Dominican leader urges UN to step up backing for Haiti mission

Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader urged the United Nations on Wednesday to increase its backing for an international mission in Haiti, citing the deepening gang violence in the neighboring country. Addressing the UN General Assembly, Abinader called for more troops, tighter enforcement of arms embargoes, and stronger support for Haitian institutions.

Abinader stated that while the UN Security Council has approved the framework for an international force, it lacks the necessary means to be effective. He emphasized that the mission must be fully deployed, the arms embargo enforced, and sanctions imposed on those financing gangs. He also highlighted the need for support for Haiti's police, armed forces, and justice system to ensure security can eventually be sustained domestically.

"Renewing without completing would be to prolong an unfulfilled promise," Abinader said, referring to the force's mandate, which expires next week. He pointed to a recent attack in Kenscoff, where at least 47 people, including children, were killed, as an example of the escalating violence.

The current international force in Haiti has an authorized ceiling of 5,550 personnel, but only about one-fifth of that has been deployed so far. Abinader noted that the Dominican Republic has already contributed by helping build support for the Security Council resolution, providing financial contributions, facilitating logistics and UN support operations from its territory, cooperating with sanctions enforcement, and treating mission personnel in Dominican hospitals. He reiterated that Santo Domingo would continue to protect its border and enforce its migration laws, stressing that "there is no Dominican solution" to Haiti's crisis. The Dominican Republic shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti and has repeatedly warned that the unrest poses a direct national security threat.