTAH worked with civil society groups to strengthen their understanding of social and economic rights, and encourage their engagement in the country’s reconstruction. Activities included discussion forums with groups such as the Parlement Jeunesse to promote dialogue on the Government’s Action Plan for National Recovery and Development. MINUSTAH and the Office of the United Nations High 10-49400 9 S/2010/446 Commissioner for Human Rights have also increased collaboration with the Office de la protection du citoyen through the provision of an international consultant and support for field offices. The United Nations is currently cooperating with a national commission of inquiry formally established by the Government of Haiti in accordance with a presidential decree to investigate the facts and circumstances of the events at Les Cayes prison on 19 January 2009. The Commission is composed of six members, three of whom are appointed by the Government and three by the United Nations. Child protection 36. MINUSTAH supported the Government in addressing child protection issues and continued to train Haitian National Police officers on the protection of and response to vulnerable and displaced children. A UNICEF-supported project carried out additional training to strengthen the response capacity of the National Police Brigade de protection des mineurs and social welfare officers in camps of internally displaced persons. MINUSTAH and UNICEF also provided support to the Brigade to establish a hotline to receive and ensure prompt responses to serious child protection concerns. United Nations police officers carried out regular visits to the border with the Dominican Republic to assess child trafficking. The bill on adoption reform was adopted by the Chamber of Deputies and is being reviewed by the Senate. Advocacy was carried out to clarify the status of children who allegedly left the Delmas 33 Rehabilitation Centre on 12 January 2010 and were re-arrested by the National Police for evasion, in addition to the original criminal charges against them. MINUSTAH also followed up on individual cases of detained children to ensure that their cases are adjudicated expeditiously. Public information 37. MINUSTAH funded the production and projection of a 16-part soap opera series in 20 camps of internally displaced persons, focusing on building awareness of social and health issues, including the protection of children and sexual and gender-based violence. In nine MINUSTAH multimedia centres, regular seminars were organized on voters’ education, health and development, justice and human rights and environmental issues, in collaboration with civil society organizations. Radio MINUSTAH FM installed a new relay station in Gonaïves, and is in the process of installing another in Léogâne. During the reporting period, programming air-time increased from 36 hours per week before the earthquake to full-time broadcasting. HIV/AIDS 38. MINUSTAH, with UNAIDS, realigned its activities and workplan according to national priorities and the National HIV and AIDS Interim Plan. MINUSTAH participated in assessment missions to internally displaced person camps and other vulnerable areas, including Bel Air and Cité Soleil, to integrate HIV prevention into the emergency response. It continued to provide support to people living with HIV, and facilitated HIV training for uniformed services, including the National Police and immigration and Customs officers. MINUSTAH also revised the training for peer leaders in HIV voluntary counselling and confidential testing, to raise awareness on preventing HIV and to contribute to the national response. Some 3,000 United Nations staff members have participated in the training. 10 10-49400 S/2010/446 Gender 39. MINUSTAH continued to provide institutional and technical support to the Ministry of Women’s Affairs and Rights and to local authorities, including legal assistance to women and girl victims of violence. It also focused on awarenessraising and the training of community leaders on violence against women to promote attitudinal change among those communities. Conduct and discipline 40. The Mission continued its efforts to increase awareness on prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse. Induction training on conduct and discipline was carried out, and outreach materials were developed for incoming personnel from all components in which the prohibition of transactional sex and the consequences of misconduct were stressed. During the reporting period, 1,571 mission staff were trained. MINUSTAH worked with United Nations agencies and non-governmental organizations to develop a common mechanism to address sexual exploitation and abuse. Mission support 41. Mission support had two priorities during the report period, namely, the re-establishment of adequate physical premises for office and residential accommodation and camps for surge military and police, and the recruitment of personnel to enable the Mission to implement mandated activities. 