The recent history of Haitian diplomacy is marked by a remarkable event: the first submission of a resolution by Haiti before the Human Rights Council (CDH) in Geneva. This initiative, 78 years after Haiti’s accession as a founding member of the United Nations, is the fruit of the leadership of Ambassador Justin Viard.
Ambassador Viard embodies a form of discreet but effective diplomacy, where strength lies in conviction and competence. His journey illustrates a versatile intelligence and an unwavering dedication to his country. A renowned lawyer, respected banker and dedicated university professor, he always placed the interests of Haiti first.
Its cultural achievements, such as the “HaHaHaïti” project in Montreal, have brilliantly promoted Haitian culture internationally. Despite the challenges encountered, Ambassador Viard has never given up on promoting the cultural wealth of his country.
His time at the head of economic and commercial missions in Haiti also marked significant progress, while his role as Permanent Representative of Haiti to the United Nations Office and other International Organizations in Geneva opened new opportunities for Haiti on the international scene.
He always places Haiti in leadership positions, striving to occupy positions of influence in order to better propel his country. We thus find Ambassador Viard sometimes as President of the Ambassadors of GRULAC (Latin America and the Caribbean Group) to the World Trade Organization (WTO), from July 1, 2022 to December 31, 2022, Coordinator of the Americas Group for the World Health Organization (GRUA/WHO), from June 10, 2022 to June 10, 2023, and President of the Group of French-speaking Ambassadors (GAF) in Geneva since March 2023, his mandate ending in October 2024.
But it is the presentation of the historic resolutions during the 52nd Session of the Human Rights Council (HRC) which remains its most notable diplomatic act. The first resolution, registered under the code A/HRC/RES/52/39, filed on March 22, 2023 under item 10 on Technical Assistance and Capacity Building, adopted by consensus on April 4, 2023, entitled “Technical assistance and strengthening of
capabilities aimed at has improve the situation of the rights of the man in Haiti, in lien with the request of the Haitian authorities for coordinated international action and targeted”. He then tabled a second resolution, registered under the code A/HRC/RES/55/24, on March 21, 2024, still adopted by consensus on April 4, 2024, during the 55th Session of the Human Rights Council ( HRC). These resolutions against the barbarity of armed gangs represent diplomatic acts of capital importance.
Thanks to his competence and vision, the country has reached an important milestone in its diplomatic history. In summary, Ambassador Viard embodies the excellence and leadership that Haitian diplomacy so badly needs. His dedication to his country and his people is an inspiring example for future generations of diplomats.
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United Nations
General assembly
Distr. general
6 avril 2023
A/HRC/RES/52/39
Original: French
Human Rights Council
Fifty–second session
February 27-April 4, 2023
Agenda item 10
Assistance technique and reinforcement capacities
Resolution adopted by the Advice human rights
the 4 avril 2023
52/39. Technical assistance and capacity building aimed at improving the
human rights situation in Haiti, in lien with the request of the Haitian authorities for coordinated international action et targeted
The Human Rights Council,
Guide by the purposes and principles set forth in the Charter of the United Nations,
Reminding the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women , the Convention on the Rights of the Child and its optional protocols, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination and other relevant international human rights instruments. ‘man,
Highlighting that States have the primary responsibility for promoting and protecting all human rights,
Se declaring grave concern by the fact that the resurgence of violence perpetrated by armed gangs, which control most of the capital, Port-au-Prince, and several other cities, leads to a shortage of basic necessities and medical care, undermines the efforts of the Haitian Government in the area of human rights, and hinders the enjoyment of human rights of the Haitian people, including the right to life, the right to education, the right to work, the right to enjoy the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, the rights to adequate food, housing and security, drinking water and sanitation arising from the right to a standard of living. sufficient, and the right to participate in the management of public affairs,
Declaring himself also seriously concerned by the correlation, in Haiti, between the power of armed gangs and the systematic use of sexual and gender-based violence, which have a disproportionate impact on women and girls, leading to an increased risk of non-communicable diseases, particularly anxiety disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder, and communicable diseases, in particular sexually transmitted diseases, which hinder the full realization and enjoyment of the human rights of the Haitian people,
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Expressing further grave concern by physical attacks on people, kidnappings, torture, mutilations and massacres, leading to significant forced displacements of the Haitian population, by the disproportionate impact of violence on women, children, particularly those recruited by gangs, disabled people and the elderly, as well as by repeated attacks against law enforcement,
Noting that Haiti, despite the efforts of its security forces, has neither the technical capacities nor the resources necessary to fight effectively against the criminal actions of armed gangs on its territory and consolidate progress in terms of human rights,
the Deeply concerned by the violations and abuses of human rights and by the humanitarian crisis in Haiti, exacerbated by the violence of armed gangs and which lead to constant forced displacements, very limited access of the majority of the population to basic services as well than the blocking of humanitarian aid,
Taking note repeated requests from the Haitian Government for coordinated and targeted international action to put an end to the multiple violations and abuses of human rights attributable to armed gangs and respond to the humanitarian crisis in Haiti,
Reminding the activities carried out in Haiti by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, through the human rights component of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti, and the visit of the High Commissioner of the United Nations for human rights in Haiti from February 8 to 10, 2023,
Grateful the crucial role that civil society plays in the promotion and protection of human rights in Haiti and the importance of creating and maintaining a safe and supportive environment in which civil society can operate independently and free from insecurity,
1.
