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International trade

Tightened UN Sanctions on Haiti Exacerbate Humanitarian Crisis

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

As the United Nations tightens trade sanctions on Haiti, smugglers are brazenly bringing in fuel across the Dominican border, despite the new restrictions aimed at pressuring the military-backed government to step down. The measures come as the country's political deadlock deepens, with the democratically elected President, Father Jean-Bertrand Aristide, still ousted from power since a September 1991 coup. The tighter sanctions, which exclude food, medicine, and humanitarian aid but include a near-total embargo on fuel, cooking fuel, and other essential goods, are expected to disproportionately affect the country's poor, with thousands facing job losses and an already dire humanitarian situation likely to worsen.

Key Takeaways:

  • The United Nations tightened trade sanctions on Haiti, aimed at pressuring the military-backed government to step down, but smugglers continue to bring in fuel across the Dominican border.
  • The sanctions exclude food, medicine, and humanitarian aid but include a near-total embargo on fuel, cooking fuel, and other essential goods.
  • The humanitarian situation in Haiti is dire, with more than 6,000 people reported to have died since the earliest sanctions took hold, most notably women, infants, the elderly, and the sick.
  • Unemployment in Haiti has reached 60 per cent, and thousands will lose jobs as factories are forced to shut their doors due to the sanctions.
  • The Organisation of American States imposed sanctions on Haiti in 1991, and the situation has only worsened since then.
  • The sanctions are expected to disproportionately affect the country's poor and exacerbate the humanitarian crisis.
  • Father Jean-Bertrand Aristide, the democratically elected President, has been ousted from power since a September 1991 coup.

Statistics:

  • Unemployment in Haiti tops 60 per cent due to the sanctions.
  • More than 6,000 people, including women, infants, the elderly, and the sick, have died since the earliest sanctions took hold.
  • The Organisation of American States imposed sanctions on Haiti in 1991.
  • The sanctions are expected to lead to thousands of job losses as factories shut their doors.

Sources:

  • AFP (Associated Press News) - no date provided in the source material
  • No additional sources are mentioned in the original text.

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