The Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), Albert R. Ramdin, today presented to the Permanent Council a report on the situation in Haiti and the results of the visit by a high-level Inter-American and international delegation to the Caribbean country from August 16 to 19.
Secretary General Ramdin said that security and elections are the country's most urgent and interconnected priorities and called on Haitian stakeholders and the international community to accelerate efforts to restore democratic institutions through a credible electoral process.
"Haiti stands at a critical juncture. Our responsibility is clear: to strengthen security efforts, advance electoral preparations, deliver on the commitments already made, and ensure that international cooperation translates into tangible improvements in the daily lives of the Haitian people," said Secretary General Ramdin.
The OAS Secretary General warned that armed gangs control between 80 and 90 percent of Port-au-Prince, while approximately 1.47 million people have been displaced and 6.4 million require humanitarian assistance. He stressed the importance of providing the Gang Suppression Force with the personnel, financing, logistical support, and operational capabilities required to deliver results, while pursuing parallel efforts to strengthen the Haitian National Police and the criminal justice system.
On elections, Secretary General Ramdin recognized the progress made by the Provisional Electoral Council and the National Identification Office but said preparations for the elections scheduled for December 13 must be accelerated.
In response to a shortfall of approximately one million identification cards, he reported that the OAS and Japan signed a US$3 million cooperation agreement that will finance the acquisition of 350,000 biometric identification cards and expand mobile registration services. He also called on other international partners to complement those efforts to further ensure a legitimate election with high participation. He also confirmed that the OAS had received an invitation to deploy an Electoral Observation Mission and had begun preparations.
The visit also helped advance initiatives in health and sustainable development. The OAS, together with the Pan American Health Organization and other partners, will work with the Haitian National Police to establish trauma care centers for injured officers.
In addition, Haiti's accession to CAF (Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean), facilitated by the OAS, was announced-a move that will provide access to approximately US$168 million in financing, technical cooperation, and development tools. The OAS also launched a cooperation agreement with the Brazilian NGO Viva Rio to jointly facilitate opportunities for youth and women affected by violence in Haiti.
In the same meeting, Haiti's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Religious Affairs, Raina Forbin, emphasized the government's commitment to restoring security and constitutional order while calling for decisive international support. "We must now move from solidarity to action, from commitments to implementation, and from promises to results. Two urgent priorities guide our action today: security and elections," said Foreign Minister Forbin.
For her part, CARICOM Secretary General Carla Barnett emphasized that regional and international efforts must remain focused on the needs of the Haitian people. "Our objective must continue to be to support the Haitian people as they seek to find solutions to the present crises of insecurity and governance, so that the Haitian people can focus on long-term planning for investment, job creation, and access to essential social services," said Secretary-General Barnett.
Secretary General Ramdin announced further OAS-led follow-up actions, including an environmental technical mission, coordination meetings with international organizations, and a meeting of the Group of Friends of Haiti to mobilize political, technical, and financial support. Through its Electoral Task Force, the OAS will intensify its technical assistance to Haiti's electoral authorities and support the implementation of the measures required to advance a credible and inclusive electoral process. On security, the Organization will strengthen its capacity-building support for the Haitian National Police, including through the Haiti Secure initiative. Secretary General Ramdin also said the OAS would promote a private sector delegation to explore investment and job creation opportunities, particularly for at-risk youth, and reaffirmed that the Organization would remain fully engaged in supporting Haiti's security, democratic restoration, and long-term development.
