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United Nations

United States Delays Lifting of Economic Sanctions Against Haiti

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

The United States has decided to delay asking the UN Security Council to lift economic sanctions against Haiti, citing the continued presence of military leaders. US Ambassador Madeleine Albright briefed the 15-nation council on the US-led multinational force that has begun to land in Haiti under an agreement reached between the US delegation led by former President Jimmy Carter and Haitian military leaders. The peaceful intervention has forced the US and UN to reconsider the lifting of sanctions, which were initially set to be lifted with the immediate departure of military leader Raoul Cedras and the return to power of exiled President Jean-Bertrand Aristide.

Key Takeaways:

  • The US will not immediately ask the UN Security Council to lift economic sanctions against Haiti because Haitian military leaders are still in power.
  • The US-led multinational force has begun to land in Haiti under an agreement reached between the US delegation and Haitian military leaders Raoul Cedras and Philippe Biamby.
  • The agreement allows Cedras until October 15 to resign, and no date has been set for the return of exiled President Jean-Bertrand Aristide.
  • The lifting of sanctions is dependent on the return of Aristide and the establishment of democracy in Haiti, as stipulated in UN Resolution 940.
  • The UN Security Council members are pleased with the news of the US landing in Haiti, which fulfills Resolution 940 without bloodshed.
  • U.N. Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali is sending an advance team of military observers to Haiti to work with the US-led force and seeking to return civilian human rights monitors to the nation.
  • A 60-member UN military observers group will be deployed to Haiti to monitor the US force's action and work out the transition to the UN peacekeeping force.

Statistics:

  • 6,000 military and civilian personnel are set to be deployed in a second phase to restore a constitutional government in Port-au-Prince.
  • The US-led force has begun to land in Haiti, with no reported bloodshed.
  • UN Resolution 940 was adopted on July 31, authorizing a two-phase action to end the crisis in Haiti.
  • The UN Security Council has 15 member nations.
  • The US-led multinational force is composed of US, France, Brazil, and Fiji military officers.

Sources:

  • United States is not asking U.N. Security Council to lift economic sanctions against Haiti right away. by JT Nguyen at the United Nations
  • News of the U.S. landing in Haiti fulfilled U.N. resolution 940 without bloodshed. by JT Nguyen at the United Nations

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