Military

16 June 2004 – The United Nations Security Council today called on countries that have pledged troops for the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) to send them so as to ensure a smooth deployment.

A statement to the press, read by this month's Council President, Ambassador Lauro L. Baja, Jr. of the Philippines, said Council members thanked Canada, Chile, France and the United States for contributions to the earlier Multinational Interim Force (MIF) and Brazil, Chile and Canada for the MINUSTAH troops now taking over.

"In this regard they expressed hope that potential troop-contributing countries would fulfil their offers so as to avoid a serious force deployment gap in the transition period," he said after the Council was briefed by Assistant-Secretary-General Hedi Annabi of the UN Department of Peace-Keeping Operations (DPKO) on preparations for the transfer.

Council members also recalled how crucially important it was to promote long-term social and economic development in Haiti in order to sustain stability and peace in the Caribbean country, the Ambassador said.