SC/8015
1 March 2004
Security Council Authorizes Deployment of Multinational Force to Haiti for 3 Months, Unanimously Adopting Resolution 1529 (2004)
Declares Readiness to Establish Follow on Stabilization Force to Support Peaceful, Consitutional Political Process
NEW YORK, 29 February (UN Headquarters) -- The Security Council tonight, acting in response to the deteriorating political, security and humanitarian situation in Haiti, authorized the immediate deployment of Multinational Interim Force for a period of three months to help to secure and stabilize the capital, Port-au-Prince, and elsewhere in the country.
Unanimously adopting resolution 1529 (2004), the Council, acting under Chapter VII of the Charter, authorized the Force to take all necessary measures to fulfil its mandate.
That mandate also includes, among others, facilitating the provision of humanitarian assistance and the access of international humanitarian workers, and facilitating the provision of international assistance to the Haitian police and Coast Guard to establish and maintain public safety and law and order and to promote and protect human rights.
The Council also declared its readiness to establish a follow-on United Nations stabilization force to support continuation of a peaceful and constitutional political process and the maintenance of a secure and stable environment.
Further, the Council demanded that all parties to the conflict cease using violent means, and that they respect the constitutional succession and the political process under way to resolve the current crisis.
Tonight’s action came following the resignation of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide and his departure from the country. Boniface Alexandre, head of Haiti’s Supreme Court, has been sworn in as acting President, in accordance with the Constitution. Haiti’s political situation became volatile after flawed elections in May 2000, and in recent months, confrontations became violent as the positions of the Government and opposition hardened.
The meeting began at 9:52 p.m. and adjourned at 9:55 p.m.
Resolution
The full text of Council resolution 1529 (2004) reads as follows:
The Security Council,
Recalling its previous resolutions and statements by its President on Haiti, in particular the statement of 26 February 2004 (S/PRST/2004/4),
Deeply concerned by the deterioration of the political, security and humanitarian situation in Haiti and deploring the loss of life that has already occurred,
Expressing its utmost concern at the continuing violence in Haiti, as well as the potential for a rapid deterioration of the humanitarian situation in that country, and its destabilizing effect on the region,
Stressing the need to create a secure environment in Haiti and the region that enables respect for human rights, including the well-being of civilians, and supports the mission of humanitarian workers,
Commending the Organization of American States (OAS) and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) for their lead efforts to advance a peaceful solution and for attempting to establish confidence among the parties, in particular through their Plan of Action,
Taking note of the resignation of Jean-Bertrand Aristide as President of Haiti and the swearing-in of President Boniface Alexandre as the acting President of Haiti in accordance with the Constitution of Haiti,
Acknowledging the appeal of the new President of Haiti for the urgent support of the international community to assist in restoring peace and security in Haiti and to further the constitutional political process now under way,
Determined to support a peaceful and constitutional solution to the current crisis in Haiti,
Determining that the situation in Haiti constitutes a threat to international peace and security and to stability in the Caribbean, especially through the potential outflow of people to other States in the subregion,
Acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations,
1. Calls on Member States to support the constitutional succession and political process now under way in Haiti and the promotion of a peaceful and lasting solution to the current crisis;
2. Authorizes the immediate deployment of a Multinational Interim Force for a period of not more than three months from adoption of this resolution:
(a) To contribute to a secure and stable environment in the Haitian capital and elsewhere in the country, as appropriate and as circumstances permit in the judgement of the Force Commander, in order to support Haitian President Alexandre’s request for international assistance to support the constitutional political process under way in Haiti;
(b) To facilitate the provision of humanitarian assistance and the access of international humanitarian workers to the Haitian people in need;
(c) To facilitate the provision of international assistance to the Haitian police and the Haitian Coast Guard in order to establish and maintain public safety and law and order and to promote and protect human rights;
(d) To support establishment of conditions for international and regional organizations, including the United Nations and the Organization of American States, to assist the Haitian people;
(e) To coordinate, as needed, with the OAS Special Mission and with the United Nations Special Adviser for Haiti, to prevent further deterioration of the humanitarian situation;
3. Declares its readiness to establish a follow-on United Nations stabilization force to support continuation of a peaceful and constitutional political process and the maintenance of a secure and stable environment, and in this regard requests the Secretary-General, in consultation with the Organization of American States, to submit to the Council recommendations, preferably by 30 days from adoption of this resolution, for the size, structure and mandate of such a force, including the role of international police and means of coordination with the OAS Special Mission, and for subsequent deployment of the United Nations force not later than three months from adoption of this resolution;
4. Welcomes the Secretary-General’s February 27 appointment of a Special Adviser for Haiti, and requests the Secretary-General to elaborate a programme of action for the United Nations to assist the constitutional political process and support humanitarian and economic assistance and promote the protection of human rights and the development of the rule of law;
5. Calls on Member States to contribute personnel, equipment and other necessary financial and logistic resources on an urgent basis to the Multinational Interim Force and invites contributing Member States to inform the leadership of the force and the Secretary-General of their intent to participate in the mission; and stresses the importance of such voluntary contributions to help defray the expenses of the Multinational Interim Force that participating Member States will bear;
6. Authorizes the Member States participating in the Multinational Interim Force in Haiti to take all necessary measures to fulfil its mandate;
7. Demands that all the parties to the conflict in Haiti cease using violent means, and reiterates that all parties must respect international law, including with respect to human rights and that there will be individual accountability and no impunity for violators; further demands that parties respect the constitutional succession and the political process under way to resolve the current crisis, and enable legitimate Haitian security forces and other public institutions to perform their duties and provide access to humanitarian agencies to carry out their work;
8. Further calls on all parties in Haiti and on Member States to cooperate fully with the Multinational Interim Force in Haiti in the execution of its mandate and to respect the security and freedom of movement of the Multinational Interim Force, as well as to facilitate the safe and unimpeded access of international humanitarian personnel and aid to populations in need in Haiti;
9. Requests the leadership of the Multinational Interim Force in Haiti to report periodically to the Council, through the Secretary-General, on the implementation of its mandate;
10. Calls upon the international community, in particular the United Nations, the Organization of American States, and the Caribbean Community, to work with the people of Haiti in a long-term effort to promote the rebuilding of democratic institutions and to assist in the development of a strategy to promote social and economic development and to combat poverty;
11. Decides to remain seized of the matter.
* *** *
