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Haiti

Report of the Secretary-General on the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (S/2009/129)

Attachments

I. Introduction

1. By its resolution 1840 (2008), the Security Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) until 15 October 2009 and requested me to report on its implementation semi-annually. The present progress report covers major developments between the issuance of my report dated 27 August 2008 (S/2008/586) and 27 February 2009, and progress made in the implementation of the Mission's mandate, as set out in Security Council resolutions 1542 (2004), 1608 (2005), 1702 (2006), 1743 (2007), 1780 (2007) and 1840 (2008).

II. Political developments

2. The reporting period was marked by encouraging indications of a new readiness among the Haitian political leadership to work together, in particular in response to the crisis created by a devastating series of hurricanes and tropical storms and more recently by renewed tensions related to the upcoming senatorial elections.

3. Nearly five months after the vote of censure against the Government of former Prime Minister Jacques-Edouard Alexis, the Senate approved the Déclaration de politique générale of Michèle Duvivier Pierre-Louis on 5 September 2008, and she was sworn in as Prime Minister on the same day. The Senate's action occurred against the background of a pressing need for concerted Government action to respond to storms that had hit the country in August and early September, taking an enormous toll on the country's infrastructure and people. This included tropical storm Hanna, which during the night of 1 to 2 September caused massive flooding and damage, especially in the city of Gonaïves (as described further below). The installation of the new Government was welcomed by MINUSTAH and the wider international community, which had sought to foster a collaborative approach required to resolve this long-standing political impasse.

4. The need to respond jointly to the cyclones dominated the agendas of the Government and Parliament in September and October. On 8 and 9 September, the lower and upper houses of Parliament respectively passed a law allowing the President to declare a state of emergency in the wake of natural disasters, and thereby put in place a system of flexible disbursement of national funds to assist affected populations. President René Préval drew upon this authority one day later, enabling the Government to disburse $200 million in relief to hurricane victims. The Haitian private sector joined relief efforts by raising funds and in-kind assistance, while the international community also provided substantial assistance, as detailed further below. Subsequently, the Parliament approved a revised 2007/08 budget on 30 September 2008.

5. Following this period of collaboration, relations between the executive and legislative branches deteriorated in November, when parliamentarians expressed dissatisfaction with the new Government and questioned in particular its management of post-disaster funds. On 27 November, five senators belonging to Lespwa, the main political formation represented in the Government, initiated the "interpellation" of the Minister of Economy and Finance, holding him responsible for Haiti's economic problems. Although this summons (which can culminate in a vote of censure) was later postponed sine die, Parliament has continued to hold numerous hearings with the Prime Minister and various cabinet ministers.

6. On 9 December, representatives of the Government and Parliament agreed to a joint legislative agenda for 2009. This was an unprecedented development in recent Haitian history and offered grounds for renewed hope for cooperation. Internal parliamentary elections in January resulted in the election of a new bureau in the Chamber of Deputies, which expressed a commitment to implement the 2009 joint legislative agenda. Progress in its implementation, however, has been modest to date. Also in January, both chambers of Parliament returned to the Government the draft 2008/09 budget, with numerous recommendations for revision. The budget had not been adopted at the time of writing.