42. The Mission undertook a review of support provided to regional and departmental offices, with a view to creating integrated regional offices with the United Nations country team. Considerable progress has been made towards establishing integrated regional offices in Léogâne and Jacmel, areas severely affected by the earthquake. A site has also been identified for an integrated regional office in Jérémie, as the present location is unsuitable. Ad hoc arrangements have been made in other locations pending an assessment of longer-term requirements. Greenfield sites continue to be identified and prepared for accommodating incoming contingents. To address the acute shortage of staff accommodation as a result of the expiration of the contract for accommodation on 7 September, a 250-person camp is being constructed; the aim is to have it commissioned by that time. The rehabilitation of an existing site at the Log Base to house the interim Mission headquarters has commenced with a target completion date of 31 October 2010. Providing adequate, safe and secure office and residential accommodation for all Mission personnel remains a major challenge. The implementation of the Liaison and Support Centre continues in Santo Domingo, and discussion with the Government of the Dominican Republic is progressing for the signature of a memorandum of understanding. 43. The increase in Mission troop and police strength and the expansion of mandated activities has created a capacity gap for logistical support and an acute shortage of support personnel. With the allotment of additional posts in the commitment authority for 2010/11 and posts identified for inclusion in the Mission budget proposal for 2010/11, a major recruitment drive has been undertaken to reduce this gap. A recruitment “Tiger Team” was deployed in August to recruit staff against the 324 new temporary posts in the commitment authority. 10-49400 11 S/2010/446 V. Recovery and development activities Recovery activities 44. As the immediate humanitarian needs of the displaced have largely been addressed during the reporting period, efforts have been made to increase the assistance provided to communities in order to encourage resettlement to sustainable accommodation while ensuring that essential services will continue to be provided in camps. Maintaining consistency and quality of support is a major challenge and many humanitarian actors are already working at full capacity. 45. In addition to the activities described in paragraphs 11, 12, 29 and 30, the humanitarian community has begun providing transitional shelter to families identified as vulnerable. Transitional shelter refers to timber or steel frame structures that last a number of years and provide better protection, more privacy and generally more space than emergency shelter. As they are sturdier, transitional shelters take longer to build but, unlike permanent houses, they can be moved to different locations if necessary. To date, 11,425 transitional shelters have been constructed, providing more than 57,000 Haitians with a safer place to live. An additional 15,454 sets of transitional shelter materials are ready, waiting for the Government decision on the locations to build them, and 32,235 are in the pipeline. The United Nations and its partners plan to complete the construction of 139,000 transitional shelters by mid-2011. The construction of transitional shelters remains hindered by issues related to land rights and rubble removal. Meanwhile, some 8,000 displaced people living in four camps vulnerable to flooding or security concerns have been relocated to safer camps, including the new sites of Corail Cesselesse, Tabarre Issa and Corail Sector 3 in the greater Port-au-Prince area, and Camp Mayard in Jacmel. 46. Cash- and food-for-work projects have employed more than 150,000 people since 20 January. These programmes focus on labour-intensive tasks such as the removal and disposal of debris and rubble, as well as the clearing of drainage systems; the latter is particularly important given the onset of the rainy season. As a complement to the large-scale debris clearance initiative being developed by the Government, UNDP, UN-Habitat and the International Labour Organization (ILO) have designed a community-based debris management project to be implemented in six of the capital’s earthquake-affected neighbourhoods with recently approved funding from the Haiti Reconstruction Fund. 47. As of July 2010, 80 per cent of primary schools in Port-au-Prince had reopened, compared to 72 per cent in Léogâne, and 100 per cent in both Petit-Goâve and Grand-Goâve as well as Jacmel. A minimum package of health services has been developed by the Ministry of Health with support from the World Health Organization and other partners, and aid agencies in camps are working together to ensure that key medical services are covered. A total of 3,252 children between 6 and 59 months were admitted to outpatient therapeutic feeding centres from January to June. During this period, some 633 children aged 6 to 59 months were admitted to inpatient stabilization centres. UNICEF and partners have also been equipping schools with hand-washing points, latrines, water tanks and soap. 48. The extreme vulnerability of Haitians — both inside and outside the camps — to hurricanes and tropical storms remains a serious concern. Under the leadership of the Direction de la protection civile of the Ministry of the Interior, in cooperation 12 10-49400 S/2010/446 with the United Nations country team, a number of steps have been taken to prepare for the hurricane season, including the establishment of logistics hubs around the country, pre-positioning of emergency rations, and the assessment of a total of 300 camps for vulnerability to storms and flooding. As a result of these assessments, measures are being taken to mitigate risk in the camps. The United Nations and humanitarian partners began working with the Government to accelerate contingency planning and disaster