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WORLD NEWS Saturday 16 July 2022
U.N. to vote on choking off small arms from gangs in Haiti

By EDITH M. LEDERER tions department advisers,
Associated Press led by a U.N. police com-
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — missioner, and staff to en-
The U.N. Security Council sure that sexual and gen-
scheduled a vote Friday der-based violence are
on a resolution that calls addressed.
on all countries to stop the When the current resolution
transfer of small arms, light extending the U.N. mission
weapons and ammunition was adopted in October,
to any party supporting Haiti had been contend-
gang violence and criminal ing with the assassination
activity in Haiti, which has of President Jovenel Moïse
seen an upsurge in blood- last July, a magnitude 7.2
shed and kidnappings. earthquake that killed over
The draft by the United 2,200 people in August,
States and Mexico does and escalating gang-relat-
not include an arms em- ed killings, kidnappings and
bargo as China sought. turf wars.
Other council members A year after Moïse’s assas-
said an embargo would be sination, gang violence is
unenforceable. even worse, and Haiti has
The back and forth came gone into a freefall that has
in negotiations over a reso- A motorcycle taxi driver carries clients past a burning barricade set by taxi drivers to protest the seen the economy tumble
lution to extend the man- country’s fuel shortage in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Wednesday, July 13, 2022. and many Haitians flee the
date for the U.N. political Associated Press country to escape the tur-
mission in Haiti. The coun- moil. At the same time, at-
cil’s previous authorization time frame. violence” and to submit a “deploying a multinational tempts to form a coalition
for the mission expires Fri- The draft also makes no report by Oct. 15. police unit” to Haiti. China government have faltered,
day. The U.S.-Mexico draft mention of China’s call With the end of the man- said it coould operate in and efforts to hold general
resolution, put in final form for Secretary-General An- date for the U.N. political close coordination with the elections have stalled.
late Thursday, would ex- tonio Guterres to discuss mission looming, the 15 U.N. political mission “to This week, officials in Haiti’s
press the council’s readi- with various parties possibly council members wrangled support the Haitian police’s capital reported that doz-
ness to impose sanctions establishing a regional po- this week over wording for efforts in combating gang ens of people had died as
that could include travel lice unit to help Haitian po- the new resolution needed violence in order to estab- a result of days of fighting
bans and assets freezes “as lice tackle gang violence. to extend the mission. The lish and maintain public between rival gangs in the
necessary” on individuals Instead, the U.S.-Mexico U.S. and Mexico drew up safety and law and order violent Cite Soleil neigh-
engaged in or supporting draft would ask Guterres to the original proposal, and and to promote and pro- borhood. Doctors Without
gang violence, criminal ac- consult with Haiti’s govern- China offered revisions tect human rights.” Borders said thousands of
tivity or human rights viola- ment, “relevant countries” Thursday supported by its The original U.S.-Mexico people were trapped in
tions in Haiti. That language and regional organizations ally Russia. Among China’s draft called for beefing up the district without drinking
is weaker than China’s pro- on “possible options to proposals was for Guterres the U.N. mission to include water, food and medical
posal, which included a combat high levels of gang to discuss the possibility of up to 42 police and correc- care.q

Egypt to suspend its peacekeeping role in Mali, UN says

By BABA AHMED ning of the week at the in- countries contributing uni-
Associated Press crease in attacks against its formed personnel to our
BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — The peacekeepers who escort missions, which operate in
United Nations mission in the convoys supplying our extremely difficult and of-
Mali says that Egypt will sus- bases in the center and ten dangerous conditions.”
pend its participation in the northern Mali. These attacks He said the U.N. is also deal-
peacekeeping force in the have caused the death of ing with the Mali govern-
West African country by 7 Egyptian soldiers since ment on a number of issues
mid-August, citing deadly the beginning of the year,” including its suspension of
attacks against its peace- he said in a statement. “We rotations in the U.N. peace-
keepers. have been informed that keeping mission, known as
Seven Egyptian peace- as a result, the Egyptian MINUSMA.
keepers have been killed contingent will temporarily Egypt currently contributes
in Mali so far this year, ac- suspend its activities within about 1,030 troops and 24
cording to officials. MINUSMA as of August 15.” staff officers to the U.N. Mali United Nations armored personnel vehicles are stationed with
an ambulance outside a tourist resort near Bamako, Mali, June
Olivier Salgado, the spokes- The U.N. said that the safety mission. 18, 2017.
man of the U.N. mission in of its peacekeepers is a pri- Mali has struggled to con- Associated Press
Mali, on Friday confirmed ority. tain an Islamic extremist
that Egypt will suspend its U.N. deputy spokesman insurgency since 2012. Ex- attacking the Malian army The U.N. force has said
activities in Mali. Farhan Haq said later at tremist rebels were forced and its allies. more than 250 of its peace-
“We confirm that Egypt, U.N. headquarters in New from power in Mali’s north- Insecurity has worsened keepers and personnel
through its Permanent Mis- York: “We respect and ern cities with the help of a with attacks in the northern have died since 2013, mak-
sion to the United Nations deeply appreciate the ser- French-led military opera- and central regions on civil- ing Mali the deadliest of the
in New York, expressed vice and significant sac- tion, but they regrouped ians and U.N. peacekeep- U.N.’s dozen peacekeep-
its concern at the begin- rifice by Egypt and other in the desert and began ers. ing missions worldwide.q