United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says he will recommend that U.N. peacekeepers stay in Haiti for another year.
Mr. Ban spoke Wednesday during his first visit to Haiti as head of the U.N. At a joint news conference with Haitian President Rene Preval, Mr. Ban said the nearly 9,000 (MINUSTAH) peacekeepers should stay on to help the government control armed gangs.
Mr. Ban noted that U.N. peacekeepers have been in Haiti five times in the past and will not leave until the country's future is secure.
The U.N. sent peacekeepers to Haiti in 2004 after a revolt toppled former president Jean-Bertrand Aristide.
Mr. Ban also spoke of Mr. Preval's stand against corruption and the need for the international community to remain engaged with the western hemisphere's poorest country.
Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.
