Diplomats from China and Russia on Wednesday called on the United States government to urgently combat the alleged flow of illegal firearms to Haiti.
Speaking during the United Nations Security Council meeting in the US, the ambassadors faulted President Joe Biden's administration for reportedly failing to block the illicit trade of firearms.
Both nations warned that the continuous flow of guns into Haiti could immensely hamper the overall efforts to restore calm in the Caribbean nation.
According to the Chinese and Russian ambassadors, most illegal guns seized in Haiti, and across the wider Caribbean, have been traced back to the United States.
"We do not see the current embargo doing anything to prevent the flow of arms from the US," stated the Russian ambassador.
The Russian ambassador urged the US to strengthen its sanctions by targeting traffickers and imposing foreign asset freezes and travel bans on them.
While responding to the claims, the United States ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas, clarified that the US government was actively working to enforce the arms embargo.
She noted the US had begun prosecutions and a new e-tracing agreement and rules had been discussed to reduce gun sales without background checks.
During the meeting, it was noted that about five senior gang leaders had already received sanctions including travel bans and asset freezes.
Meanwhile, Haiti's Prime Minister who also attended the meeting, commended the United States and the United Nations for stepping up to salvage the Carribean nation.
He noted that the arrival of the Kenyan contingent to Haiti marked a critical stage in restoring security and peace in the gang-ravaged nation.
"The arrival of the first contingent of the Multinational Security Support kicks off a new era in Haiti," Conille told diplomats.
"Haiti is currently at a critical point with 12,000 armed individuals holding a population of 12 million hostage."
