Above: UN Special Representative Sandra Honore (UN Photo)
By the Caribbean Journal staff
Sandra Honore, the Special Representative of United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, issued a statement Thursday renewing a call for progress on long-delayed elections in Haiti.
Honore urged “all Haitian political actors” on the continuation of a dialogue process begun last month between the Executive and Legislative branches aimed at reaching a “consensus solution on key policy issues.”
Doing so would pave the way for holding “free, fair and inclusive” elections, which she said were “necessary conditions for strengthening good governance and creating an enabling environment for socioeconomic development to benefit the Haitian people.”
The elections would choose one third of Haiti’s Senate, along with a number of municipal posts in the country.
She said Haiti’s international partners believed it was in the interest of “all stakeholders” to reach a solution on the current impasse “in the shortest possible time.”
The international community has been calling for Haiti to hold its planned legislative elections for almost two years.
In a call with Haiti President Michel Martelly late last month, US Vice President Joe Biden underscored the “importance of elections in solidifying Haiti’s democratic foundation.”
Shortly after succeeding former MINUSTAH Chief Mariano Fernandez this summer, Honore said the ongoing election delay was of “increasing concern.”
Fernandez had urged Haiti to hold elections by the end of this year; that is looking increasingly unilkely.