Acting under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, the Council asked the international community to support the political process in Haiti. It authorised the deployment of a multinational force for no more than three months to create a stable environment in the country; facilitate the provision of humanitarian assistance; facilitate international assistance to the Haitian National Police and coastguard and to establish conditions for international organisations to function.[3][4][5] The Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who had appointed a Special Representative for Haiti, was asked to prepare plans for a stabilisation force to follow on from the international force.[6]