– maintains consensus among key players paramount

THE United Nations (UN) Security Council on Wednesday held a closed session in response to the recent waves of violence in Haiti, according to current Chairman of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and Guyana’s President Dr. Irfaan Ali.

The CARICOM chair, in a live broadcast statement, said the regional bloc over the past three days have been engaging the Haitian private sector, civil society and religious organisations, however, a consensus between these stakeholders and the government has not been met.

“The situation is complex, with many moving parts. It is compounded by the absence of key institutions functioning, such as the presidency and the parliament,” the CARICOM chair said.
The situation, he said, is further being exacerbated by ‘outbreaks of violence and a lack of humanitarian aid.’

According to a UN Security Council report, criminal gangs in the capital, Port-au-Prince, have conducted coordinated attacks targeting police stations, prisons, critical infrastructure, and civilian sites in the city, beginning on February 29.
On March 2, armed gang members raided two penitentiaries and according to the UN, at least 3,800 inmates were freed during those raids.

Over the weekend, Haitian authorities announced a three-day state of emergency and imposed a nighttime curfew.
“We’ve been urging all Haitian stakeholders and the urgent need for a consensus given that they all agree that the solution must be Haitian led and Haitian owned. Consensus, and getting a consensus is therefore of paramount importance,” Dr. Ali said.

CARICOM, he further noted, recognises the need for a political solution to anchor any stabilisation of the security and humanitarian efforts.

“The fact that more people have died in Haiti in the early part of this year than in Ukraine, must give everyone in Haiti and in the international community serious pause. This matter goes to the UN Security Council today in closed session. It is clear that Haiti, even with a home-grown solution, will need the support of not just Caricom but international community.”

Dr. Ali stressed that there must be a consensus among the key players in Haiti.
“We in Caricom are fully committed to utilising all our efforts and all our energies, dedicated as a collective on this pressing matter of Haiti.”

Just last week, CARICOM leaders, in a collective decision, determined that the regional bloc will take the lead in conducting a needs assessment to support the significant advancement in hosting elections in Haiti.

Leaders recently converged in Guyana for the 46th Regular Meeting of the Conference of CARICOM Heads of Government.
Confidential meetings were conducted with Haiti’s Prime Minister, Ariel Henry, who participated in the extended four-day summit.

“The issue of Haiti was a very difficult task…this is of such importance to the region and the region has to provide the leadership on this issue that we cannot avoid at this time,” the CARICOM Chair had said while addressing journalists at a press conference for the summit.
Haiti is expected to host elections in August 2025.

According to the UN, over the weekend, gunmen tried to seize the Haiti’s main international airport; at least four police officers and five civilians have been killed in the violence since 29 February, while nearly 15,000 people have been displaced.

In 2018, protests began in communities throughout Haiti in response to increased fuel prices. Over time, those protests evolved into demands for the resignation of Jovenel Moïse, the then president of Haiti.
An interim government was installed after the assassination of Moïse; however, surges of violence continued.