AS DELIVERED

Thank you, Mr. President

We are pleased to vote in favor of the final renewal of MINUJUSTH until October 15, 2019.

This resolution will conclude the UN peacekeeping presence in Haiti after more than 15 years.  On this occasion, we would like to thank the peacekeepers who have honorably served in MINUJUSTH, and in MINUSTAH before it.  We remember and honor their sacrifices and efforts in support of a free, prosperous, and peaceful Haiti.

This resolution sets the stage for the transition to a non-peacekeeping UN presence.  We are eager to establish a Special Political Mission and look forward to the report of the Secretariat that is tasked in this resolution, which will facilitate the Council’s consideration of a mandate.

In the interim, we expect the Government of Haiti and MINUJUSTH to continue working together to achieve the benchmarks the Council has previously laid out until the drawdown of the mission and beyond.

This transition will mean a significant handover of responsibility back into the hands of the Haitian government and its people.  Now is the time for the Government of Haiti to step up and assume this responsibility.  As a longtime partner and friend, the United States continues to support Haiti on this path, mindful of the challenges ahead.

In the immediate future, we call on all Haitian actors to continue efforts toward a constructive and inclusive dialogue that aims to find lasting solutions to the current political and economic challenges.  We are convinced that genuine dialogue and compromise, leading to a transparent and accountable government, can best serve the needs and aspirations of the Haitian people.

Thank you.

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