On Monday, July 20, 2028, during his address to the 10198th meeting of the United Nations Security Council on the situation in Haiti, Ambassador Mike Waltz, United States Representative to the United Nations, stated:

"[...] Madam President,

[...]

As you know, Haiti is located only a few hundred kilometers from Florida, and in this respect, the country is of crucial interest to the United States and the Council, because these gangs export weapons and drugs and spread terror throughout the Caribbean, then to West Africa, Europe, and the United States.

As the speakers indicated, these criminals derive their income primarily by extorting innocent civilians. They also commit an alarming number of kidnappings for ransom, during which they force these impoverished families to sell what little possessions they have left in order to free their loved ones.

That is why the first priority of the Gang Suppression Force (GSF), the absolute priority of the campaign plan they presented to me and defined, is to regain control of the streets and restore the communication and trade routes linking the ports to the interior.

But I want to tell you this, dear colleagues: from the Mongolian commander down the chain of command, these men and women are first-rate soldiers. I have seen forces like this all over the world, in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa, and I know a well-led unit when I see one. I have observed that a number of these officers, these planners, from the civilians leading UNSOH to the GRF, including the political operations team, are dedicated, experienced, and have developed a well-conceived overall plan that must now be implemented.

I saw Salvadoran air units, Jamaican special operations trainers, Chadian soldiers, and many others arriving from all over the world. In fact, 300 Sri Lankan soldiers landed while we were there.

The soldiers and police officers I met are well-trained. They are well-armed and relatively well-equipped. The UN has had to intervene in some cases. They have an offensive mandate, thanks to the work of this Council. They have an offensive mandate to take on the "Barbecue" gang.

[...] The United States is deeply grateful to the Standing Partners Group and to the countries that contribute troops and police forces to the GSF. I can tell you directly: this mission would not be possible without their determination and sacrifice. We are particularly grateful to the Dominican Republic, which rightly considers this situation an existential threat to its security and which has been, I think, incredibly cooperative, as much as it could and should have been, in enabling the FRG to establish a presence in Haiti, so to speak.

[...] Frankly, colleagues, over the past ten months, the FRG has shown what the UN is capable of when it gets back to basics, and this is just the beginning. As the Special Representative has stated, the FRG’s progress will be assessed, and it is essential that it be measured against the objectives and benchmarks set out by Special Representative Christofides. This is entirely in line with the mandate of this Council. And I appreciate that these measurement criteria and benchmarks have been presented, so that the Council can then assess the progress made.

Once again, this is how the UN is supposed to work: countries come together, stop the chaos before it spreads, and shoulder the burden collectively.

To that end, we look forward to working with our co-drafting member, Panama, as the Council prepares to renew the mandate of the Joint Response Group (JRG) in September.

Until then, I urge all those with air transport capabilities to assist in the deployment of troops and equipment, and in particular to help our colleagues in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Ivory Coast expedite their deployment by using their air transport capacity. It goes without saying that troops and equipment will arrive on the ground to assist the Haitian people much more quickly if they are transported by air rather than by sea, which is far slower. I therefore cannot overemphasize the importance of our colleagues with commercial or military capabilities to assist in this regard.

[...]

Furthermore, the United States is pleased to see the Haitian authorities fulfilling their promise to the Haitian people to restore democratic governance in the country. We particularly commend the Provisional Electoral Council for the concrete steps it has taken, both fiscally and otherwise, to organize elections for the first time in ten years.

Dear colleagues, Haitians deserve streets free from gangs, institutions free from intimidation, and a government chosen by them, by the people. Haiti’s collapse cannot be confined to Haitian territory alone. Gang violence, drug trafficking, arms smuggling, and illegal immigration know no borders. A safer Haiti serves the interests of the entire region and of every country that desires to free the Caribbean from the grip of crime.

So, let me be clear, in case I haven't been so by now: The United States stands with you. We stand in solidarity with Haiti. We will continue to work with Haitians, with the FRG, and with other international partners to restore security, share the burden, and help the Haitian people regain control of their country."

HL/ HaitiLibre