preparedness measures in all departments, and public information activities have begun, providing camp residents with crucial information on storm preparedness. Nevertheless, concern about vulnerability remains, especially regarding those in camps, as the number of hurricane shelters currently available is inadequate, and a large-scale evacuation in the event of a major disaster is beyond existing capacities. Coordination mechanisms 49. The Government of Haiti increased its efforts to assume a leadership role in the coordination of humanitarian and recovery activities. As part of this, an ad hoc Presidential Commission on Resettlement was established to coordinate all stakeholders involved in the relocation and resettlement of internally displaced persons. Co-chaired by President Préval and the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General/Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator, Nigel Fisher, the Commission is working with the humanitarian community on the development of a strategy and operational plan to guide the development of incentive packages, the identification of the population at risk and the identification of available land. While high-level political negotiations continue, local-level authorities and organizations continue to work with humanitarian partners to identify incentive packages that facilitate ad hoc resettlements. The Government has now fully assumed its leadership role in the coordination of contingency planning and preparedness for the current hurricane season, through the Direction de la protection civile, with support from the United Nations humanitarian country team and MINUSTAH. 50. The Government reactivated the system of nationally led sectoral coordination groups (Tables sectorielles), based on the priorities identified in the Action Plan for National Recovery and Development. MINUSTAH, together with the United Nations country team and the Prime Minister’s Office, worked to further integrate the existing humanitarian structures into the overall national coordination architecture, led by the Ministry of Planning. The leadership of the majority of humanitarian clusters has been transferred to counterparts in Ministries, with Government representatives present in all clusters. UNDP, the Office of the Special Envoy for Haiti and other partners have supported the Ministry of Planning in the development of a customized aid information management system to bolster national capacity to monitor external aid, and ultimately to facilitate national planning and budgetary decisions. Office of the Special Envoy for Haiti 51. My Special Envoy for Haiti, former United States President William J. Clinton, and the Deputy Special Envoy, Dr. Paul Farmer, have actively identified and sought to address gaps in the United Nations response to the earthquake, in both humanitarian and development operations. These efforts have included coordination work in the management of debris, the construction of hurricane and transitional 10-49400 13 S/2010/446 shelters, strengthening protection of women and children against violence, and initiatives in the education, energy and health sectors. The Office of the Special Envoy has also been tracking aid pledges and disbursement of funds, liaising with the Interim Haiti Recovery Commission and the international financial institutions, working to ensure coherence across United Nations operations in Haiti, and coordinating and tracking non-governmental organizations. The Special Envoy has also been particularly effective in advocating for donors and non-governmental organizations to channel resources to direct budget support for the Government of Haiti. Establishment of the Interim Haiti Recovery Commission 52. The Interim Haiti Recovery Commission was created by presidential decree on 21 April to coordinate and oversee recovery and reconstruction efforts under the co-chairmanship of the Prime Minister, Jean-Max Bellerive, and former United States President Clinton. Its role is to provide high-level coordination and strategic direction by linking the work of line ministries and the Ministry of Planning without compromising their respective roles. 53. The Board of the Commission held its second meeting on 17 August 2010 and approved all 29 proposals presented, totalling $1.66 billion, including eight proposals submitted by the United Nations. Approval by the Commission does not translate into immediate funding, however, since the funds available in the Haiti Reconstruction Fund remain modest ($134.2 million) in comparison to the overall funding requirements. The proposals having been approved by the Board, the United Nations needs to mobilize $200.7 million. The Co-Chairs of the Commission have indicated that efforts to accelerate the work of the Commission were hindered by the slow disbursement of donor funding. To date, of the total pledged for 2010 excluding debt relief, 18.9 per cent ($506 million) has been disbursed and an additional 19.5 per cent ($523 million) has been committed. Of the pledged amount, it is anticipated that less than 10 per cent will be channelled through the Haiti Reconstruction Fund. 54. The Steering Committee of the Haiti Reconstruction Fund also met on 17 August. Canada signed its contribution of $30 million, while France and the United States pledged contributions to the Fund ($30 million and $100 million respectively). So far, the Fund has disbursed $25 million to the World Bank as a partner entity, which will be provided to the Government as