(2011-08) MINUSTAH - Rapport du Secrétaire général sur la Mission des Nations Unies pour la stabilisation en Haïti (S/2011/540)

S/2011/540 United Nations Security Council Distr.: General 25 August 2011 Original: English Report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti I. Introduction 1. By its resolution 1944 (2010) of 14 October 2010, the Security Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) until 15 October 2011, 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 from the issuance of my report of 24 March 2011 (S/2011/183) to 31 August 2011 and outlines 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), 1927 (2010) and 1944 (2010). It also presents the findings and recommendations resulting from a comprehensive security assessment requested by the Council in resolution 1944 (2010). II. Political and security update Political situation and election results 2. Since my previous report, Haiti has experienced, for the first time in its history, a peaceful transfer of power from one democratically elected president to another from the opposition. Following his victory in the second-round presidential run-off, which was held on 20 March 2011, Michel Joseph Martelly was sworn in as René Préval’s successor on 14 May 2011. Mr. Martelly’s first months as President have been marred by two failed attempts to designate a Prime Minister, and by a stalled constitutional reform effort. The current political stalemate between the President and Parliament risks undermining political progress and exacerbating the security situation, and has posed a major obstacle to the attainment of the mandated objectives of MINUSTAH. 3. Following the second round of the presidential and legislative elections, allegations of corruption directed against the Provisional Electoral Council intensified, owing in part to delays in the announcement of the results. Preliminary results were eventually announced, on 4 April, and the final results were published on 20 April, confirming the victory of Martelly (Repons Peyizan) with 67.57 per cent of the vote, with his opponent Mirlande Manigat (Rassemblement des démocrates nationaux progressistes) receiving 31.74 per cent. 11-48001 (E) 300811 *1148001* S/2011/540 4. The appeal board of the Provisional Electoral Council overturned the results for 17 seats in the lower house and 2 in the Senate. The overwhelming majority of these decisions favoured the former governing party Inite, raising concern among national and international observers. At the request of President Préval, the joint electoral observation mission of the Organization of American States and the Caribbean Community examined these cases, which were subsequently reviewed by the Provisional Electoral Council. In 15 cases, the results were upheld, following the recommendation of the joint electoral observation mission and new results were published on 18 June. The executive branch subsequently halted the publication of results in the four remaining cases. On 17 May, a senatorial commission was established to investigate the alleged electoral wrongdoing: its report is still outstanding. Meanwhile, arrest warrants were issued for three councillors of the Provisional Electoral Council, including the President of the Council, after they had failed to respond to a summons to appear before the senatorial commission. 5. A separate controversy erupted in May, over constitutional amendments initiated by President Préval during his last term in office. Alleged discrepancies between the published text of the amended constitution and the actual amendments voted on in Parliament led to heated disputes over the legality of the changes. On 13 June, President Martelly reversed the decree issued by former President Préval promulgating the amendments and announced that the 1987 Constitution was still applicable. To date, no decision has been made regarding the fate of these amendments. 6. Since his swearing-in, President Martelly has faced opposition from the new Parliament over the appointment of a Prime Minister. On 21 June, five weeks after Martelly’s inauguration, the Chamber of Deputies formally rejected the candidacy of his Prime Minister-designate, Daniel-Gérard Rouzier. President Martelly’s subsequent choice of Bernard Gousse was also rejected, on 2 August following a heated debate in the Senate. One hundred days into President Martelly’s mandate, the executive branch and Parliament had yet to reach a compromise, despite increased appeals by numerous parliamentarians, religious leaders and private sector and civil society actors to end the current impasse and agree on a concrete way forward for Haiti. Security assessment 7. Throughout the reporting period, the overall security situation remained relatively calm, albeit fragile, with sporadic instances of civil unrest throughout the country linked to the electoral process. However, security conditions could deteriorate if the current political stalemate is not resolved quickly through a basic political agreement. 8. Trends since the earthquake reveal an increase in all major categories of crime, including murder, rape and kidnapping. Other crimes, including theft, robbery and assault, are also on the rise. Crime reporting appears to have increased as a result of a greater police presence and more patrolling and direct engagement by law enforcement officials with the population. Port-au-Prince and the surrounding West Department account for the vast majority of crimes being committed in Haiti, while criminal gangs — some of which have links to political parties and drug traffickers — remain a major security concern. 2 11-48001 S/2011/540 9. Following the completion of the electoral process, the incidence of violent demonstrations has decreased significantly. However, in the current political and socio-economic context, the risk of civil unrest remains high. Localized clashes between rival candidates and their supporters are likely to surge throughout the country during the next electoral cycle, particularly in traditional flashpoints such as Port-au-Prince, Gonaïves (Artibonite), Cap-Haïtien (North Department) and Les Cayes (South Department). 