Actualités
 10 Juin 2006
English version

 STRENGTHENING DEMOCRACY AND SOCIOECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN HAITI

 (Adopted by the Plenary at its fourth session, held on June 6, 2006)

         THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,

           RECOGNIZING that one of the essential purposes of the Organization of American States is to promote and consolidate representative democracy and respect for democratic institutions, with due regard for the principle of nonintervention, as stated in its Charter;            

REAFFIRMING the principles contained in the Inter-American Democratic Charter, in particular the principle that “democracy is essential for the social, political, and economic development of the peoples of the Americas;that democracy and social and economic development are interdependent and mutually reinforcing; and that poverty, illiteracy, and low levels of human development are factors that adversely affect the consolidation of democracy;

             RECALLING the resolutions of the Permanent Council and its own resolutions on the situation in Haiti, as well as the reports submitted by the Secretary General to the Permanent Council on developments in the situation in Haiti;

             WELCOMING the peaceful holding of free and democratic presidential and legislative elections on February 7, 2006, as a result of which a new president of the Republic was elected, and noting the holding of the second round of legislative elections on April 21, 2006, which makes it possible to normalize the Parliament’s situation;

             CALLING FOR the prompt organization of municipal and local elections, in a peaceful and safe environment, with respect for democratic inclusion and transparency;

             REITERATING its support for the process of dialogue launched on April 7, 2005;

             EXPRESSING its support for the work carried out by the OAS Special Mission for Strengthening Democracy in Haiti, and welcoming the role played by the OAS in preparing for and holding the elections, in particular the establishment, by means of national identity cards, of a solid foundation for a modern civil registry;

             SEEKING to support effective governance by the newly elected officials, to help strengthen security in Haiti, and to promote the socioeconomic recovery of the Haitian people in a peaceful and stable political environment;

             RECALLING that security, political reconciliation, and economic reconstruction efforts remain key to the sustainable development and the consolidation of democracy in Haiti;

 RECALLING with appreciation the ministerial conference in Brasilia on May 23, 2006 and other meetings of donors in the context of the Interim Cooperation Framework and urging the sustained engagement of the international community and international financial institutions in providing technical and financial support to the development of Haiti; and

 NOTING:

 The concerns about the situation of the Haitian justice and penitentiary systems, including prolonged pretrial detentions and the need to strengthen due process; as well as

             The challenges faced by the Haitian National Police in protecting the human and constitutional rights of all Haitians, 

RESOLVES: 

1.                   To congratulate the people of Haiti on the holding of peaceful presidential and legislative elections and to support the newly elected officials in the exercise of democratic, inclusive, representative, participatory and effective governance. 

2.                   To commend and express appreciation for the support extended to Haiti by the OAS and MINUSTAH in the context of the elections.  

3.                   To request all actors involved in the electoral process, in particular the Provisional Electoral Council, to make all necessary arrangements for holding municipal and local elections as soon as possible.

4.                   To underscore the importance of the vision of inclusion and dialogue expressed by the newly elected authorities and to encourage them to move forward expeditiously with the National Dialogue Initiative, designed to promote harmonious coexistence, peace, and national reconciliation. 

5.                   To call upon all sectors in Haiti, without exception, to support the National Dialogue and to participate actively in it, with a view to strengthening democratic institutions and ensuring their proper functioning. 

6.                   To encourage the increased capacity and the professionalization of the Haitian National Police, including the vetting and certification of new and existing officers, under the leadership of the Haitian authorities, in close collaboration with the OAS and MINUSTAH and with the support of the international community. 

7.                   To continue to promote the process of disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration of former members of the Haitian armed forces and to stabilize conflictive areas by providing constructive alternatives for members of illegal armed groups, as an essential component for promoting peace and reconciliation in Haiti; and to reiterate the need for strengthening these efforts. Also to call upon the international community to assist Haitian authorities in their efforts against the proliferation of and illicit trafficking in small arms and light weapons on Haitian soil.

8.                   To support the efforts undertaken jointly with the OAS to help combat trafficking in persons, by means of training, coordination, and on-site investigations. 

9.                   To reaffirm support for the OAS Special Mission and its activities, and the need to continue working in support of the strengthening of democratic institutions, including the establishment of a Permanent Electoral Council and a modernized civil registry, the reform of the justice system and the protection of human rights.

10.               To urge the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) to continue to monitor and report on the human rights situation in Haiti and to work with the OAS Special Mission on the promotion and observance of those rights. 

11.               To urge the Government of Haiti to adopt all measures necessary for the reform of the judicial sector, which includes urgently accelerating judicial proceedings to ensure that the constitutional rights of detained persons are respected and to reduce, in accordance with due process, the high number of prisoners awaiting trial and the length of pre-trial detention. 

12.               To encourage the Government of Haiti to strengthen the judicial system to combat impunity, foster the rule of law, further promote confidence within Haitian society, attain an equitable administration of justice in accordance with Haitian law, including through increased cooperation between Haitian judicial authorities and international experts. 

13.               To strongly express its solidarity with the Haitian people by supporting institutional development in Haiti, together with economic and social development; and to call on the international community to renew and maintain their commitment to strengthen democracy in Haiti by supporting economic and social programs, in order to alleviate poverty and promote economic and social development. 

14.               To promote further cooperation with the people and the Government of Haiti through effective support for the comprehensive implementation of the extended Interim Cooperation Framework and the new development plans that the Government of Haiti will present for financing to the international community.

15.               To request the international financial institutions and Haiti’s partners to extend, as a matter of urgency, and consistent with the development priorities of the Government of Haiti, their full financial support for programs to create jobs, promote education, eradicate illiteracy, regenerate the environment, achieve appropriate standards for food security, expand available health care, restore and increase infrastructure, and promote investment. 

16.               To urge the international community, the international financial institutions, and Haiti’s partners to coordinate, inter alia through international donors’ conferences, significant technical and financial support for the Government of Haiti, with a view to the sustainable development of Haiti and the stability of its institutions in accordance with the newly elected authorities’ commitment to good economic governance and deepening reforms.

17.               To request the General Secretariat to support the Government of Haiti in the elaboration of development policies in coordination with the United Nations (UN), Caribbean Community (CARICOM), and other international institutions and agencies, and in the extended Interim Cooperation Framework. 

18.               To request the General Secretariat to facilitate the provision and coordination of support from the inter-American institutions to the people and Government of Haiti.

19.               To request  the Secretary General to adopt all measures that he deems appropriate, in agreement with the Government of Haiti, to carry out the mandates conained in this resolution. 

20.               To request the Secretary General to submit a report twice a year on the situation in Haiti to the Permanent Council, which shall, on a regular basis, review the mandates of the OAS Special Mission and take all steps it deems necessary for its optimal functioning. 

21.               To request the Secretary General to transmit this resolution to the Secretary-General of the United Nations.
(Note: This document is subject to revision by the style committee)