The governing council, which aims to oversee the political transition in Haiti, pledged Wednesday to restore “public order and democracy.” This was conveyed in the council's first statement to the people of the Caribbean country which is suffering from a worsening security crisis.
Haiti, an impoverished country that has long grappled with a cycle of violence, has been rocked by escalating violence since late February, when armed gangs in the country carried out coordinated attacks and demanded that Prime Minister Ariel Henry step down.
Henry has led the impoverished Caribbean nation since the shock assassination of President Jovenel Moise in 2021. He promised two weeks ago to step down, once a transitional council was formed – although getting to that stage has proved extremely difficult.
“We are determined to alleviate the suffering of the Haitian people, who have been trapped for so long between bad governance, violence on all sides, and whose viewpoints and needs have been ignored,” said a statement from the yet-to-be-formally-inaugurated Presidential Council.
The Presidential Transitional Council – consisting of seven voting members and two non-voting members – was formed from Haiti's political parties, the private sector and other elements. The council will appoint a prime minister and interim government to set the stage for new elections.
But bickering among party leaders has hampered the formation of the council.
Kenya, which had agreed to lead the long-awaited UN-sanctioned mission to Haiti, has now postponed implementation of the plan until a transition council is formed. The mission itself aims to help Haitian security forces confront armed gangs.
“Once inaugurated, the Presidential Council will appoint a Prime Minister, who will then form a Government of National Unity and return Haiti back to its path of democratic legitimacy, stability and respect,” the Presidential Council stated on Wednesday.
The council also highlighted progress towards the official inauguration of the council itself, stating that it had “developed criteria and mechanisms for selecting the President of this Presidential Council, as well as appointing a new Prime Minister and cabinet.”
“Together, we will implement a clear plan for action aimed at restoring public order and democracy” by improving security and holding free elections, the statement continued.
“The Presidential Council is currently finalizing a document for the council's organizational structure and its workings, including transparent political agreements among the sectors involved in the process,” the statement added.
The statement, signed by eight of the council's nine members, ended with a call for unity, warning that Haiti was at an “important turning point.”
The council was first announced on March 11, following an emergency meeting between Haitian leaders and representatives from a number of countries and organizations, including the Caribbean regional bloc, CARICOM. (ns/rs)