10. MINUSTAH military and police personnel continued to play a vital role in the maintenance of overall security and stability, particularly during the unpredictable post-electoral period. In July, MINUSTAH conducted a successful joint military and police operation in the Port-au-Prince areas of Cité Soleil, Bel Air and Martissant with the intent of disrupting gang activities and assisting the Haitian authorities in maintaining law and order in those areas. Several gang members, as well as prison escapees, were arrested, and criminality has since decreased in the targeted areas. The Haitian National Police and MINUSTAH jointly carried out several successful anti-crime operations, including targeted activities against drug trafficking. Since 1 April 2011, a total of four police officers have been killed in action; this represents a decrease of two thirds compared with the previous period. 11. The capacity of the Haitian National Police to provide adequate protection to the civilian population was further enhanced with the graduation of the twenty-second promotion of cadets in May. Although the performance of the Haitian National Police is slowly improving, the institution is not yet in a position to assume full responsibility for the provision of internal security. Its ability to discharge its responsibilities is severely constrained by insufficient numbers and a lack of basic equipment and logistics. Critical capabilities, particularly in the areas of border management and crowd control, remain severely underdeveloped. The presence of the Haitian National Police in the regions remains inadequate, requiring continued MINUSTAH support. III. Humanitarian and recovery update 12. Haiti continues to face significant humanitarian challenges, with large numbers of internally displaced persons still dependent on assistance for their basic survival. As of June 2011, there were approximately 634,000 internally displaced persons living at 1,001 sites. The ongoing cholera epidemic, the country’s extreme vulnerability to natural disasters and the steady rise of food and fuel prices have compounded the hardships faced by the Haitian population. In addition, a number of major non-governmental organizations are pulling out of Haiti because of reduced donor funding, which may have negative effects on cholera prevention efforts, notably as regards water and sanitation in camps. 13. As of June 2011, the construction of at least 73,000, or 63 per cent, of the 116,000 planned transitional shelters had been completed. Since early 2011, humanitarian partners have distributed 117,200 tents, 1,185,052 tarpaulins and 2.5 million relief items such as blankets, mats and kitchen sets. A pilot programme of the camp coordination/camp management cluster facilitated the return of 2,714 families. Overall, the number of persons living in camps has continued to decrease, although at a significantly diminished pace, with a reduction of only 47,000 persons and 60 sites since March 2011. The humanitarian community continues to work with 11-48001 3 S/2011/540 the Government of Haiti on the design and implementation of durable solutions to provide internally displaced persons with decent and sustainable living conditions. 14. Despite a resurgence of cholera cases, mortality rates have declined steadily in all departments, from a cumulative mortality rate of 5.62 per cent at the start of the epidemic to 1.4 per cent as of August 2011. If current conditions persist, the current incidence rate of 3.9 per cent could increase to a global incidence rate of 5.0 per cent by the end of October 2011, placing the estimated number of cases at 115,000, of which 60,000 could require hospitalization. 15. Recovery and reconstruction efforts are moving forward, albeit slowly. As of 23 June, international public sector donors had disbursed 37.8 per cent ($1.74 billion) of the money pledged to the earthquake recovery efforts for the 2010/11 period. Since my previous report, a number of large-scale reconstruction programmes have been launched, notably a $65 million housing project supported by the World Bank, a Government housing initiative to build 2,000 homes in Port-au-Prince and United Nations-supported housing and debris removal programmes totalling $72 million. A major project to relocate internally displaced persons from six major camps in the Port-au-Prince area to 16 priority neighbourhoods was approved by the Interim Haiti Recovery Commission on 22 July, with initial funding of $30 million through the Haiti Reconstruction Fund. The project was launched officially by the President of Haiti on 17 August. IV. Activities of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti Support for the elections and the political process 16. During the reporting period, MINUSTAH provided crucial support for the electoral process. The Mission delivered and retrieved all sensitive and non-sensitive electoral materials and provided security at the voting centres in three constituencies, where legislative re-runs were held on 29 May 2011. In response to electoral violence, MINUSTAH conducted 52 joint assessment missions in constituencies where violent post-electoral incidents had occurred and provided support to judicial authorities. MINUSTAH carried out 37 processes of mediation between supporters of opposing legislative candidates and facilitated the reopening of town halls and peace tribunals in areas affected by electoral violence. 17. Since his arrival in Haiti on 26 June 2011, my new Special Representative, Mariano Fernández, has engaged intensively with the Haitian authorities and other political actors to achieve a consensus between opposing factions on a viable framework for good governance. The reopening of the Mission’s parliamentary liaison office in August 2011 will facilitate the continued presence of MINUSTAH in support of ongoing dialogue to resolve the impasse. Military 18. The military component of MINUSTAH continued to play a crucial role in the maintenance of a secure and stable environment, as well as in border management, disaster preparedness and response, electoral support and recovery and reconstruction efforts. Key activities included the maintenance of security during the electoral run-off and the contested post-electoral period. Planning for security 4 11-48001 S/2011/540 and logistical support has commenced in anticipation of upcoming legislative and local elections. The Mission’s military component participated in numerous anti-crime operations, the largest of which was Operation Phoenix, carried out in July 2011. The military component’s disaster preparedness efforts included the conduct of two natural disaster exercises. Military engineering projects are also contributing to disaster preparedness efforts. 