*The Permanent Mission of Pakistan to the United Nations*
*(Information Section)*
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*Press Release*
*Haiti’s Stability at Stake: Pakistan Presses for Credible, Well-Resourced Mission*
*United Nations, September 30, 2025:* With Haitians – especially children – imprisoned by the recurring brutality of gangs, Pakistan has stressed that the newly authorized support mission necessitates clear mandates, sustainable funding, and adequate troop strength if it is to bring peace rather than repeat history.
Speaking at the Security Council after abstaining on the draft resolution to establish a UN Support Office in Haiti and transform the MSS into the GSF, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, explained that the decision was made not out of disengagement, but out of principle.
“Our abstention, however, in no way diminishes Pakistan’s commitment and support for Haiti, and for our collective efforts to restore peace and stability in that country,” he said.
Ambassador Asim clarified that Pakistan’s stance was anchored in principle: the imperative of urgent action to protect the people of Haiti from escalating gang violence; the recognition of Haiti’s sovereignty and sovereign decision to seek assistance; and the Council’s duty to ensure past failures do not echo into the present.
He welcomed the U.S and Panama for their work on the draft resolution and commended the Secretary-General for his sustained engagement. At the same time, he warned that the resolution fell short of providing clarity on multiple aspects. Shortcomings regarding funding sustainability, rules of engagement, operations, and personnel strength, “could lead to a gap between the Council’s expectations from the new Mission and the performance of its mandate,” he warned.
Pakistan expressed concern that the MSS never reached close to its authorized strength due to lack of funding, reminding the Council of the liquidity crunch already facing peacekeeping budgets – a problem that has long crippled the effectiveness of several missions. “This, if allowed to continue, could negatively impact the functioning and effectiveness of the new force,” he said.
Further flagging that operations and rules of engagement remained vague, the Pakistan Ambassador pressed that such ambiguity risks undermining the Mission’s credibility from the outset. He also called for a larger, well-resourced force to provide meaningful deterrence against Haiti’s crisis, reducing the need for prolonged combat operations.
Reaffirming Pakistan’s longstanding role as a leading contributor to UN peacekeeping, Ambassador Asim underlined that the country speaks from experience. “Pakistan is deeply mindful of these shortcomings…we hope that there will be more clarity on these important aspects in the days ahead,” he noted.
The Ambassador closed his statement by reaffirming Pakistan’s solidarity with the Haitian people, emphasizing that their urgent humanitarian and security needs must be prioritized above all. He cautioned that without clarity and genuine commitment, the credibility of the Council hinges on whether it can deliver its promises.
The international community must summon the political will, financial backing, and operational coherence required to ensure that this mission does not falter, since anything less risks eroding faith in multilateralism itself, he said.
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