U.N. Extends Mission in Haiti for Another Eight Months
22 June 2005
Peacekeeping force to add 1,000 troops and police
By Eric Green
Washington File Staff Writer
Washington -- The U.N. Security Council has extended its peacekeeping mission in Haiti for another eight months and added more than 1,000 troops and civilian police to its force in the Caribbean nation.
In a June 22 statement, the United Nations said the Security Council that day unanimously approved a resolution extending the mission, known as MINUSTAH, until February 15, 2006, with the intention to renew it for further periods as needed.
With the additional troops and civilian police, MINUSTAH will have almost 9,400 personnel in Haiti, the statement said.
MINUSTAH will add 750 troops for a rapid-reaction force, 50 military personnel to create what the U.N. calls a "sector headquarters" in Haiti's capital city of Port-au-Prince, and 275 civilian police to increase security. The additions will come as Haitians elect a new government later in 2005 to replace the transitional government that has been in office since the resignation of former Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide in February 2004.
Municipal elections to replace Haiti's transitional government are scheduled for October 9, followed by two rounds of presidential and legislative elections on November 13 and December 18, respectively. A new Haitian president is expected to take office February 7, 2006.
The United States is providing $15 million to support the Haitian elections -- part of a $44 million commitment from the international community to promote democracy and stability in the Caribbean nation. The United States provided $8.7 million in 2004 to support Haiti's electoral process.
The Security Council resolution asked U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan to keep the council informed about the overall plan for successful elections in Haiti, including voter registration, security, logistics, civic education, observation and detailed budget information, and to devise a strategy to reduce MINUSTAH force levels progressively in the post-election period.
The council also urged Haiti's transitional government not to hire people for the Haitian national police until the individuals' backgrounds have been investigated and certified by MINUSTAH. The council called on the Haitian government "to conduct thorough and transparent investigations into cases of human rights violations, particularly those allegedly involving Haitian National Police officers."
In addition, the council said Haiti's transitional government and MINUSTAH should immediately begin carrying out the disarmament, demobilization and a re-integration program for ex-combatants in the country.
MINUSTAH was created by a Security Council resolution of April 30, 2004. That resolution stated that the mission would remain in Haiti for an initial six-month period. In November 2004, the Security Council renewed the mission for another six months, with the announced intent to renew for additional periods as needed.
The United States, one of a number of countries from the Western Hemisphere in the MINUSTAH contingent, is providing some of the civilian police and military personnel.
The full text of new Security Council resolution is available on the United Nations Web site.
(The Washington File is a product of the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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