US calls for renewal of UN security mission in Haiti as mandate set to expire

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday urged renewing the United Nations mandate for an international security mission in Haiti. The mission's mandate, set to expire in early October, was initially approved for 12 months but has struggled with limited troops and funding. Armed gangs have seized much of the capital Port-au-Prince and surrounding areas.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday called for renewing a United Nations mandate for an international security mission to help Haiti fight armed gangs that have taken over much of the country's capital and expanded to nearby regions.

The mission's mandate, first approved for 12 months, is set to expire at the start of October, but has seen few results with few troops on the ground and far less funding than hoped.

"At this critical moment you need more funding, you need more personnel to sustain and carry out the objectives of this mission," Blinken told a press conference in Port-au-Prince.

He said the US - the mission's largest financial backer - planned to convene a ministerial meeting at the UN General Assembly this month, to encourage more financial contributions and renew the mandate.

"The mission itself needs to be renewed, that's what we're working on right now. But we also want something that's reliable, that's sustainable and we'll look at every option to do that; a UN peacekeeping mission is one option," Blinken said.

(AFP)

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