19. Following the 2010 earthquake, three additional military engineering companies were deployed to the Mission, with one additional company expected to arrive in Haiti by 24 September 2011. The military engineering capacity of MINUSTAH is currently supporting a wide range of recovery efforts and assisting with the establishment of conditions for longer-term reconstruction. A total of 125 requests for military engineering projects in support of recovery and reconstruction have been received since 1 April. Eighty projects have been completed to date, with the remainder ongoing or awaiting the arrival of additional materials. These projects involve the removal of earthquake-damaged Government buildings, hospitals, orphanages and schools; the preparation of land for warehousing spaces and cholera treatment centres; road repair; well-drilling; river and canal drainage; and the consolidation of riverbanks. 20. The Mission has now developed a longer-range plan for the use of military engineering assets. Priority projects will assist humanitarian relief and early recovery operations, allow for rapid response during crisis situations and help the Government to implement disaster risk mitigation strategies. Since the operating budget of MINUSTAH does not envisage extensive support for large-scale engineering projects, alternative financing options in support of such projects are currently being explored. In addition, internal management mechanisms have been put in place to ensure that the Mission’s engineering assets are utilized in an efficient and effective manner. Police 21. The reform and strengthening of the Haitian National Police remained a priority for MINUSTAH during the reporting period. A total of 913 individuals were vetted for inclusion in the twenty-second promotion; 877 cadets, including 60 women, graduated on 20 May 2011. The vetting of prospective cadets will continue once outstanding logistical and resource requirements have been met. The Haitian National Police now stands at 10,001 officers, including 783 women. Twenty-eight officers have been trained to monitor and support the 12-month field training process for the 877 recent police graduates. Furthermore, MINUSTAH has developed and delivered additional specialized training to enhance policing capabilities with regard to first aid, gender, border activities, close protection, crowd control and judicial policing. 22. The recruitment process for the twenty-third and twenty-fourth promotions continues, and a list of 1,900 potential candidates has been identified. Recruitment tests for the twenty-third promotion are expected to be completed in September 2011. The plan is to initiate basic training for approximately 600 cadets in the twenty-third promotion in October 2011, with a second wave of approximately 500 cadets expected to commence training as part of the twenty-fourth promotion in early 2012. The Haitian National Police has set a goal of 30 per cent female graduates in the next promotion. 11-48001 5 S/2011/540 23. MINUSTAH continues to support the Haitian authorities with the formulation of the next five-year Haitian National Police development plan, which will succeed the current reform plan upon its expiration in December 2011. However, national ownership of and engagement in the plan remain questionable, owing in large part to the continued political stalemate. In addition, the Mission continues to provide technical guidance to several donor-funded projects for the rehabilitation and construction of police facilities. This includes the construction of a police academy aimed at bolstering the capacity of mid-level management and providing competent and effective officers. The construction of the academy should be completed by 2013. Protection of vulnerable groups 24. During the reporting period, MINUSTAH continued its community policing efforts in camps for internally displaced persons, in close coordination with camp committees. MINUSTAH military and police personnel maintained a permanent presence in seven camps, continued 24-hour patrolling of additional camps and surrounding areas, and engaged in the mentoring of Haitian National Police personnel and the provision of assistance to crime victims. MINUSTAH also engaged with the Haitian authorities to end the continuing forced closure of camps and advocated a comprehensive time-bound plan for the closure of camps that would link closure dates to the provision of alternative housing and the identification of sites for long-term settlement. 25. Sexual and gender-based violence remained a concern during the reporting period, particularly in marginalized districts of Port-au-Prince, camps for the internally displaced and remote areas of the country. The Mission has established a database to track cases of sexual and gender-based violence, as well as a dedicated capacity to assist the Haitian National Police and the judiciary in addressing cases of abuse. In addition, the Government of Haiti has adopted a three-year strategic action plan in response to sexual and gender-based violence, which will include the establishment of a gender and women’s affairs coordination office within the Haitian National Police. Reception areas for victims have been set up in 13 police commissariats in the metropolitan area and in three of the most at-risk camps. During the reporting period, MINUSTAH also provided technical support to the Haitian Ministry of Women’s Affairs and Women’s Rights for the drafting of a bill on violence against women, which is currently being reviewed by the Haitian authorities. To this end, several meetings and working sessions were conducted jointly by the Ministry of Women’s Affairs and Women’s Rights; civil society organizations, including women’s organizations; and MINUSTAH. Community violence reduction 26. MINUSTAH continued to work with implementing partners in fragile urban communities, including through social initiatives, large-scale labour-intensive projects and professional skills training. The Mission has completed all 99 community violence reduction projects initiated in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake. Since my previous report, 60 new projects, valued at $9 million, have been initiated. These environmental and income-generating initiatives will provide temporary employment for 30,000 at-risk young people and women. In