UN Secretary-General to Send Diplomatic Mission to Haiti

Strategic Insights -

In a bid to resolve the crisis in Haiti, UN Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali has announced that he will send a diplomatic mission to the island nation to seek a peaceful settlement with the entrenched military leadership. The mission will aim to persuade the Haitian military leaders to step down and implement Resolution 940, which was adopted by the Security Council on July 31. The decision to send the mission has been made on Boutros-Ghali's own accord, despite rumors that Washington was not ready to launch an invasion to oust the military leaders.

Key Takeaways:

  • The UN Secretary-General has decided to send a diplomatic mission to Haiti to resolve the crisis with the military leadership.
  • The mission's purpose is to persuade the Haitian military leaders to step down and implement Resolution 940.
  • The decision to send the mission was made on Boutros-Ghali's own accord, contradicting rumors that Washington was not ready to launch an invasion.
  • The Security Council adopted Resolution 940 on July 31 to authorize the use of force to remove Haitian military leader Raoul Cedras and his supporters from power.
  • Resolution 940 has been met with opposition from most Latin American and Caribbean countries.
  • Haitian military leader Raoul Cedras has refused to step down, despite trade sanctions and economic measures imposed by the UN.
  • Cedras toppled President Jean-Bertrand Aristide two years ago and has refused to step down since October last year.
  • The UN mission will aim to discuss and exercise persuasion towards the peaceful implementation of Resolution 940.

Statistics:

  • July 31: The Security Council adopted Resolution 940 to authorize the use of force to remove Haitian military leader Raoul Cedras and his supporters from power.
  • July 3, 1993: Haitian military leader Raoul Cedras and President Jean-Bertrand Aristide signed the Governors Island Agreement in New York to end military rule in Haiti.
  • October 1991: Raoul Cedras toppled President Jean-Bertrand Aristide in a bloody coup d'etat.
  • October 1993: Raoul Cedras refused to step down, forcing the UN council to impose trade sanctions.
  • May 1994: The UN council added more economic sanctions in an attempt to end Cedras' defiance.

Sources:

  • "UN to Send Diplomatic Mission to Haiti" by United Press International
  • "UN Security Council Adopts Resolution 940" by UN Security Council
  • "Haiti: UN Meeting on Human Rights" by New York Times
  • "US Holds Back on Haiti Invasions" by New York Post