UN Council urges halt to small arms reaching Haiti gangs

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United Nations Security Council unanimously approved a resolution Friday that calls on all countries to stop the transfer of small arms, light weapons and ammunition to any party in crisis-torn Haiti supporting gang violence and criminal activity.

Haiti is experiencing escalating bloodshed and kidnappings by criminal gangs, and China had proposed a rival text that would have authorised a UN arms embargo on the Western Hemisphere's poorest country. But other council members said an embargo would be unenforceable.

The resolution drafted by the United States and Mexico that was approved on a 15-0 vote Friday does demand an immediate cessation of gang violence and criminal activities, as China wanted.

It also expresses the council's readiness to impose sanctions that could include travel bans and assets freezes “as necessary” on individuals engaged in or supporting gang violence, criminal activity or human rights violations in Haiti within 90 days of the resolution's adoption.

That language is weaker than China's proposal, which called for action within 30 days.

The back and forth came in negotiations over a resolution to extend the mandate for the UN political mission in Haiti.

The council's previous authorisation for the mission expired Friday.

The United States-Mexico resolution extends the mission, known as BINUH, until July 15, 2023. China wanted an extension until October 15, 2023.

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