addition, the Mission is supporting apprenticeship and private sector job placement programmes for 1,110 young people in Port-au-Prince, Gonaïves and Cap-Haïtien and has 6 11-48001 S/2011/540 supported the establishment of 34 women-led commercial enterprises in the poorest areas of the capital. Other activities have included the completion of training facilities in support of the rehabilitation of inmates, and the construction of legal aid centres and schools. MINUSTAH has partnered with two Haitian non-governmental organizations to provide grass-roots support to victims of sexual and gender-based violence and to reduce drug- and alcohol-related violence. The Mission is also contributing to community violence reduction through the provision of professional skills training and job placement for 550 residents of the capital’s largest camp for internally displaced persons, Parc Jean-Marie Vincent. Support for State institutions 27. During the reporting period, MINUSTAH continued to support the decentralization efforts of the Ministry of the Interior, including by designing a performance assessment system to facilitate the monitoring of municipalities’ administrative and financial management, service delivery and local development activities. The matrix allows MINUSTAH to make semi-annual assessments of progress and constraints, as well as training needs. The Ministry of the Interior has expressed interest in appropriating the tool for future use. From April to July, MINUSTAH monitored the execution of the 2010/11 municipal budgets and assisted the Ministry in updating the guidelines for the preparation of municipal budgets. Those guidelines have been put into effect as part of the 2011/12 municipal budget drafting process, which MINUSTAH and the Ministry jointly supervised between July and August 2011. In an effort to increase ministerial institutional memory, MINUSTAH assisted the Ministry in drawing up an inventory of ongoing projects and files. The Mission also helped the Ministry to finalize its five-year activity report, outlining progress and obstacles in the decentralization process. 28. Infrastructure and equipment projects in support of Haitian authorities continued during the reporting period, although several have been delayed pending the preparation of sites. The construction of the temporary Parliament office block was completed in April. MINUSTAH allocated nearly $700,000 for the construction of the block and, together with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), provided furniture, computers and Internet access for the entire facility. MINUSTAH also continued to provide technical and advisory support to the Haitian Parliament throughout the reporting period. The Mission’s parliamentary liaison office facilitated regular interaction on policy issues between the Mission and Haitian legislators and provided work and meeting space for parliamentarians. On 25 April, MINUSTAH and the United States Agency for International Development jointly funded an induction training programme for the newly elected forty-ninth legislature. Quick-impact projects 29. During the reporting period, MINUSTAH successfully completed the allocation of the $7.5 million 2010/11 budget for quick-impact projects. Of the 229 projects carried out, 182 addressed urgent needs related to the rehabilitation of public infrastructure and the delivery of basic public services, 33 focused on livelihood and income-generation activities, and 14 involved training and capacitybuilding activities. With a similar budget for the 2011/12 period, MINUSTAH continues to focus its efforts on activities and communities most in need and areas lacking adequate Government and donor assistance. 11-48001 7 S/2011/540 Rule-of-law capacity-building 30. Since my previous report, MINUSTAH has helped the Haitian Government to develop a national rule-of-law strategy while coordinating rule-of-law assistance provided by the United Nations and other actors. However, progress has been hampered by delays in the formation of a new Government and the nomination of the President of the Supreme Court, which has prevented the proper functioning of the Supreme Court, the Superior Council of the Judiciary and the Magistrates’ School. Justice 31. An additional eight legal aid offices covering all judicial districts were established with the technical and logistical support of MINUSTAH during the reporting period, bringing the total to 20. The Mission also constructed three new peace tribunal buildings, with the construction of another eight currently under way. Plans are in place to support the Ministry of Justice with facilities for 26 tribunals throughout the country, as well as two Ministry buildings. MINUSTAH has continued its close collaboration with UNDP on rehabilitation work, as well as on technical and logistical support for the establishment of the Superior Council of the Judiciary, the revision of the competencies of the Ministry of Justice and the inspection of the judiciary. The Mission and the United Nations country team joined forces to provide training to judicial actors on the social elements of gender-based violence as well as the legal framework for combating it. In June, 20 Haitian magistrate students, including three women, concluded 10 months of training at the Ecole nationale de la magistrature in France. This initiative was jointly funded by the Government of France, UNDP and MINUSTAH. Training was also conducted for 130 narcotics investigation unit recruits as part of a joint programme by UNDP, the Haitian National Police specialized anti-drug unit and MINUSTAH. Corrections 32. The Mission has continued to work to address the challenge of prison overcrowding and to improve sentence management and access to health-care services for detainees. The daily presence of MINUSTAH officers in each of the country’s prisons has allowed for improvements across these priority areas, in particular at the local level. Nevertheless, the administrative reforms required to ensure sustainable change have lagged behind, and serious violations of human rights and inhumane conditions of detention persist in Haiti’s prisons. As a result, frequent intervention by MINUSTAH and other international partners and non-governmental organizations in support of prisoners’ health, security and overall well-being was required throughout the reporting period, in response to challenges related to the insufficient provision of food, water, electricity and gas and inadequate hygiene in prisons. 