Above: Sandra Honoré and Ban Ki-Moon (UN Photo)

By the Caribbean Journal staff

Trinidad and Tobago native Sandra Honoré, the new head of the UN peacekeeping mission in Haiti, arrived in Port-au-Prince on Monday.

Honore has officially assumed her duties, succeeding Interim MINUSTAH Chief Nigel Fisher as UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon’s Special Representative in Haiti.

“I am delighted to be in Haiti, a country of great historical importance to the whole of the Caribbean and Latin Ameica,” she said in a statement. “My mission is to support and work closely with President Martelly and the government of Haiti, with all Haitians involved in inclusive political dialogue, as well as democratic institutions and the rule of law.”

She said MINUSTAH was at a turning point in Haiti, after having launched its consolidation plan, which provides for a significant reduction of the peacekeeping presence in Haiti in the coming years.

“I will spare no effort to ensure that working with Haiti and its international partners in the domains of politics, security and development benefits all Haitians,” she said.

Honore’s appointment was announced by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon at the end of May.