The United Nations stabilisation mission in Haiti
UNNew York, United States 28/01/2008
Program
Glynberri Conference Room, Permanent Mission of Canada to the United Nations
1 Dag Hammarskjöld Plaza - 885 2nd Avenue
New York
08h45 - Welcome and registration
09h00 - Seminar Inauguration and Introduction
Elizabeth Spehar, Director of Political Affairs, Europe and Latin America Division, United Nations
Henri-Paul Normandin, Deputy Ambassador, Canadian Permanent Mission to the United Nations
Mariano Aguirre, Director Peace Security and Human Rights, FRIDE
09h30 Panel One
Recent improvements and outstanding obstacles to long term stability: Overview of the present situation from both a national and a UN perspective.
Three years after the initial deployment of MINUSTAH, the situation in Haiti has progressed. Notable advances include: the conduct of elections, the establishment of a more secure environment and initial reforms to the police and judiciary system. On the other hand, extreme poverty remains prevalent, violence reduction is still necessary, and the political climate is still polarized.
Speakers
Gérard Le Chevalier, Director, Political Affairs, MINUSTAH
Laennec Hurbon, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Haiti
Moderator: Amélie Gauthier, Researcher, FRIDE
Debate: 45 min
10h45 Coffee Break
11h00 Panel Two
Theoretical contortions: The role of MINUSTAH in peace-building and state-building in Haiti.
Based on the differences between these two concepts, one can ask what is most
suitable for Haiti: Peace-building, State-building or a mix of both. To what extent can MINUSTAH do peacebuilding when there not a classical conflict? At the same time, how MINUSTAH tackles state-building challenges such as reforming the security and justice sectors, fighting against corruption and organised crime, protecting the borders as well as other root causes of conflict. To what extent is MINUSTAH setting a precedent by encompassing all these state-building tasks?
Speakers
James Cockayne, Associate, International Peace Academy
Teresa Whitfield, Director, Conflict Prevention and Peace Forum
Moderator: Stephen Baranyi, Principal Researcher, North South Institute
Debate: 45 min
12h30 Lunch break
13h30 Panel Three
Future mandates, benchmarks of progress and dilemmas of an exit strategy.
The most recent mandate renewal of MINUSTAH through Security Council Resolution 1780 is the first to have been issued in a context of an overall stability in Haiti. This new context allowed the Mission to evolve in its tasks. How can we foresee the content of future renewal of MINUSTAH’s mandate? How can MINUSTAH include a more developmental role should this be desirable? What would be the expected timeframe for the Mission’s presence in Haiti, what are the other elements of the UN’s future involvement in Haiti and how can we measure success in order to manage the presence of the UN Mission?
Speakers
Ann Livingstone, Research Director, Pearson Peacekeeping Centre
Chris O’Donnell, Best practices division, DPKO
Moderator: Louis St-Arnaud, Canadian Permanent Mission to the UN
Debate: 1 hour
15h00 Panel Four
Continental Solidarity in Haiti: Implications on Interamerican Relations from Participation in MINUSTAH and other policies towards Haiti.
Several countries of the Western Hemisphere are heavily involved in Haiti, whether
through their contributions to MINUSTAH or through significant development aid. The OAS has also an important role. New processes such as the 2X9 have been generated by the involvement, sometimes unprecedented, of Latin American countries in UN peace missions. What lessons are drawn from the various stakeholders from the recent interamerican involvement in Haiti over the recent years?
Speakers
Representative of a Latin American country
Ginette Martin, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Canada
Moderator: Carlo Dade, Director of FOCAL
Debate 1 hour
16h30 Conclusions and possible recommendations
Mariano Aguirre, FRIDE
Bruce Jones
17h00 End of Seminar
19h30 Dinner - Cocktail
Alcalá Restaurant
342 East 46th Street
New York, NY 10017
