CARICOM making “considerable progress” on easing Haitian crisis; calls special meeting in Jamaica

Last Updated on Friday, 8 March 2024, 20:11 by Denis Chabrol

Chairman of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Guyana’s President Irfaan Ali on Friday evening signaled that the regional bloc still recognised Haiti’s Prime Minister Ariel Henry as a legitimate interlocutor and said unspecified progress has been made to find a Haitian-led solution.

“Whilst we’re making considerable progress, the stakeholders are not yet where they need to be. You’re acutely aware of the urgent need for consensus to be reached. We have impressed on the respective parties that time is not on their side in agreeing to the way forward,” Dr Ali said.

No details of the progress has been provided.

Dr Ali announced that CARICOM leaders have invited leaders of countries that have engaged Haiti bilaterally to meet in Kingston, Jamaica next Monday. “It is vital that this engagement be at a highest level as possible to send a clear message of unity between CARICOM and international community as we work together to provide a critical support to the Haitian people at this time of crisis for them,” the CARICOM Chairman said.

Haiti’s feared gang leader Jimmy “Barbecue” Cherizier has warned of a “civil war” and ” genocide” if Mr Henry, refuses to resign and returns to that French Creole-speaking nation as Prime Minister. He has repeatedly broken his own promises to step down or share power to allow for improved security and elections.

Gang members have virtually sealed off the airport and the land border with the Dominican Republic to prevent him from returning from Kenya where he had gone to sign an agreement for the deployment of peacekeepers to Haiti as part of a United Nations-led security stabilisation mission.

While there had been talk of convicted Haitian former rebel leader, Guy Phillipe, being part of an interim council that would replace Henry and his ministers, the CARICOM Chairman made it clear that the regional bloc was still in contact with Mr Henry in his capacity as Prime Minister. “The heads of government of the Caribbean Community remain engaged in deep discussions with the various stakeholders in Haiti and Prime Minister Henry,” Dr Ali said.

The Haitian Prime Minister had signaled that he could share power within a month as part of efforts to ease tensions and bring about peaceful and credible election.