Originally: Secretary Powell’s Address to the OAS General Assembly–Haiti Excerpt
The people of Haiti have waited a long time — too long – for their leaders to meet their obligations under OAS Resolutions 806 and 822. Haiti’s democracy and economic growth are undermined by the government’s failure to create the conditions for an electoral solution to the political impasse.
Led by the efforts of OAS Assistant Secretary General Einaudi and the OAS Special Mission, the international community has provided substantial support for strengthening Haiti’s institutional capacity and civil society.
As a further sign of the commitment of the United States to this effort, I am pleased to announce that the United States will provide an additional $1 million to the OAS Special Mission to help improve the security climate for what we hope will be free and fair elections in Haiti. In addition, the United States has increased our humanitarian assistance to $70 million in the current fiscal year.
However, if by this September the government of Haiti has not created the climate of security essential to the formation of a credible, neutral and independent provisional electoral council, we should reevaluate the role of the OAS in Haiti.