Statement by Aivis Kļavinskis, PC coordinator of Latvia's Mission to the UN, at the UNSC expert briefing and discussion on Strengthening the Rule of Law in Haiti
25 June, 2026
Dear Colleagues, distinguished speakers,
I extend to all a warm welcome to today’s briefing and discussion on strengthening the rule of law in Haiti, with particular attention to the factors that enable corruption and illicit activities.
I also want to express my deep appreciation to the three briefers who have kindly agreed to share with us their valuable insights on the topic. We truly appreciate your daily work and dedication to such a fundamental matter. We want to thank also our co-organizer Panama and extend a special thank you to UNODC for a great collaboration and support in bringing this event to realization.
Dear colleagues, allow me to say a few introductory words on behalf of Latvia on today’s topic.
The rule of law and good governance are fundamental pillars of a stable, democratic, and prosperous society. They ensure accountability, transparency, equal justice, and effective public institutions. Without them, insecurity thrives, public trust erodes, and development opportunities are lost.
In Haiti, corruption and illicit activities have been fueled by several interconnected challenges. Weak institutional capacity, limited accountability mechanisms, inadequate oversight of public resources, judicial inefficiencies, and the growing influence of criminal networks have created an unsafe environment where corruption flourishes and illicit activities undermine state authority. Addressing these challenges requires a comprehensive and coordinated approach.
Strengthening of the public institutions in Haiti is essential, which is why the judicial reform should remain a priority. An independent, professional, and efficient justice system is fundamental to combating impunity. In this regard, Haiti's specialized anti-corruption institutions, including the Unité de Lutte Contre la Corruption (ULCC), play a vital role in investigating allegations of corruption, promoting integrity in public administration, and supporting efforts to strengthen accountability. Continued investment in the capacity, independence, and effectiveness of the ULCC is of utmost importance to advancing anti-corruption efforts.
The efforts to combat organized crime, illicit financial flows, trafficking, and gang-related activities should continue to be strengthened as well. Criminal networks often exploit institutional weaknesses and governance gaps. The support of international partners, including the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), is particularly valuable in strengthening criminal justice systems, enhancing anti-corruption frameworks, combating transnational organized crime, and building national capacities to prevent and address illicit activities.
Today we look forward to hearing from our highly experienced briefers about the cooperation between Haitian institutions, the ULCC, law enforcement agencies, civil society, and international partners such as UNODC on how they contribute to developing more effective strategies for prevention, investigation, prosecution, and recovery of assets derived from corruption and criminal activities. We believe that their experience, including success stories, can shed the light and give us some guidance on strategies that work best in the case of Haiti. We consider that this is a sublime opportunity for us as a Council to reflect in a detailed manner on the link between the rule of law and peace and security in Haiti and look for new ways to support Haitians in their efforts to pursue good governance while fighting for the restoration of security in the country.
To sum up, we truly believe that by strengthening the rule of law, empowering institutions such as the ULCC, leveraging the expertise of partners such as UNODC, and addressing the underlying enablers of corruption and illicit activities, Haiti can build stronger institutions, restore public trust, enhance security, and create the conditions necessary for sustainable democratic and economic development.
Thank you.