Affirms that it is important to effectively combat the violence of armed gangs in Haiti and its harmful effects on the realization and enjoyment of human rights by the Haitian people;
2. Affirms also that the restoration of security is necessary for the effectiveness of the humanitarian response, the organization of democratic elections and the restoration of democratic institutions in Haiti;
3.
Note the efforts made by the Haitian Government to restore security in Haiti, and its renewed demands for coordinated and targeted international action to support its efforts;
4. Request to the Haitian Government to intensify its efforts to promote and protect human rights, strengthen the rule of law, particularly the judicial and penitentiary systems, and the fight against gender-based violence and discrimination as well as against corruption and impunity, by supporting national human rights institutions and continuing to implement the recommendations made and accepted during the last cycle of the Universal Periodic Review, and the recommendations of others United Nations agencies, in particular those relating to the action of armed gangs;
5. Invite the Haitian authorities to pursue an inclusive dialogue between all Haitian actors concerned in order to find a lasting solution to the multidimensional crisis that Haiti is going through, in particular through the organization of free and transparent elections for the restoration of democratic institutions;
6. Urges States Members of the United Nations, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, relevant United Nations agencies and other stakeholders to continue to support the measures and efforts of the Haitian Government aimed at fight against armed gang violence and against the illicit sale, importation and circulation of firearms, and to guarantee respect for human rights
1 See A/HRC/50/15 and A/HRC/50/15/Add.1.
A/HRC/RES/52/39
of man in Haiti, echoing in particular the repeated requests of the Haitian Government relating to coordinated and targeted international action, y including through technical assistance and capacity building;
7.
Request for the Office of the High Commissioner to cooperate with the Haitian Government by providing technical assistance and support for capacity building in the promotion and protection of human rights of the Haitian justice system, security forces and prison administration , to enable it to pursue its strategy aimed at combating the action of armed gangs and restoring the rule of law, as well as to support implement the recommendations made and accepted during the last cycle of the Universal Periodic Review;
8. Request the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to designate without delay, for a renewable period of one year, an independent human rights expert, whose missions, with the assistance of the High Commissioner and in collaboration with the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti, to monitor the evolution of the human rights situation in Haiti, ensuring in particular to integrate a gender perspective and to pay particular attention to situation of children and human trafficking in all of its work, and to provide advice and technical assistance to the Haitian Government, national human rights institutions and civil society organizations to support their efforts in this area. respect, promotion and protection of human rights;
9. Requests the High Commissioner to present to him, within the framework of an interactive dialogue with the participation of the independent human rights expert, an interim report on the situation of human rights in Haiti at its fifty-fourth session and a full report on the matter at its fifty-fifth
session;
10. Encourage the Haitian authorities and the High Commission to move forward on the question of the creation of an office of the High Commission in Haiti, as suggested by the Haitian Government during the visit of the High Commissioner to Haiti from February 8 to 10 2023;
11.
At the Secretary General to make available to the Office of the High Commissioner the financial, technical and logistical support necessary for the creation of an office of the Office of the High Commissioner in Haiti;
12. Decided to remain seized of the question.
[Adoptée sans vote.]
57th session 4 avril 2023
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