33. MINUSTAH Corrections Unit engineers, working with personnel of the Haitian prison administration and the support of international partners, have developed projects to improve prison infrastructure and increase detention capacity. Those efforts have helped to increase overall cell space by 28 per cent since my previous report. Legal and sentence management experts, together with justice and human rights advisers, continue to support Haitian prison and judicial officers in reviewing the cases of inmates currently deemed to be illegally detained. The team 8 11-48001 S/2011/540 was successful in bringing about the expeditious conclusion of judicial cases leading to the release of 260 detainees since March 2011, bringing the total number of releases this year to 469. 34. During the reporting period, MINUSTAH also supported the prison administration in the training of 300 new recruits, including 32 women, and partnered with UNDP to train 63 registrars, including 7 women. UNDP set up prison administration training facilities, strengthened the inmate tracking databases and launched a new training programme on penitentiary administration for 43 executive managers. Human rights 35. The Mission maintained its strategic focus on the investigation and reporting of human rights violations, the strengthening of national human rights policies and the coordination of human rights and protection efforts in the context of humanitarian relief and development activities. The protection cluster, headed by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) with support from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, continued to play a critical role in overall efforts in support of human rights objectives. The absence of a new Haitian Government, and improvements in law enforcement and the judicial protection of human rights, hindered systemic progress on human rights. 36. To reinforce human rights protection in rule-of-law institutions, MINUSTAH, together with OHCHR, investigated violations such as alleged extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrest, and detention and the ill treatment of detainees, and advocated systematic responses to cases by the police and the judiciary. In parallel, MINUSTAH worked with State authorities to advance efforts in response to long-standing cases of violations, including those committed during the regime of Jean-Claude Duvalier. The Mission continued its support for the ombudsman’s office, including at the regional level, advocated the inclusion of human rights in post-earthquake reconstruction policy and supported national preparations for the presentation in October of Haiti’s universal periodic review report to the Human Rights Council. The Mission also conducted a human rights analysis of the national budget with State and non-governmental actors and supported the inclusion of civil society in State policymaking with regard to human rights. Gender 37. During the second round of the elections, MINUSTAH, in collaboration with UNDP, provided training and legal assistance to all six women legislative candidates. Three women were elected to Parliament, raising the number of women in the lower house to five. Women parliamentarians were instrumental in advocating the adoption of a minimum quota of 30 per cent female representation in public office as part of the constitutional reform process. In June, MINUSTAH supported the participation of women parliamentarians in a conference on women’s political leadership, held in the Dominican Republic by the Inter-Parliamentary Forum of the Americas. The Mission is also providing technical support to female legislators for the establishment of a women’s parliamentary caucus. 11-48001 9 S/2011/540 Child protection 38. During the reporting period, MINUSTAH received reports of 114 cases of rape and other sexual violence against minors, 68 cases of the recruitment and use of children by armed gangs and 22 cases of the killing of minors, as well as reports of nine victims of shoot-outs. Building on the international community’s efforts to develop the capacity of the Brigade de protection des mineurs, MINUSTAH is now supporting ongoing border patrol visits to intercept the movement of minors who lack the requisite travel documentation. In the area of juvenile justice, advocacy efforts by MINUSTAH in favour of improved conditions of detention for minors resulted in the opening of a rehabilitation centre in Port-au-Prince. Those advocacy efforts, combined with the monitoring of children in custody, led to the release of six children during the reporting period. HIV/AIDS 39. MINUSTAH continued to conduct awareness-raising activities throughout Haiti to highlight HIV prevention as a priority in post-emergency programmes, establish strong coordination mechanisms and reinforce national structures for AIDS response. During the elections, the Mission jointly supported a women’s health advocacy campaign for electoral candidates with the Haitian Coalition on Women and AIDS, implemented HIV and cholera prevention campaigns in all regions and conducted peer education training. Sensitization training was provided to a total of 1,845 mission personnel during the reporting period; in addition, 762 voluntary counselling and testing services were offered, and 318 students and community leaders and 12 National Police officers were trained in HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention. Conduct and discipline 40. The Mission’s Conduct and Discipline Team focused on strengthening preventive measures through the training of personnel in all components. As of the end of July 2011, the team had conducted 57 training sessions for a total of 1,356 MINUSTAH personnel in Port-au-Prince and several regions on misconduct and the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse. The Team also conducted assessment visits to Santo Domingo and Les Cayes to monitor the implementation of previous recommendations, including with regard to the development of information packets for incoming civilian personnel, support for manager awareness and the promotion of standards of conduct, the ongoing training of conduct-and-discipline focal points, and improving the monitoring of adherence to standards of conduct for travelling personnel. Awareness-raising activities included the distribution of