Haiti: UN Human Rights expert begins 12-day visit

GENEVA/PORT-AU-PRINCE (9 September 2024) – William O’Neill, the UN Designated Expert on Human Rights in Haiti, today begins a 12-day visit to the country, his first this year after the previous one was postponed due to high levels of insecurity.

He will meet in the capital Port-au-Prince with the President of the Transitional Presidential Council, Edgar Leblanc Fils, Prime Minister Gary Conille, and other senior government and state officials. He will also hold discussions with the Special Representative and Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH), members of the diplomatic corps, civil society representatives, religious leaders and victims. During his mission, he will also meet with senior officials of the Multinational Security Support (MSS) Mission in Haiti.

The expert will then travel to the cities of Les Cayes and Jeremie in the south, where he will meet with local officials and civil society representatives. He will also visit IDP (internally displaced persons) camps, several prisons and an orphanage.

At the end of the visit, on 20 September 2024, he will hold a press conference in Port-au-Prince. More details about the news conference, including how to register, will be shared locally.

O’Neill was designated by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in April 2023 following a request by the UN Human Rights Council. His first visit to the country in his official capacity was in June that year.