Haiti: Henry resigns; transitional council sworn in

Thursday, April 25th 2024 - 19:34 UTC

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It is still unclear whether Patrick Boisvert will remain as interim Prime Minister

A transitional council has finally been sworn in in violence-torn Haiti after the final resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry was received Thursday in a letter from Los Angeles, California, leaving Economy and Finance Minister Michel Patrick Boisvert in charge while a successor is named.

The nine-member body, seven of whom have voting rights, is expected to appoint a new cabinet and a provisional electoral commission before presidential elections can be held. The council's non-renewable term expires on Feb. 7, 2026, when a new president is expected to be sworn in.

“After two long months of debate ... a solution has been found,” Boisvert said. “Today is an important day in the life of our dear republic,” he added, calling the transitional council a “Haitian solution.” Henry had said he would resign once the council was installed.

Voting Councilman Smith Augustin said it was unclear whether Boisvert would remain as interim prime minister or a replacement would be chosen. The matter will be discussed in the coming days, he said.

Rebel gangs control much of the country's capital, and thousands of Haitians have been displaced in search of shelter, food, or medical care.

“The population of Port-au-Prince has literally been taken hostage,” stressed non-voting Councilwoman Regine Abraham. The assassination of President Jovenel Moïse on July 7, 2021, triggered an unprecedented crime with “devastating consequences” for Haitians, she went on.

The main international airport serving Port-au-Prince has been closed since early March, while Haiti's two largest prisons were stormed, resulting in the release of more than 4,000 inmates and adding to the country's plight. “Port-au-Prince is now almost completely sealed off by air, sea, and land blockades,” UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell said earlier this week. The international community has urged the Council to prioritize Haiti's widespread insecurity.

“It is impossible to overstate the increase in gang activity in Port-au-Prince and beyond, the deterioration of the human rights situation, and the deepening humanitarian crisis,” UN envoy to Haiti María Isabel Salvador told the UN Security Council earlier this week.