MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Haiti's Presidential Transition Council has new president

Saint-Cyr is expected to be the last CPT president before the elections scheduled for February 7, 2026

Haitian businessman Laurent Saint-Cyr has been appointed as the new rotating president of Haiti's Presidential Transition Council (CPT), a body formed after the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse. Saint-Cyr is tasked with restoring security, leading the country toward new elections, and reviving the economy.

In his inauguration speech Thursday, he emphasized that resolving insecurity and combating armed gangs are his top priorities. However, he did not provide a specific strategy for achieving these goals. His appointment comes amid a period of significant gang violence, with the UN reporting over 1.3 million people displaced.

“It is no secret that I come from the private sector. But I want to remind everyone that I am here to serve all sectors, all Haitians, without distinction. My only commitment is to the nation. My only focus is the general interest,” he said.

“We have a clear mission: to guarantee security, revise the Constitution, relaunch the economy, and hold elections,” he added.

The CPT itself faces challenges, including a lack of legitimacy among some Haitians, who see it as serving foreign interests. The council's credibility has also been damaged by internal divisions and accusations of corruption against some of its members. Furthermore, Jimmy “Barbecue” Chérizier, the leader of the powerful Viv Ansanm (Live Together in Haitian Creole) gang, has vowed to overthrow the new council.

The CPT was founded in a context of executive power vacuum, following the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in July 2021 and the forced resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henri in March 2024. Its formation process was coordinated directly by the Caribbean Community (Caricom) and the United States. It is made up of seven members (all men) plus two non-voting observers. However, three of its members have been directly accused of embezzlement and links to gangs, without any action taken to remove them from office.

Saint-Cyr, a former president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Haiti (AmCham Haiti) and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Haiti (CCIH) is expected to be its last leader before the presidential elections scheduled for February 7, 2026.