Attachments
I. Introduction
1. The present report is submitted pursuant to Security Council resolution 2350 (2017), by which the Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) for a final period of six months, until 15 October 2017; established the United Nations Mission for Justice Support in Haiti (MINUJUSTH) for an initial period of six months, from 16 October 2017 until 15 April 2018; and requested a report on the implementation of the resolution within 90 days. It covers major developments that have occurred since the issuance of my previous report, of 16 March 2017 (S/2017/223), and progress made on the closing-down of MINUSTAH and the establishment of MINUJUSTH.
II. Developments on the ground
A. Political
2. Haiti has continued to make strides in the consolidation of its democracy and stability. On 22 March, following Parliament’s endorsement, the Prime Minister of Haiti, Jack Guy Lafontant, and his 18-member Cabinet of Ministers, which includes five women, assumed their functions. On 29 March, the President of Haiti, Jovenel Moïse, presented the new Cabinet with a road map for the Government focused on the security, justice, energy, education, health and agriculture sectors and based on decentralization as a strategy for transforming and modernizing the State to better meet the needs of the people and key national sectors.
3. On 29 March, the thirtieth anniversary of the 1987 Constitution, the Lower Chamber of Parliament launched a special commission, tasked with delivering a report on its assessment of the Constitution by January 2019. Shortly afterwards, on 10 April, the executive branch and the legislature adopted a joint legislative agenda comprising 51 draft laws aimed at improving the business climate, reinforcing State functions and ensuring better territorial planning, particularly with regard to the rehabilitation of the environment. The agenda includes a draft bill on the remobilization of the Haitian Armed Forces, which the executive branch and the legislature consider to be a priority in the context of the closure of MINUSTAH.
4. On 8 May, the final results of the 29 January 2017 local elections, announced by the Provisional Electoral Council, were published in the official gazette, with 9 of the 570 communal sections requiring reruns because of a lack of registered candidates, violence or tied results. To complete the local governance structure envisaged in the Constitution, indirect elections are now required for the establishment of the municipal and departmental assemblies and the departmental and interdepartmental councils. On 29 June, the provisional electoral council announced the calendar for the indirect elections that will be held between 1 July and 26 September.
5. On 17 May, President Moïse completed his first 100 days in office. Among notable actions taken during that period was his flagship initiative, “Caravan of Change”, consisting of monthly visits to the regions aimed at revitalizing the agricultural, environmental and transport sectors as set out in the government programme. On 15 May, as a first step to end government subsidies, fuel prices were increased following negotiations with trade unions. On 5 June, in the wake of protests by workers’ unions demanding an increase in the minimum wage, the Government reconstituted the Superior Council of Salaries, which released for consideration its recommendations on a new minimum wage scale on 7 July.
6. On 6 June, at the request of President Moïse, Parliament convened an extraordinary session to amend the national budget for the fiscal year from October 2016 to September 2017, which was approved by the Government on 2 June. The generally conservative budget as adopted by Parliament provides 75.91 billion gourdes ($1.2 billion) for operations and 42.77 billion gourdes ($680 million) for investments, and is aimed at tightening central government spending, maintaining macroeconomic stability and limiting the fiscal deficit, currently estimated at 5.8 billion gourdes ($93.7 million) for the fiscal year 2016/17, to a sustainable level. Capital expenditures to boost growth remain limited, and subsidies to the State-owned electricity authority continue. Despite increased allocations for agriculture, the environment and education, investments in those growth-enhancing sectors remain low. The fragile socioeconomic situation continues to contribute to the increased vulnerability of Haitian households, particularly affecting girls and women, whose voices have been largely absent from the political processes relating to these issues. On 30 June, the executive branch submitted the draft budget for the fiscal year 2017/18 before the Lower Chamber, for a total amount of 144.2 billion gourdes ($2.3 billion), representing an increase of 22.1 per cent compared with the previous year.
7. Prior to the closing of the first ordinary session of the 2017 legislative year on 8 May, Parliament adopted a law strengthening the national fire department and ratified two international conventions on statelessness. Parliament also voted to amend the draft organic law on the financial intelligence unit strengthening measures against money-laundering and terrorism financing, thereby averting the risk of financial isolation by the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force.