E-Day

On 17 March the people of Timor Leste cast their vote in the first round of presidential elections. First results point in the direction of a second round run off between Fretilin candidate Francisco Guterres “Lu Olu” and Taur Matan Ruak, who is supported by CNRT, the party of current Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao. That leaves out incumbent President Ramos-Horta who has kept a low profile during the campaign.

E-Day is UN jargon for Election Day. It is the first time Timor Leste is fully organizing the elections on its own, although the UN is still providing logistical support. So far the process has been very smooth and if things stay like this the United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor Leste will leave the country by the end of 2012.

Extending the MINUSTAH mandate within Haiti’s recent history

With its resolution 1892 of 13 October 2009, the UN Security Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) with another year. As a peacekeeping mission Haiti appears to be different from most of the peacekeeping missions deployed in UN history. At least nowadays.

President Préval

Last week all heads of state gathered in New York to bring their message to the yearly session of the UN General Assembly. Obviously, the president of Haiti, René Préval, did not stand much of a chance to make his way into the international media headlines with what he had to say,

When in Cuba

Going to Cuba in August almost felt like going back in Europe;but – as tourists’ tales have it – to a decayed version. As if there has been a standstill in maintenance and evolution of ordinary life. Something which is particularly felt in Havana, with its great architecture, a mixture of colonial buildings with Moorish, Spanish, Greek and Roman influences. Restoration projects in the old town are on its way, but that still leaves Centro Habana and Habana Vieja with a feeling of being thrown back in time whilst compensating for it with an

Les accords de réadmission franco-haïtien: les Droits Humains des migrants haïtiens en France en péril

And a second one on the readmission agreements many European countries are negotiation with ‘sending migration countries’.

20 aôut 2009 – Des représentants du « Collectif Haïti de France » sont venus en Haïti pour sensibiliser les organisations de la société civile haïtienne sur les négociations qu’ont engagées la France et l’Etat d’Haïti ; elles visent la conclusion d’un accord de rapatriement vers Haïti des migrants haïtiens en situation irrégulière en France. Cet accord est inscrit dans le document cadre de partenariat France-Haïti 2008-2012 (chapitre « Immigration et co-développement »).

Enjoy the silence

Today President René Préval finally broke through his long silence. And how. With press notes and an open letter in Haiti’s newspapers