There continue to be major differences in the leadership in Haiti. Indeed, Diario Libre reports that there seems to be two separate Haiti delegations doing lobbying among participants in the UN General Assembly in New York.
Citing the Haitian newspaper Le Nouvelliste, Diario Libre reported that Leslie Voltaire, a member of the Haiti Presidential Transition Council was not allowed to participate in the meeting of Prime Minister Gary Conille with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Diario Libre explains that Voltaire was in New York to represent the president of the Haiti Presidential Transition Council, Edgar Leblanc Fils, whose trip was delayed. Conille’s meeting with Lula da Silva reportedly lasted 15 minutes.
Voltaire had to leave and not participate in the meeting with the Brazilian head of government when he was not allowed to enter the meeting. He protested. As reported in Le Nouvelliste, Voltaire denounced to the media that the action was a diplomatic coup de etat. He said diplomacy in Haiti is a matter corresponding to the presidency of the Presidential Transition Council not the prime minister.
As reported in Le Nouvelliste, the Haitian ambassador to the UN had scheduled meetings for the presidency of Haiti with President Lula, but was instructed by the foreign minister to arrange appointments for the Prime Minister instead. “Diplomacy is a presidential domain. They are orchestrating a diplomatic coup,” Leslie Voltaire stated, clearly agitated.
According to Voltaire, the Prime Minister should not be involved in diplomatic matters. “Heads will roll,” he warned. When asked if changes would occur at the Prime Minister’s office, he replied, “I don’t know. I’m waiting for President Leblanc’s arrival in New York to discuss it. He will be here on Tuesday, 24 September,” Voltaire announced.
For decades, the Dominican Republic has sought to foster development in Haiti to reduce the burden of migration and people seeking jobs and social services not available in Haiti. Since taking office in August 2020, President Luis Abinader used his first participation in the United Nations to advocate for international support to turn Haiti around. The government reached an action plan with the late President Jovenel Moise, but then Moise was assassinated worsening relations between both countries as gang control took hold of Haiti.
After years of talk, in 2023, the international lobby was able to secure the UN Council of Security Resolutions 2699 and 2700 that authorized a Security Mission to Haiti. The mission was funded by the United States and the first troops are from Kenya.
President Abinader said that US President Joe Biden realized the regional impact of the crisis in Haiti and gave a speech in favor of support for Haiti.
Prime Minister Gary Conille and the appointment of Dominique Dupuy as Foreign Minister has not improved relations with the Dominican Republic and these remain strained, with Haiti resorting to old tactics of blaming the DR for racism and discrimination.
The strained relations were also apparent when President Abinader said during the press conference that he held a bilateral meeting in New York with Kenya President Ruto who updated him on the security situation in Haiti. The Dominican Republic is supporting the international troops in Haiti with coverage of their hospital needs in the Dominican Republic. “We spoke with President Ruto. We have a relationship for around a year and we exchange security information of interest for them and for us. Our relationship is fluid and very sincere with Kenya to guarantee the security of their people and the security of the Dominican Republic,” said President Abinader. In answering to a journalist’s question on the relationship with Haiti, the President stated that the communications are regarding security issues. “It could be better, but we are working on it.”
When US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Port-au-Prince on 5 September 2024, he did not hold a press conference with Prime Minister Gary Conille. Neither did he overnight in Haiti, preferring to travel on the same day to the Dominican Republic where on 6 September he met with President Luis Abinader.
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Presidency
El Dia
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Diario Libre
Diario Libre
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Le Nouvelliste
25 September 2024