general budget support. Two new proposals were approved in principle by the Steering Committee — one from UNDP/UN-Habitat/ILO on debris management for $17 million, and one from the Bank of the Republic of Haiti on a partial guarantee fund for enterprise development for $12.5 million. VI. Way forward 55. Despite progress made in the delivery of life-sustaining humanitarian assistance and early recovery, the fundamental consequences of the earthquake, including the further weakening of State capacity, will require sustained international commitment. The Security Council’s response to the earthquake was quick and decisive: it immediately reinforced MINUSTAH with a post-earthquake troop and police surge, and mandated the Mission to provide logistical and technical 14 10-49400 S/2010/446 support to the Government of Haiti in the areas of its mandate as a temporary measure until Haitian national capacity is developed. MINUSTAH and the United Nations country team will have completed an integrated strategic framework by September, which will guide the work of the United Nations system in the coming months. Security environment 56. The holding of credible presidential and legislative elections in 2010 and the inauguration of a new President and Government early in 2011 will be key milestones. MINUSTAH will conduct a comprehensive assessment of the security situation after the transfer of power in order to develop a draw-down plan for the surge military and police personnel. Factors to be considered at that stage would be the security and political environment following the elections and transfer of power; the capacity of the Haitian National Police, especially with regard to the protection of displaced persons; and the number of requests for escorts for relief activities. Provision of logistical support and technical expertise to the Government of Haiti 57. Beyond the Mission’s ongoing technical assistance activities, as an exceptional post-earthquake measure, and in accordance with resolution 1927 (2010), MINUSTAH developed plans to provide limited logistical assistance to the Ministry of Justice and Public Security, the judicial and corrections institutions and the Haitian National Police to enable them to continue core operations. It is envisaged that MINUSTAH logistical support would permit the establishment of 16 community police substations equipped to assist victims of sexual and gender-based violence in internally displaced person camps and crime-prone areas. Limited logistical support would be provided to increase the capacity of the police Brigade de protection des mineurs to respond to child rights violations, particularly in the camps, and to strengthen the capacity of the National Police to conduct forensic investigations. Logistical support will be provided to judicial institutions to establish 10 rooms for hearings. In addition, the Mission is consulting with the Ministry of Justice and Public Security regarding the appropriate justice sector expertise that could be provided through secondment of justice experts, as noted in my last report. The Mission envisages the provision of 21 temporary offices to accommodate staff from the Ministry of Justice and Public Security, the Magistrate’s School and corrections institutions. The Mission will also provide containers and office equipment to up to 30 local state institutions affected by resettlement to plan, manage and deliver public services. Capacity-building for local officials would be provided through training on planning, project management, budget, and performance measurement. 58. The support outlined above should be considered a stop-gap measure until mid- to long-term donor assistance begins to materialize. The overall cost of the Mission’s logistical support to the Government, including capacity-building and operational costs to maintain the assets provided, would be less than 1 per cent of the proposed MINUSTAH budget for 2010/11. Support to early recovery activities 59. MINUSTAH will continue to address gaps in recovery activities that are closely linked to critical security needs, and to generate economic opportunities for 10-49400 15 S/2010/446 the displaced and communities or those living in violence-affected areas until June 2011 through quick-impact projects and community violence reduction projects. Community violence reduction funds should continue at an expanded level into the foreseeable future, as the projects they fund focus on communities at risk before the earthquake, with a view to encouraging the voluntary return of residents to their original neighbourhoods. The value added of such intervention is substantial, given the preventive nature of such targeted programming. A higher level of quick-impact projects will also continue over the coming months, but will decrease as reconstruction activities increase. The level of donor assistance at the community level will be a benchmark for phasing out quick-impact projects to pre-earthquake levels. VII. Financial aspects 60. By its resolution 64/278 of 24 June 2010, the General Assembly authorized the Secretary-General to enter into commitments in a total amount not exceeding $380 million for the operation of MINUSTAH for the period from 1 July to 31 December 2010. My proposed budget for the Mission for the period from 1 July 2010 to 30 June 2011 will be submitted to the General Assembly for its consideration during the main part of its sixty-fifth session. 