The Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of Foreign Affairs, met with Jean-Victor Harvel Jean-Baptiste, Haiti's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Religious Affairs, during the United Nations General Assembly High-Level Week in New York. Minister Anand reaffirmed Canada's steadfast support for Haiti and its people as the country continues to face political, security and humanitarian challenges.
During the meeting, Minister Anand discussed Canada's new funding of $60 million to support multilateral efforts aimed at stabilizing Haiti. This includes $40 million for the Multinational Security Support mission (or its successor mission), conditional on the passing of the Haiti resolution currently under consideration by the UN Security Council. The funding also includes $20 million for a Regional Maritime Security Initiative to bolster capacity to address the growing threat of transnational organized crime in Haiti and the Caribbean region.
Minister Anand and Minister Jean-Baptiste discussed ways to ensure that Canada's support complements Haiti-led efforts to improve security, strengthen institutions, work towards free and fair elections and address humanitarian needs. They also emphasized the importance of multilateral collaboration and of addressing the root causes of insecurity, including impunity, to advance stability and security in the region.
