- Eight members have been named to the council that will select an interim successor to Haiti’s Prime Minister Ariel Henry.
- It turns out that Haiti is effectively under gang control since Henry is banned from re-entering the country after traveling abroad.
- Gangs set fire to police stations, threatened international airports and released more than 4,000 inmates from the country’s prisons.
Caribbean leaders announced Tuesday that all but one group and party have submitted candidates for the interim presidential council tasked with choosing Haiti’s interim prime minister, where gang violence remains a problem.
The original nine-member city council was reduced to eight after the Piti Dessalines party, led by former senator and presidential candidate Jean-Charles Moïse, withdrew its seat last week. Moïse is allied with rebel leader Guy Philippe, a former law enforcement official who served time in the United States after pleading guilty to money laundering.
The Dec. 21 group, allied with Prime Minister Ariel Henry, is one of the last holdouts and submitted its name to the regional trade body known as CARICOM on Monday. The nomination had been delayed by infighting, with group leaders bickering over potential candidates.
Haiti, US embassy entrance area plunged into darkness, vandals attack power plant and substation
Mr Henry, who remains locked out of Haiti as ongoing gang violence forced the closure of the main international airport, has vowed to resign once a transitional council is formed. He was on an official visit to Kenya to promote the deployment of UN-backed police from the East African country to fight Haitian gangs when armed groups launched attacks on the capital Port-au-Prince on February 29. . Still ongoing. The implementation has been delayed.
“Kenya is concerned about the structure of the government there,” United Nations Deputy Spokesman Farhan Haq told reporters on Tuesday.
“We certainly hope they can be deployed as soon as possible,” he said. “But they have concerns, and we want to see if the interim government’s arrangements can be implemented.”
Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry attends a public lecture at the United States International University in Nairobi, Kenya, on March 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Andrew Cusk, File)
The gangs set fire to a police station, opened fire on a major international airport, and attacked Haiti’s two largest prisons, freeing more than 4,000 inmates. On Monday, they stormed and looted homes in two previously peaceful upscale communities, killing at least a dozen people during the assault.
The situation in Port-au-Prince “remains tense and volatile” with attacks on schools, hospitals and government buildings and the curtailment of many operations, the United Nations Humanitarian Office said in a report. he said.
He added that the health sector continues to struggle given the shortage of medical supplies, health workers and blood.
The attack left scores of people dead and some 17,000 homeless, most of whom have fled to Haiti’s peaceful southern region, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
“We are very concerned about the violence,” said Guyanese President Irfaan Ali, who is also CARICOM chairman.
He told reporters Monday night that time is of the essence given the situation, adding that officials remain hopeful for progress.
“The Haitian people have to set up a presidential council, so they are meeting continuously almost every night,” he said. “We’ve seen progress.”
In addition to selecting the interim prime minister, the council will also be responsible for appointing the Council of Ministers, the Transitional Electoral Council, and the National Security Council. All members of the Transitional Council must also support the sending of foreign troops.
The EDE/RED political party, led by former Prime Minister Claude Joseph, was chosen as a member of the council. groups such as the Montana Compact, civil society leaders, and political parties; Funmi Lavalas, party of former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. The January 30 Collective represents political parties, including that of former President Michel Martelly. and the private sector.
Of the two remaining non-voting positions, one would be given to a representative of Haiti’s civil society and the other to Haiti’s religious sector.
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CARICOM officials have not released the complete list of names appointed to the council.
