To say that Caribbean leaders are concerned about Haiti is an understatement as the region’s poorest and most populous member nation continues its downward spiral, with gangs controlling large parts of the capital, Port Au Prince, and other urban areas.
In response, Caribbean Community (Caricom) leaders met virtually as the new year began, to discuss the situation in Haiti. They have agreed to redouble efforts to help bring back some level of stability to the island nation of more than 11 million.
The leaders were briefed about the situation on the ground and determined that living conditions and the general atmosphere in Haiti remain in dire shape, with dozens of people killed and/or injured each week, similar numbers being chased from their homes, and chaos reigning without any main elected central authority in place.
With regional bloc headquarter nation Guyana set to host the first of the two main summits in the coming weeks, new Caricom Chair and Guyanese President Irfaan Ali led the first leaders’ session on Haiti for the year this past weekend. The meeting called on Haitian stakeholders to redouble efforts toward implementing a transitional authority that could organize fresh and credible general elections and allow the island nation to be run by elected representatives for the first time in months.
The recurring theme of the seventh special session on Haiti had much to do with attempts to organize elections so the country can be run by elected, rather than interim, representatives. The country has had no president or elected parliamentary representatives since the brutal July 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moise at the hands of hired foreign mercenaries. The region wants order restored. Several of those involved have been arrested and charged, including many deemed as intellectual authors.
“Heads called on all stakeholders in Haiti to exert every effort to urgently arrive at a political resolution and the implementation of a transitional roadmap toward stability, the facilitation of humanitarian support, the holding of credible elections, the restoration of political and institutional legitimacy, and long-term development for the Haitian people,” the leaders said.
They also discussed the imminent deployment of a United Nations-controlled multinational peacekeeping and stabilization force to Haiti, with several governments pledging to send military or police personnel along with the force to support the local police system.
Among the latest to confirm was Suriname, with President Chan Santokhi telling reporters that the Dutch-speaking Caricom nation is ready, willing, and able to contribute boots on the ground when the UN is ready to deploy.
“Suriname will provide a security force to participate in the multinational security mission for Haiti,” he said. “I have already proposed in the past to start a platform for coordination toward Haiti. In that platform, we will have all the institutions and we can take coordinated initiatives toward Haiti.”
Jamaica, Belize, the Bahamas, Trinidad, and others have all pledged to contribute to any force that would be deployed. The UN had agreed that Kenya would be the lead country on the mission, but opposition court challenges have led to delays. The Bahamas pledged to send 150 personnel, with Prime Minister Phillip Davis telling reporters that the men and women have already been identified and trained for the mission whenever the green light is given.
At the invitation of Haitian stakeholders, Caricom has organized an eminent persons group comprising three former regional prime ministers to bring the parties together to help clear the way for elections and a restoration of constitutional rules. A release last month indicated some amount of progress from sessions held in both Haiti and Jamaica. Other visits to Haiti by the former leaders are planned in the coming weeks.
“The community remains committed to working with the people and all stakeholders in Haiti toward durable peace and sustainable development,” the statement noted. “Caricom looks forward to strengthened collaboration and coordination of efforts with the friends of Haiti and the wider international community in support of Haiti.”