Carlos Ruiz Massieu: ¡°Only the Haitians have the solutions¡±
In Haiti, a convergence of insecurity, political uncertainty and significant humanitarian needs continues to challenge efforts toward stability. The Â鶹APP Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) is working to support Haitian-led solutions, focusing on political dialogue, governance, human rights, and preparations for long-awaited elections.
In this Expert Take interview, Carlos Ruiz Massieu, the Secretary-General¡¯s Special Representative and Head of BINUH outlines the mission¡¯s priorities, the challenges of building consensus, and why inclusive participation, specially by women and youth, will be key to Haiti¡¯s future.
Question: To help people who follow Haiti but aren¡¯t specialists understand the UN¡¯s presence there: could you explain what BINUH¡¯s main priorities are and how they differ from the support provided by other international actors on the ground?
Carlos Ruiz Massieu: As a special political mission, we work in supporting political dialogue and strengthening governance, and we also maintain the essential work of reporting on and monitoring the human rights situation throughout Haiti.
Given the evolution of the situation, the mandate of the UN Mission on the ground, BINUH, has recently been reinforced to support the holding of elections. We also work with the government in the disarming, dismantling and reintegration of gang members, with particular attention to children associated with gangs and the reduction of community violence.
Alongside this, the UN Country Team provides critical assistance, supporting aid delivery and development activities working in partnership with Haitian authorities.
It is important to clearly define our role: we are in Haiti to support the authorities and institutions, fully respecting national ownership, not to decide in place of Haitians or replace them.
In all areas, we try to work with the broadest possible range of Haitians, whether political actors, members of civil society, the private sector, or academia, to help them identify common solutions and then mobilize international support for those solutions.
Recently, the Security Council created a new structure, the UN Support Office in Haiti or UNSOH. While administrative services are shared, UNSOH operates as a different office with a distinct mandate.
That office focuses on logistical, technical, and administrative support to the multinational Gang Suppression Force (GSF). In view of the difficulties encountered by the Multinational Security Support Mission, particularly at the logistical level, the Security Council decided to entrust these tasks to the Â鶹APP.
The GSF is not a UN mission; it is authorized by the Security Council but is a Force with its own chain of command and operates independently.
Question: A key part of your work is encouraging dialogue among Haiti¡¯s political leaders, civil society, and community voices. What are the biggest challenges you face in finding common ground, and how does BINUH approach building trust across these diverse groups?
Carlos Ruiz Massieu: Haiti has been going through many difficulties, marked by widespread violence, extreme human rights violations, the assassination of its President five years ago, corruption and enduring poverty. In this context, the country needs support to rebuild its social fabric, to recreate its ability to build consensus among all sectors of society.
As I mentioned earlier, my efforts and those of my team consist in engaging with all political parties, civil society and academia members, private sector representatives, religious leaders, to identify problems, and craft solutions.
Even in a deeply divided society, there is always room for common ground, consensus and jointly conceived solutions.
Our role is also to make sure that once these solutions are identified, the appropriate support be given by the international community in a coordinated and effective manner.
There are clearly challenges, and there will be more in the future. But through all the people I have been meeting in Haiti, including at the political level, I firmly believe that we can achieve progress with the right amount of determination and support to Haitian actors. Only Haitians have the solutions.
Question: With the recent agreement on an electoral calendar and the voter registration period planned, could you share what you see as the most critical elements that will help make elections inclusive, credible, and transparent?
Carlos Ruiz Massieu: The first and most critical condition remains a tangible and sustained improvement in the security environment. Without this, it will be extremely difficult to guarantee the safe movement of candidates, voters, poll workers, and materials across Haiti. This is an essential prerequisite for credible and inclusive elections.
With the gradual strengthening of security operations, supported by UNSOH and the GSF, we expect to help regain control over key areas, secure the main transport routes, and create the conditions necessary for the organization of free and credible elections.
