Following the decision to reduce the size of the UN mission in Haiti, the UN Security Council ambassadors will visit Haiti from 23 January to 25 to assess the prospects for stability in this Caribbean country, informed Monday, Ambassador of Chile to the United Nations, Cristian Barros Melet, which holds the rotating presidency of the Council of 15 members for the month of January.

The Council also wishes to "reaffirm the Government of Haiti the urgent need to hold elections [...] There is unanimity in Council that the priority today for the Haitian president is to establish a credible timetable for elections [...] This mission should move this process forward," pointed out the Chilean Ambassador concluding "The objective is to provide support to the Haitian process [...]"

Recall that the Security Council decided in October 2014 to extend the mandate of the UN mission in Haiti, but to reduce it by half, from 5.000 to 2.370 troops. The contingent of the United Nations Police (UNPOL) will remain unchanged at 2,601 men.

Argentina and Chile, which provide a large contingent of troops to Minustah, fear tensions related to further delays in the democratic process and expressed reservations about downsizing, warning that tensions are high following the inability to hold elections during the past three years.

HL/ HaitiLibre