posters, brochures and pocket cards on sexual exploitation and abuse in numerous languages as part of training courses, as well as visits to MINUSTAH military and formed police unit camps. Public information and outreach 41. During the reporting period, MINUSTAH continued to use public information and outreach as a strategic tool in order to support the implementation of its mandate, ensure appropriate understanding and visibility of its efforts, and respond to inaccurate reports as necessary. Efforts included regular press conferences, the timely issuance and dissemination of press releases, and the use of the MINUSTAH 10 11-48001 S/2011/540 website and social media tools. The Mission also carried out extensive media monitoring, the production of television programmes, field outreach activities and widespread civic education campaigns. Radio MINUSTAH FM provided priority information and conducted sensitization campaigns on the role and activities of the Mission, the electoral and political processes, cholera prevention efforts, disaster and hurricane preparedness and the promotion of a national dialogue and the rule of law. The Mission’s weekly 15-minute video programme is now broadcast on seven national television stations and on eight diaspora television stations in the United States, as well as on public screens in 15 locations in Port-au-Prince, including camps for internally displaced persons and other populated areas, and in nine multimedia centres in the regions. Mission support 42. During the reporting period, MINUSTAH completed the rebuilding of offices and residential accommodation for its personnel begun following the 2010 earthquake. Numerous infrastructure development initiatives in support of the Haitian population and authorities were also implemented. The Mission Support Division was decentralized in order to improve the quality and timeliness of the services provided to its clients, and a new Property Management Section was established. V. Humanitarian, recovery and development activities Coordination between the Mission and the United Nations country team 43. Under the leadership of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the inter-cluster coordination mechanism continued to play an important role in bringing together humanitarian actors and the Haitian authorities to facilitate communication on disaster management and ensure a coordinated, strategic and prioritized response. This mechanism has helped to shape a shared vision of requirements, has facilitated the sharing of information and strategic guidance with the humanitarian country team, and has helped to identify gaps in the overall humanitarian response. 44. Since my previous report, MINUSTAH and the United Nations country team have stepped up their efforts to develop and implement joint programmes. The United Nations country team has identified and submitted proposals for an additional four projects to the Interim Haiti Recovery Commission. Of the 18 project proposals submitted since June 2010, eight have received funding from the Haiti Recovery Fund and resources from bilateral donors have been identified for three. The United Nations country team has also made strides towards the improvement of aid effectiveness. An aid management platform, jointly overseen by the Ministry of Planning and the Interim Haiti Recovery Commission, was launched in April 2011 and will be fully operational by the end of 2011. The platform allows for the tracking of donor funds against Government priorities and should facilitate planning and budget decisions by ministries. As the Government discusses with stakeholders the possible extension of the mandate of the Commission until October 2012, the United Nations continues to provide coherent policy advice and technical support to its secretariat. 11-48001 11 S/2011/540 Response to the cholera epidemic 45. The independent panel of experts on the cholera outbreak in Haiti, which I appointed in January, completed its work on 4 May and presented its report and findings, which I proceeded to make public in their entirety. The independent panel concluded, inter alia, that the cholera outbreak had been caused by a confluence of circumstances, including the contamination of the Meye Tributary System of the Artibonite River with a pathogenic strain of the current South Asian-type Vibrio cholerae bacterium, poor water and sanitation conditions in Haiti, and the widespread use of river water for washing, bathing, drinking and recreation, and that it was not the fault of — or due to deliberate action by — a group or individual. I subsequently convened a senior-level integrated task force to study the findings and recommendations of the panel and to ensure prompt and appropriate follow-up. 46. The humanitarian community continues to support the national response to the cholera outbreak. After an initial peak in November 2010, the cholera epidemic reached a second peak in late May/early June 2011 as a result of heavy rains throughout the country. As of July 2011, there were 34 cholera treatment centres, 189 treatment units and 858 oral rehydration points throughout the country. The Government, with the support of international and non-governmental organizations, continues to respond to localized spikes in new cholera cases with the conduct of public health awareness campaigns and the distribution of cholera-related commodities. MINUSTAH has distributed an additional 2,365 water dialysis filtering units to communities affected by outbreaks, bringing the total number of units distributed in Haiti to 35,000. UNICEF has distributed more than 113 million water purification tablets in high-risk areas, covering the needs of at least 474,000 households for one month, while directly supporting the National Directorate of Water Supply and Sanitation with urban water system chlorination and water quality testing. The World Health Organization and the Pan American Health Organization worked with the Ministry of Health to create an alert and response system that receives and assesses cholera alerts in the country and coordinates partners to urgently respond to them. UNICEF helped to train more than 2,600 community health and sanitation agents in the area of cholera messages, resulting in the sensitization of some 277,080 persons. Office of the Special Envoy for Haiti 47. Since my previous report, the Office of the Special Envoy for Haiti has continued to emphasize the need for the Government and people of Haiti to be in the lead, with the international community’s awareness of Haitian priorities as a vital precondition for long-term development. To this end, the Office of the Special Envoy is accompanying the Government in its efforts to coordinate non-State service providers working throughout Haiti. The goal is to provide an initial overview of the overall landscape of registered organizations, delineate the trends and patterns of their activities and identify areas for partnership with the Government of Haiti. 