The UN rights chief, Volker Turk, is calling for crackdown on arms trafficking in Haiti, which is fueling criminality and contributing to a worsening humanitarian crisis in the country. According to the UN, at least 3,661 people have been killed in the first half of this year as a result of gang violence in Haiti, including 100 children. Gangs in Haiti, often connected to political and business leaders, have been carrying out violent attacks and human rights abuses.
Turk urged the international community to implement a global arms embargo, travel ban, and asset freeze to help stem the flow of weapons into the country. The surge in violence has led to the deployment of a UN-backed, Kenya-led multinational force to help address the crisis, but only a fraction of the pledged troops have been deployed so far.
With the mandate for the Multinational Security Support Mission set to expire soon, there are calls for its renewal and potentially transforming it into a formal peacekeeping mission to provide stable funds and capacity. The interim prime minister of Haiti, Garry Conille, has asked for international support to help address the escalating violence and displacement in the country. The number of internally displaced people has almost doubled in the last six months, with millions facing emergency food insecurity. The situation in Haiti remains dire, and urgent action is needed to address the root causes of the violence and instability in the country.
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