Sustained efforts to build trust with communities will be decisive. After nearly a decade without elections, many voters will be participating for the first time. Also ensuring full, equal, and meaningful participation of women and youth, the majority of the population, will be critical to delivering credible and legitimate elections.
At the same time, we must strengthen the capacity, independence, and credibility of electoral institutions, particularly the Provisional Electoral Council, to build public confidence and deliver the electoral process effectively.
In this regard, guided by BINUH¡¯s strategy, the Â鶹APP continues to provide technical and logistical support to the Provisional Electoral Council, while engaging civil society, youth, and the private sector to foster broad participation. Credible and widely accepted elections will only be possible by combining improved security conditions, inclusive participation, and strong institutional backing.
Question: The participation of Haitian women as leaders, candidates and decision-makers can shape the future of the country. From BINUH¡¯s perspective, how important is women¡¯s full participation in the elections and political life? What efforts is the Mission supporting to ensure broader women¡¯s inclusion?
In Haiti, as elsewhere, gender inequality remains one of the most pressing human rights challenges of our time.
Structural inequalities, worsened by insecurity and rising violence, including sexual and gender-based violence, continue to severely affect women and limit their participation in public life.
Yet the involvement of Haitian women as leaders, candidates, and decision-makers is not only a matter of rights¡ªit is essential to shaping a more inclusive, legitimate, and sustainable political future. Elections that exclude women cannot truly reflect the will of the population.
In this context, political actors must ensure that women are not sidelined in the electoral process, whether as voters or candidates.
From BINUH¡¯s perspective, supporting women¡¯s full, equal, and meaningful participation is a top priority. We work closely with women¡¯s organizations in Haiti to amplify their voices and support their engagement. I am impressed by their energy, organization and commitment to advancing gender equality! BINUH will continue to promote their inclusion in political processes and advocate for the effective implementation of the constitutional provision establishing a 30 percent quota for women at all levels.
More broadly, along with UN Women, we continue to support initiatives that strengthen women¡¯s leadership, enhance civic participation, and foster dialogue between women leaders and national institutions. At the same time, in response to the alarming rise in sexual violence, I urge all actors to act decisively, holding perpetrators accountable at every level, and to provide unwavering support to survivors.
We must act collectively to make gender parity a reality.
SRSG Ruiz Massieu meets with students on advancing human rights protection in school environments. Credit: BINUH
Question: You bring extensive experience from your work with the UN in Colombia. From your personal perspective, are there lessons that could be relevant to Haiti¡¯s current situation?
Carlos Ruiz Massieu: While the contexts of Colombia and Haiti are fundamentally different, there are indeed some lessons that I believe are relevant.
First, national ownership is fundamental. In Colombia, progress was possible because national actors led the way, with the Â鶹APP providing support and accompaniment. This is equally true in Haiti: sustainable solutions must come from Haitians themselves, with the UN helping to facilitate dialogue, offering technical support, and mobilizing international backing¡ªwithout ever substituting for national leadership.
Second, focused and realistic mandates are crucial. In complex environments, it is essential for UN missions to concentrate their efforts where they can add the most value, in complementarity with other actors. Clear priorities make our efforts more effective and avoid spreading efforts too thinly across broad or abstract objectives.
Third, regarding armed violence, there are significant differences between the two contexts. In Colombia, I worked on the implementation of a peace agreement with an armed group that had a political agenda. In Haiti, we are dealing with urban gangs operating under very different dynamics. Responses cannot be transposed directly; they must be carefully adapted to the local context.
That said, valuable lessons remain. In Colombia, considerable efforts were made to reduce community violence, support disengagement, and offer alternative pathways¡ªparticularly for children and youth. These approaches, when adapted to Haiti¡¯s realities, can inform strategies aimed at reducing violence, preventing recruitment, and supporting reintegration at the community level.
Ultimately, while each context is unique, certain principles and practices remain highly relevant to advancing peace and stability in Haiti.