48. The Office of the Special Envoy has also been working closely with the Government of Haiti and the Inter-American Development Bank on the creation of a common set of principles and standards for watershed management. The aim is to develop a mechanism for the regulation and oversight of the thousands of partners working in the area of watershed management. 12 11-48001 S/2011/540 VI. Drawdown of post-earthquake surge capacities 49. The post-earthquake surge was predicated on the need to provide MINUSTAH with additional resources to support the humanitarian relief effort, while continuing to maintain a secure and stable environment and contribute to the restoration of Haitian institutional capacity. The assessment conducted at the request of the Security Council in its resolution 1944 (2010) found that the earthquake had not resulted in a breakdown of law and order, nor had it altered the nature of the security threats facing Haiti. With the winding down of large-scale humanitarian operations and the completion of the elections, many of the additional challenges that had justified the increase in the Mission’s authorized troop and police strength have been met or have decreased significantly. In this regard, the protection of internally displaced persons and the provision of engineering support for recovery and reconstruction constitute the two primary new tasks taken on by the Mission since the earthquake. The former task will continue to absorb a significant portion of the Mission’s capabilities, albeit on a decreasing scale, until durable solutions such as housing and resettlement solutions are found. The Mission’s support for ongoing recovery efforts remains essential but can be carried forward with existing enabling assets. 50. In the light of the above, I am confident that a partial drawdown of the Mission’s surge military and police capabilities would be unlikely to undermine the progress made so far on the security front and would not affect the ability of MINUSTAH to carry out its mandated functions. Therefore, I recommend that the Security Council consider reducing the Mission’s authorized military strength by 1,600 personnel by withdrawing two infantry battalions from the lowest-risk areas of the country and reconfiguring other military units without compromising critical capabilities, current priorities or existing standards. At the same time, I recommend a reduction of the authorized police strength of MINUSTAH by approximately 1,150 formed police unit officers, taking into account that the deployment of the four remaining additional formed police units envisaged as part of the postearthquake surge is no longer required and that the current security conditions would allow for a further withdrawal of three formed police units beginning early next year. These reductions would coincide with current troop and police rotation schedules and could be completed by June 2012. They would also be accompanied by an adjustment of existing military and police deployments to ensure adequate regional coverage. VII. Financial aspects 51. By its resolution 65/256 B, the General Assembly appropriated the amount of $793,517,100 for the maintenance of MINUSTAH for the period from 1 July 2011 to 30 June 2012. Should the Security Council approve my recommendations on a partial drawdown of the Mission’s surge military and formed police capabilities and on the extension of its mandate beyond 15 October 2011, as contained in paragraphs 50 and 56 of the present report, the immediate cost of the withdrawal of military and formed police personnel as well as the Mission’s maintenance costs would be accommodated from within the resources approved by the Assembly. 52. As at 15 August 2011, unpaid assessed contributions to the Special Account for MINUSTAH amounted to $308.3 million. The total outstanding assessed 11-48001 13 S/2011/540 contributions for all peacekeeping operations as at that date amounted to $3,459.4 million. 53. As at 15 August 2011, amounts owed to contributors of troops and formed police units to MINUSTAH totalled $12.4 million. Reimbursements of troop and contingent-owned equipment costs have been made for the periods up to 31 May 2011 and 31 March 2011, respectively, in accordance with the quarterly payment schedule. VIII. Observations 54. Haiti has made considerable strides since the tragic earthquake of 12 January 2010. For the first time in its history, there has been a peaceful transition of power from one democratically elected president to another from the opposition. I congratulate President Martelly and the newly elected legislators of Haiti on their victories and the people of Haiti on this landmark achievement. 55. At the same time, I remain concerned about the lack of progress in establishing a Government and the continuing stand-off between the executive and legislative branches of Government. In addition, it is regrettable that the status of the constitutional reform process remains unclear. At a time when Haiti so desperately needs a committed leadership with a common set of priorities, antagonisms between opposing political forces are casting a shadow on the country’s recent democratic success and threatening its progress towards lasting stability. It is the responsibility of all actors to ensure that this trend is reversed and that the promising gains made in recent years are preserved. I am encouraged to observe increasing calls from the Haitian public, civil society groups and other actors in support of a genuine dialogue and a political agreement that would consolidate a concrete forward-looking agenda for progress in key areas, including the country’s budget, recovery and development priorities, elections and constitutional reform. However, there can be little progress unless the Haitian leadership and other key stakeholders are willing to make the compromises needed to reach an agreement. 