61. As at 30 June 2010, unpaid assessed contributions to the Special Account for MINUSTAH amounted to $155.6 million. The total outstanding assessed contributions for all peacekeeping operations as at that date amounted to $1,363.5 million. 62. As at 16 August 2010, amounts owed to troop and formed police unit contributors to MINUSTAH totalled $23.4 million. Reimbursement of troop and contingent-owned equipment costs have been made for the periods up to 31 May 2010 and 31 March 2010, respectively, in accordance with the quarterly payment schedule. VIII. Observations 63. Nearly five months have passed since my last report. During that period, MINUSTAH enhanced its capacity, through the recruitment of additional civilian staff, as well as the deployment of additional military and police granted by the Security Council in its resolutions 1908 (2010) and 1927 (2010). Meanwhile, the Mission has been working tirelessly to meet ongoing challenges, putting in place measures to address the protection of vulnerable groups, and preparing its support for the elections. 64. Haiti, under the Government’s leadership and with international support, has successfully avoided a second-wave disaster of epidemics or social unrest. Nevertheless, with hundreds of thousands of people expected to remain in camps or improvised shelters over the coming year, the political, social and economic situation will remain fragile. The potential for social unrest exists, and it is to the great credit of the Haitian people that large-scale disturbances have so far been avoided despite the extremely harsh and precarious conditions of so many. The challenge of debris removal cannot be understated. It is absolutely crucial for reconstruction efforts to advance further. 16 10-49400 S/2010/446 65. Haiti is now entering a period of change which will be critical to its future stability. The most immediate challenge, besides reconstruction, is the organization of presidential and legislative elections. Those elections must be credible and legitimate in order to bring in a President and Government with a clear and uncontested mandate to lead the reconstruction process. It is my hope that the elections will see a large participation of the Haitian people. Political stability will be essential for recovery and the resumption of socio-economic development. The international community must make good on its commitments to support the elections, including through robust monitoring to build confidence in the process. MINUSTAH will continue its steadfast support, including in the potentially volatile period after the elections. For this, the current troop and police levels need to be maintained, until an assessment of the security environment is conducted after the installation of a new President and Government. 66. Beyond the holding of elections, important political tasks remain. A vital matter for the newly elected legislature and Government will be the completion of the constitutional reform process initiated by the Government of President Préval, which aims at simplifying the electoral cycle and increasing the economic participation of the diaspora. 67. A major challenge facing the Government is the sustainable resettlement of displaced persons to permanent accommodation. The needs of distinct categories of people — including those whose homes have been destroyed, renters who have been forced out of the rental market, and those who never had adequate housing even before the earthquake — must be addressed. The challenge is multifaceted. Decisive leadership will be needed in resolving complex questions related to land, property and rental rights. A balance will also need to be struck between the provision of essential services for the displaced population, and the need to encourage camp residents to return to their communities and neighbourhoods of origin. The urban, predominantly poor background of the majority of the displaced renders this aspect of the relief to recovery transition particularly complex. Even before 12 January, a significant number of the displaced were living in conditions comparable to, and in many cases worse than, those in the camps. The onus must therefore be placed on incentives, through the provision of adequate shelter and basic services, including in health and education, in areas of resettlement, as well as the establishment of a strong protective environment for all, in particular women and children. Efforts must be made, through the decentralization process foreseen in the Government’s action plan, to redress the historical influx of people from rural areas caused by the collapse of the agricultural sector in the 1980s. With over a million displaced currently living in makeshift conditions, and the risk of transitional shelters evolving into a “new generation” of slums, there is a continuing need for a clear, considered and comprehensive strategy for the resettlement of earthquake victims and the urban poor. 68. Protecting the displaced population and vulnerable groups is a key priority for MINUSTAH and its international partners. While some progress has been made since April to address protection needs, much remains to be done. As noted above, MINUSTAH and the United Nations country team are working together to implement comprehensive measures aimed at protecting internally displaced persons, in support of the Haitian National Police. 