Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre has called out members of the international community for failing to honour commitments to Haiti, warning that sympathy without action will do little to end the country’s deepening humanitarian and security crisis.
Addressing the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly, Pierre urged the UN Security Council to renew the mandate of the Gang Suppression Force in Haiti and called on member states to provide the resources necessary for it to operate effectively.
“Some member states have failed to meet their commitments and pledges to the Gang Suppression Force in Haiti, whose one-year mandate ends this month,” Pierre told world leaders.
His appeal comes as Haiti continues to grapple with widespread gang violence, political instability and deteriorating social and economic conditions.
Pierre said meaningful action is now necessary if the international community hopes to restore the confidence of Haitians in the United Nations.
“Member states of this organisation must act in a manner that will restore the trust of the people of Haiti in the United Nations,” he said.
While acknowledging gang violence as an urgent security threat, Pierre cautioned against treating it as Haiti’s only problem.
He described the crisis as multidimensional and argued that security intervention must be accompanied by sustained social and economic support.
“The international response must include long-term social and economic assistance that will help restore an acceptable quality of life for the people of Haiti,” Pierre said.
The Prime Minister also highlighted the Caribbean Community’s continuing involvement in efforts to facilitate a Haitian-led political solution.
Through its Eminent Persons Group, comprising three former Caribbean prime ministers, CARICOM has been facilitating discussions among political and civil society stakeholders in Haiti.
Pierre said that engagement would continue as Haitian stakeholders work towards holding the first round of general elections.
Haiti is a full member of CARICOM, and Caribbean leaders have repeatedly maintained that lasting stability cannot be achieved through security measures alone.
Pierre used Haiti’s crisis to make a wider appeal for the United Nations to move beyond declarations and demonstrate that it can deliver tangible results for vulnerable nations.
He said the General Assembly theme, “Restoring trust, managing transformation: a United Nations that delivers for all,” must be backed by action.
“This Assembly should not be a place where the world expresses sympathy without accepting responsibility,” Pierre declared.
He argued that the credibility of the UN will ultimately be measured by whether international action produces meaningful improvements in the lives of ordinary people, particularly those facing conflict, insecurity and humanitarian emergencies.
“Trust in the United Nations will be restored if the daily lives of the people of Haiti are transformed and enhanced,” Pierre said.
The Prime Minister also addressed ongoing conflict and suffering in Ukraine, Sudan, Gaza and the wider Middle East, calling for renewed efforts towards peace, stability and respect for international law.
On Palestine, Pierre reaffirmed Saint Lucia’s support for the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination, statehood and full membership in the United Nations alongside Israel.
He also argued that rules established to protect humanity are too often applied selectively, contributing to declining confidence in international institutions.
Pierre called for a renewed global compact centred on principle rather than power and multilateral cooperation rather than unilateral action.
“We need action. We need justice,” Pierre said. “And we need a renewed international compact based not on power, but on principle.”
