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Haiti Earthquake: Alain Le Roy asked for additional troops to reinforce the existing ones

420 views · Published 19 January 2010 · 2:20 · Indexed 20 September 2026

Channel: United Nations · 2010 · News & Politics

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United Nations, New York, 18 January 2010 - UN Peacekeeping Chief Alain Le Roy and Head of Field Support Susana Malcorra say that they are working to get the UN mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) back on its feet and call for additional peacekeeping troops to secure the humanitarian corridor.

The United Nations Department of Peacekeeping operations asked for additional troops to reinforce the existing ones in Haiti's capital, the head of Peacekeeping operations said.

Alain Le Roy told a press conference at the U.N. that there were already 3,400 troops and police in Port Au Prince. He also said that he had recommended the Security Council to consider an increase of the ceiling of troops and police.

Commenting on the security situation in Port au prince Le Roy said that there were incidents "here and there sporadically" due to frustration for not getting food and water quickly enough. 

He said that he considered that there were enough troops for the global security but he considered the number of troops and police had to increase to escort the humanitarian convoy which was augmenting day by day.  

He stressed that it was very important that the humanitarian convoy reached the people quickly, "otherwise we will have security problems".

Accompanying Le Roy, the U.N.'s head of field support, Susana Malcorra explained that so far "Haiti's International Airport had been the only means of entry of aid, and that initially there were issues with the priorities, now thanks to a coordination cell that was put in place the situation had improved."

Malcorra said that because the Airport's capacity was very limited, the only way for the U.N. and the international community to be able to establish a reasonable flow was to open alternative roads, or corridors, which would eventually be guarded by the increased troops.

MINUSTAH, currently has about 7,000 troops and 2,000 international police around Haiti, including 3,400 in the nation's capital, Port-au-Prince

Source: UNIFEED, MINUSTAH

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