Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I am going to try to keep my opening remarks as brief as possible, to encourage discussion.
Haiti has had chronic political problems for many years. The situation was exacerbated by the assassination of President Moïse in July 2021, which created a constitutional and institutional vacuum that led to the current security, humanitarian and political crisis.
More recently, gangs supported by a certain segment of the Haitian elite have extended their territorial control over the country. They now occupy the port of Varreux, the country's main oil terminal, blocking the distribution of fuel in the country, most importantly, and preventing hospitals from operating normally and responding to the resurgence of cholera, among other things.
We need only look at some data to understand the extent of the ongoing crisis in Haiti. First, 4.7 million people are facing acute hunger, and over 113,000 people have been displaced within the country. The latest figures on cholera show that there have now been 52 deaths and almost 3,000 suspected or confirmed cases. The age category most affected by cholera is children aged nine and under.
On October 9, 2022, faced with this crisis, the Prime Minister, Ariel Henry, wrote to Canada, the United States and the Secretary General of the United Nations to request military aid to secure the country's critical infrastructure and reopen road access between the capital and the rest of the country. In the days that followed, the Secretary General of the United Nations proposed the deployment of a rapid intervention force to the United Nations Security Council.
Canada has played a leadership role in Haiti for decades. We have invested close to $2 billion since 2010, including significant investments to strengthen security in Haiti. Canada's leadership is not only about our investments or foreign aid; it is also about the sustained engagement of our Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs in mobilizing international partners, as you will have seen with the various high-level events and engagements chaired by Canada over the last few months. The international community seems clearly committed to support Haitian authorities' efforts to restore order, allow the flow of fuel and goods and ensure that critical humanitarian assistance is provided to the population.
To ensure that we make the right decisions, the Government of Canada established an interdepartmental mission and has been consulting with Haitian stakeholders, regional partners, the UN, CARICOM and others to assess options for the international response and the role Canada could play in finding a solution. The mission has just returned from Haiti and will be discussing its findings with partners to identify a path forward for the international community.
As Ms. Joly stated on Sunday morning, yesterday, on Les coulisses du pouvoir, impunity is not imaginable. The Government of Canada is now thinking of imposing sanctions and taking other measures against the people who support the armed gangs and arms trafficking in Haiti, including any who might be residing in Canada. The sanctions follow on the sanctions resolution that was adopted by the United Nations Security Council ten days ago.
Canada is in well placed to work with its key allies to support the efforts of the Haitian authorities, to find a solution to the humanitarian and security crisis and, in the longer term, to establish an inclusive dialogue that would lead to free and democratic elections.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.