NEW YORK – Justin Trudeau will turn his focus to the ongoing crises in Haiti as he speaks with some world leaders Monday ahead of the 78th meeting of the United Nations General Assembly.
The prime minister met with the Caribbean country’s acting prime minister, Garry Conille, on Monday morning before delivering remarks at a high-level meeting for a UN advisory group for Haiti.
Conille stepped into his role earlier this year after former prime minister Ariel Henry was forced out amid surging unrest and violence by criminal gangs that had overrun much of Haiti’s capital.
At their meeting, Trudeau spoke about the “slow but real progress that is being made” in Haiti and affirmed Canada’s ongoing support. Conille said the country is preparing for elections, possibly in 2026.
Later in the morning, Trudeau told other world leaders at a high-level advisory group for Haiti that “we must come together” with a serious plan to address the humanitarian needs in the country first, and to ensure there is support for a political transition.
He called on the international community to support the transitional government while cautioning that the status quo cannot continue.
Trudeau repeated calls he has made for two years for more countries to sanction Haiti’s political and business elites who have helped gangs sow anarchy.
He also said Kenyan police officers must be given more support in leading a global effort to rout the gangs. Kenya is leading an international mission that has been controversial in Haiti but that the UN says is necessary to stop violence and curb the flow of weapons to other Caribbean countries.
Canada is closely invested in the response to the ongoing humanitarian, security and political crises. A UN report released in June said surging gang activity had displaced nearly 580,000 people in the Caribbean country since March.
The prime minister also met with Malala Yousafzai, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, before attending a working luncheon hosted by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
Later Monday, Trudeau is scheduled to have a much different type of conversation while making his guest debut on CBS’s “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.”
Trudeau arrived in New York on Sunday where he delivered remarks to the Summit of the Future, telling leaders they can choose to stick their heads in the sand or come together to confront global challenges.
The summit has a goal to reform the UN, reinvigorate multilateralism and find solutions to new challenges at a time when the global institution has struggled resolve conflicts and been largely relegated to faltering humanitarian efforts, including with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the war in Gaza and Sudan’s civil war.
Trudeau told leaders to embrace the “Pact of the Future,” a 42-page blueprint to address a wide range of 21st-century global challenges.
It was approved by the UN General Assembly during the opening of the two-day summit. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres thanked leaders and diplomats for taking the first steps and unlocking “the door” to a better future.
The pact had seen significant pushback from Russia, Saudi Arabia and other countries that object to some of the language on issues including climate change and reforming international financial institutions.
Its fate was in question until the last moment and UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Guterres had three speeches prepared to be ready for any outcome.
Guterres warned last week that “international challenges are moving faster than our ability to solve them.” The passing of the pact brought some optimism at a time when increasing geopolitical instability around the world has cast a shadow over the assembly.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is set to address a special meeting of the UN Security Council on Tuesday about Russia’s ongoing invasion. Russia has a permanent seat on the Security Council and has been resoundingly criticized over its aggression in Ukraine being a violation of the UN Charter.
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly will join Trudeau in New York and will later deliver Canada’s national statement to the UN General Assembly. The speech will emphasize “Canada’s commitment to promoting multilateral co-operation, human rights, democracy and the rule of law,” a news release from her office said.
“In the face of multiple global crises, the world needs a strong, effective and modern UN,” Joly said in the statement.
“Through constructive dialogue, shared learning and collective problem solving at this year’s (UN General Assembly), I am confident that we can effectively work together to address some of the most critical issues of our time.”
Joly will also take part in a panel with representatives from Ukraine and Estonia “that will underscore the urgent need to restore the rights of children worldwide and enhance child protection, including addressing the unlawful deportation and forced transfer of Ukrainian children to Russia,” the statement said.
She will co-host a panel discussion on the subject of media freedom and attend other events.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 23, 2024.
— With files from The Associated Press, Dylan Robertson in Ottawa
