UN Secretary-General Ban-Ki-moon said he would recommend peacekeepers stay in Haiti for at least another year and urged world donors to redouble efforts to ensure the impoverished nation does not backslide into chaos.
In his first visit to the country on Wednesday, Ban credited an 8,800-strong peacekeeping force, known as Minustah, with restoring security following a violent 2004 revolt but said Haitian President Rene Preval still needed help bringing jobs and development to the Western Hemisphere's poorest nation.
"The international community must not step aside and let spoilers jeopardize Haiti's progress," Ban told reporters during a joint news conference with Preval at Haiti's National Palace.
The UN force was deployed to Haiti after a revolt toppled former president Jean-Bertrand Aristide and plunged the former French colony of 8 million people into crisis. Backed by Preval, peacekeepers this year concluded a fierce crackdown on armed gangs that has led to a dramatic reduction in violence in Port-au-Prince's vast, fetid slums.
But Ban said the situation was fragile and that he would ask the UN Security Council to extend the mandate for another 12 months when it expires in October.
Preval said he supported keeping UN troops in the country for now and urged his countrymen not to oppose the force out of nationalism.
"The population has benefited from the presence of Minustah," Preval said. "What is good for the country is for the UN to help us reinforce our police and our security. As time goes on, we'll evaluate what form this assistance should take and how long it should last."
Ban praised Preval for taking a stand against corruption and seeking much-needed reforms to the police, judiciary and prison system. He is expected to ask the Security Council for more specialized forces such as naval units to help the Caribbean country guard its coastline from weapons and drug traffickers.
Despite the improved security, UN officials said gangs, drug trafficking and poverty were still a threat to the country and that peacekeepers would be needed at least until Preval's term ends in 2011.
UN peacekeepers provide 85 percent of Haiti's security needs, but the government is working to eventually take over. The national police academy is preparing hundreds of recruits to bolster the nation's 6,000-police force.
EUROPEAN FUTURE? Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama says only he could secure EU membership, but challenges remain in dealing with corruption and a brain drain Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama seeks to win an unprecedented fourth term, pledging to finally take the country into the EU and turn it into a hot tourist destination with some help from the Trump family. The artist-turned-politician has been pitching Albania as a trendy coastal destination, which has helped to drive up tourism arrivals to a record 11 million last year. US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, also joined in the rush, pledging to invest US$1.4 billion to turn a largely deserted island into a luxurious getaway. Rama is expected to win another term after yesterday’s vote. The vote would
FRAUD ALLEGED: The leader of an opposition alliance made allegations of electoral irregularities and called for a protest in Tirana as European leaders are to meet Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama’s Socialist Party scored a large victory in parliamentary elections, securing him his fourth term, official results showed late on Tuesday. The Socialist Party won 52.1 percent of the vote on Sunday compared with 34.2 percent for an alliance of opposition parties led by his main rival Sali Berisha, according to results released by the Albanian Central Election Commission. Diaspora votes have yet to be counted, but according to initial results, Rama was also leading there. According to projections, the Socialist Party could have more lawmakers than in 2021 elections. At the time, it won 74 seats in the
CANCER: Jose Mujica earned the moniker ‘world’s poorest president’ for giving away much of his salary and living a simple life on his farm, with his wife and dog Tributes poured in on Tuesday from across Latin America following the death of former Uruguayan president Jose “Pepe” Mujica, an ex-guerrilla fighter revered by the left for his humility and progressive politics. He was 89. Mujica, who spent a dozen years behind bars for revolutionary activity, lost his battle against cancer after announcing in January that the disease had spread and he would stop treatment. “With deep sorrow, we announce the passing of our comrade Pepe Mujica. President, activist, guide and leader. We will miss you greatly, old friend,” Uruguayan President Yamandu Orsi wrote on X. “Pepe, eternal,” a cyclist shouted out minutes later,
Myanmar’s junta chief met Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) for the first time since seizing power, state media reported yesterday, the highest-level meeting with a key ally for the internationally sanctioned military leader. Senior General Min Aung Hlaing led a military coup in 2021, overthrowing Myanmar’s brief experiment with democracy and plunging the nation into civil war. In the four years since, his armed forces have battled dozens of ethnic armed groups and rebel militias — some with close links to China — opposed to its rule. The conflict has seen Min Aung Hlaing draw condemnation from rights groups and pursued by the
RSS