Dominican Republic will insist before the UN on the alarming crisis in Haiti

According to a statement from the Dominican Chancellery on Tuesday, the Dominican Foreign Minister, Roberto Álvarez, will attend a meeting of the UN Security Council tomorrow to discuss the situation in Haiti, which is facing “alarming levels of insecurity” that threaten the security of the Dominican Republic. During the meeting, Álvarez will reiterate the Dominican Republic’s stance on the insecurity affecting the Haitian population and the potential threats it poses to the country’s national security.

In a speech to the UN Security Council in January, the Foreign Minister criticized the lack of international action to address the crisis in Haiti and called for the deployment of an armed force to combat the gangs in the country. He also highlighted the complex situation on the border between the two nations and the threat that the Haitian crisis poses to the Dominican Republic.

In October of last year, the Haitian government requested assistance from the international community to help them regain control of Port-au-Prince from the armed gangs that hold sway over important areas in and around the capital. In response, the UN Secretary-General proposed the formation of a “rapid action force” made up of soldiers from one or more countries, but so far, no state has come forward to lead the initiative.

Under UN Security Council Resolution 2645, the issue of the crisis in Haiti will be discussed in the body every three months or when a member requests a special meeting.