69. Drug trans-shipment through Haiti is an underlying problem that, if unchecked, will undermine all efforts by the Government and the international 10-49400 17 S/2010/446 community to build State institutions and political stability. The trans-shipment of cocaine through Haiti towards the United States, already large-scale, has reportedly increased since January as a result of a weakening of State authority caused by the earthquake. Drug money, which continues to weave its way into the State apparatus, has had a corrosive effect on key rule of law institutions, including Customs and judicial officials, as well as the Haitian National Police. In support of the Government’s efforts to address drug trafficking, alongside the Haitian National Police and immigration and Customs authorities, MINUSTAH military and police have expanded their assistance to border management efforts through increased land and maritime patrols and air surveillance. Moreover, United Nations police continue to conduct monitoring and mentoring activities at border crossing points, and provide technical capacity-building in border management to the Haitian National Police. However, collective efforts must be increased to deter the illicit activities. Haiti’s partners in the international community should continue and intensify their assistance to the Government of Haiti in this regard. 70. The efforts and generosity of the international community, particularly Haiti’s Caribbean and hemispheric neighbours, to support the rebuilding of Haiti are commendable. I welcome the establishment of the Interim Haiti Recovery Commission, which will play a central role in coordinating medium- and long-term reconstruction efforts in Haiti. Nevertheless, with less than 10 per cent of the pledged amount expected to be channelled through the Haiti Reconstruction Fund, I am concerned by the paucity of flexible/unearmarked funds that will be at the Government’s disposal to pursue its priorities. Channelling support to Haiti through the Commission, rather than through bilateral arrangements, strengthens the capacity of the Government to fulfil its action plan and take ownership of the reconstruction process, a key ingredient for “building back better”. I count on donors’ continuing commitment to Haiti’s recovery, and welcome the Special Envoy’s efforts to secure timely disbursement of the pledges made at the international conference in March 2010. 71. Without tangible and visible reconstruction dividends, the fragile stability of the past months may be compromised. The success of MINUSTAH, and its eventual drawdown, is linked to progress in the reconstruction effort. The logistical and technical expertise that MINUSTAH has been authorized to provide to the Haitian authorities by the Security Council are only stop-gap measures until such a time as alternative structures are in place to support Haitian capacity. 72. As Haiti recedes from media attention, it is important that donors and other international supporters not forget the magnitude of the January earthquake. Rebuilding Haiti will be a long-term project. It will require decisive leadership on the part of the Government of Haiti, with the sustained support of the international community. 73. I would like express my gratitude to my Special Envoy for the role he continues to play in leading the overall international effort. I would like to conclude by expressing my admiration for and gratitude to my Special Representative, Edmond Mulet, and to the men and women of MINUSTAH for their commitment and fortitude — while still mourning the loss of their colleagues and friends — to help to stabilize Haiti. 18 10-49400 S/2010/446 Annex I United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti: countries providing military staff and contingents (as at 23 August 2010) Staff officers Country Females Males Females Males Total Argentina 10 31 656 697 Bolivia 3 16 189 208 23 9 2 133 a 2 165 8 — — 10 5 12 485 502 Brazil Canada 2 Chile Ecuador 1 — 66 67 France 2 — — 2 Guatemala 5 13 129 147 India 1 — — 1 Japan 2 — 189 191 Jordan 10 — 602 612 Nepal 15 17 1 043 1 075 Paraguay — — Peru 1 5 — 366 372 Philippines 1 1 6 149 157 Republic of Korea 1 1 4 236 242 Sri Lanka 12 — 949 961 United States of America 2 7 — — Uruguay 13 42 1 075 1 130 124 150 8 267 8 548 Total a 10-49400 Troops 7 Including one Peruvian attached to the Brazilian contingent. 19 S/2010/446 Annex II Composition and strength of the police of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (as at 23 August 2010) Number of United Nations police Country 20 Number of formed police units Female Male Female Male Argentina 0 21 0 0 Bangladesh 0 7 120 200 Benin 1 42 0 0 Brazil 0 4 0 0 Burkina Faso 3 29 0 0 Burundi 0 4 0 0 Cameroon 1 10 0 0 Canada 14 98 0 0 Central African Republic 3 8 0 0 Chad 2 19 0 0 Chile 3 12 0 0 China 3 13 0 0 Colombia 0 21 0 0 Côte d’Ivoire 11 77 0 0 Croatia 0 3 0 0 Egypt 0 24 0 0 El Salvador 3 12 0 0 France 5 58 1 73 Grenada 0 3 0 0 Guinea 0 42 0 0 Guinea-Bissau 2 5 0 0 India 3 7 0 299 Indonesia 1 6 0 0 Italy 0 1 0 117 Jamaica 0 8 0 0 Jordan 0 54 0 319 Kyrgyzstan 0 2 0 0 Lithuania 0 2 0 0 Madagascar 0 28 0 0 Mali 3 56 0 0 Nepal 3 62 12 128 Niger 3 44 0 0 Nigeria 5 2 22 118 Pakistan 1 23 0 280 10-49400 S/2010/446 Number of United Nations police Country Male Female Male Philippines 5 32 0 0 Romania 6 17 0 0 Russian Federation 1 8 0 0 Rwanda 30 31 0 0 Senegal 0 33 0 140 Serbia 0 5 0 0 Spain 2 32 0 0 Sri Lanka 0 26 0 0 Sweden 1 2 0 0 Togo 0 4 0 0 Turkey 0 35 0 0 Thailand 5 14 0 0 United States of America 6 38 0 0 Uruguay 0 5 0 0 Yemen 0 17 0 0 128 1 106 155 1 674 Total Grand total 10-49400 Female Number of formed police units 1 234 1 829 3 063 21 S/2010/446 22 10-49400