The international community plan for Haiti agreed during the US-Mexico-Caricom Summit on 11 March 2024 in Kingston, Jamaica is underway. As reported, the members of the seven-member presidential transition council should be named by this Wednesday, 13 March 2024.
Speaking from Puerto Rico, Haiti Prime Minister Ariel Henry announced on Tuesday, 12 March that he is stepping aside.
Henry said in a voice message: “After the Council of Ministers, it has been agreed to set up a presidential transition council. Once chosen the council will govern over different sectors of national life. Haiti wants peace, Haiti needs stability, Haiti needs sustainable development, Haiti needs to rebuild democratic institutions. I am asking all Haitians to remain calm and do everything they can for peace and stability to be restored as fast as possible for the good of the country. The 7-member council will appoint an interim minister. Would only include persons who approve the security mission.”
Is it a case of too little, too late? Or is it a step forward? Regardless, the Caricom Community under chairman Irfaan Ali of cash-rich Guyana is betting this will help restore peace in Haiti.
The seven members with voting rights in the presidential transition council will be the Colectivo 30 de Enero, the Montana Agreement, the Lavalas Family party, the EDE, RED and Historical Commitment structures, a representative of the business sector, the Petit Desalin party, led by the former senator and presidential candidate, Moise Jean-Charles, who is now an ally of the coup leader Guy Philippe, and the December 21 Agreement, led by Ariel Henry himself. In addition, civil society and religious groups are to be included as observers and without the right to vote.
The US-Caricom agreement establishes that any person who has been accused or convicted, who is under UN sanctions, such as gang leaders, and only those who support the UN resolution 2699 that creates the multinational mission that will be led by Kenyan police are eligible to be part of the presidential transitional council.
The government in Kenya has announced it will not deploy its force until the acting prime minister is named and a new government is formed. Henry had conditioned his stepping down on the formation of the transition council.
The Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’oei of Kenya said on 12 March 2024 that the resignation of Ariel Henry alters the situation as there is no holding government to work with the mission yet and delayed the sending of troops.
“Without a political administration in Haiti, there is no anchor on which a police deployment can rest, hence Government (of Kenya) will await the installation of a new constitutional authority in Haiti, before taking,” stated the spokesperson for the government of Kenya. Kenya, nevertheless, reiterated its commitment to providing leadership to the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission to Haiti. The mission was endorsed by the UN Security Council in October 2023.
The announcements coincide with the abandoning of the country by most of the diplomats still in Haiti, including 40 members of the World Bank.
Read more:
Noticias SIN
Noticias SIN
Diario Libre
Diario Libre
El Dia
El Dia
El Caribe
N Digital
Nation Africa
BBC
BBC
13 March 2024