56. The comprehensive assessment that I have provided on the security challenges faced by Haiti has highlighted the vital contribution made by MINUSTAH in the aftermath of the earthquake, reinforced by the surge capacities authorized by the Security Council last year. While recovery and reconstruction are ongoing and will require a continued dedicated capacity, particularly in the form of military engineering assets, MINUSTAH will be in a position to begin the process of returning to its pre-surge deployment levels by the beginning of next year. Accordingly, I recommend that the Council extend the mandate of MINUSTAH for an additional year, until 15 October 2012, taking into account the proposed partial drawdown of the Mission’s post-earthquake surge capacities. As the surge capacities authorized after the earthquake are downsized, the Mission will also refocus its efforts on support for the political process and the consolidation of State authority, as well as assistance in building the capacity and accountability of State institutions. 57. In the year ahead, MINUSTAH will, as a matter of priority, support the Haitian authorities and private sector and civil society actors in coming together to create a viable framework for good governance, reform and development that would encompass a much-needed rule-of-law compact. Such a framework would not only contribute significantly to moving beyond the current political impasse, but also 14 11-48001 S/2011/540 provide the public accountability necessary to ensure that the campaign promises made to the Haitian people by President Martelly and the elected legislators are fulfilled. 58. If MINUSTAH is to be the last peacekeeping mission deployed to Haiti, the Haitian authorities must also increasingly take responsibility for the country’s stability. This means a greater countrywide presence of the State: the Haitian National Police, the judiciary and public administration. It entails advancing education and providing basic services, housing and protection to those still displaced by the earthquake. It also means putting in place a credible and permanent electoral council and taking steps to reduce the dependence of Haiti on international support to hold free and fair elections. In this context, preparations for the upcoming partial legislative and local elections should begin without delay. The Government of Haiti, MINUSTAH and other electoral stakeholders should agree on the role of the international community in supporting elections in the coming years and identify benchmarks for Haiti with a view its becoming self-sufficient in electoral matters. 59. Haiti will require the continued support of MINUSTAH and international donors to bolster the capacity of its rule-of-law and security institutions. Strengthened Haitian capacity in this area would allow MINUSTAH to progressively focus its resources on support for security in the most volatile departments and on the critical areas of infrastructure improvement, natural disaster mitigation and border management. Sustained engagement by the international community and increased investment in development, including through the augmentation of the resources made available to the United Nations country team, will also be crucial to ensure that an eventual downsizing of MINUSTAH does not create a vacuum. However, the political leadership of Haiti must seize the opportunity to ensure a brighter future for all Haitians with the continued support of the international community. 60. In conclusion, I would like to thank my outgoing Special Representative, Edmond Mulet, for his service during a tremendously difficult time in Haiti and also to welcome my new Special Representative, Mariano Fernández, who has taken responsibility for the Mission during this crucial transition period. In addition, I would like to thank my Special Envoy, former United States President William J. Clinton, the men and women of MINUSTAH, troop-contributing countries, policecontributing countries and the United Nations country team and their many partners for their continued dedication and commitment in support of the recovery and stability of Haiti. 11-48001 15 S/2011/540 Annex I United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti: countries providing military staff and contingents, as at 23 August 2011 Staff officers Country Females Males Females Males Total Argentina 1 10 35 676 722 Bolivia — 3 18 187 208 Brazil — 22 17 2 146a 2 185b Canada 2 8 — — 10 Chile — 3 8 499 510 Ecuador — 1 — 66 67 France — 2 — — 2 Guatemala — 5 12 131 148 Japan — 2 3 218 223 Jordan — 10 — 602 612 Nepal — 15 22 1 038 1 075 Paraguay — 1 — 129 130 Peru 1 5 — 366 372 Philippines — 2 6 148 156 Republic of Korea — 2 4 234 240 Sri Lanka — 11 — 947 958 United States of America 1 7 — — 8 Uruguay — 15 43 1 044 1 102 Total 5 124 168 8 431 8 728 a b 16 Troops Including one Bolivian attached to the Brazilian contingent. Not including the Force Commander, who is on personal contract with the Department of Peacekeeping Operations. 11-48001 S/2011/540 Annex II Composition and strength of the police of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti, as at 23 August 2011 Number of United Nations police Country 11-48001 Number of formed police units Female Male Female Male Argentina — 15 — — Bangladesh — 4 123 357 Benin 1 43 — — Brazil — 4 — — Burkina Faso 13 40 — — Burundi 2 13 — — Cameroon 3 22 — — Canada 11 128 — — Central African Republic 3 12 — — Chad 2 12 — — Chile 2 12 — — China — 29 — — Colombia 2 16 — — Côte d’Ivoire 17 96 — — Croatia — 3 — — Egypt — 27 — — El Salvador 5 12 — — France 2 49 0 0 Grenada — 3 — — Guinea 2 36 — — Guinea-Bissau — — — — India — — — 457 Indonesia 1 9 — — Italy — — — — Jamaica — 4 — — Jordan — 56 — 480 Kyrgyzstan — 2 — — Lithuania — 2 — — Madagascar 2 24 — — Mali 4 55 — — Nepal 1 31 11 128 Niger 3 58 — — Nigeria — 3 37 103 Norway 1 4 — — Pakistan — 14 — 280 17 S/2011/540 Number of United Nations police Country Female Male Female Male Philippines 8 23 — — Romania 6 19 — — Russian Federation — 5 — — Rwanda 5 22 15 145 Senegal 1 33 — 139 Serbia — 5 — — Sierra Leone 1 3 — — Spain 2 15 — — Sri Lanka 1 16 — — Sweden — 3 — — Togo — 2 — — Turkey 3 37 — — Thailand — — — — United States of America 14 74 — — Uruguay 2 6 — — Yemen — 25 — — 120 1 126 185 2 016 Subtotal Subtotal Total 18 Number of formed police units 1 246 2 201 3 447 11-48001 S/2011/540 Map 11-48001 19