The Caribbean state is plunged into a situation of near-anarchy, but some residents are cautious about the establishment of a presidential transition council.
France supports the formation of a presidential transition council in Haiti while calling for elections to be held “rapidly,” French diplomatic sources said on Saturday. The establishment of a presidential transition council is supported by the Caribbean Community (Caricom), the UN, and the US, as part of a crisis exit agreement reached last Monday that also forced Prime Minister Ariel Henry to resign.
“This agreement will not be easy to implement, but it must be supported because it is a historic opportunity for Haiti to lift the country out of the current crisis with an inclusive formula that encompasses the majority of the Haitian political forces,” said French diplomacy, according to these sources. “We can support but we cannot decide in place of the Haitians. We hope that the Haitian people will organize elections quickly.”
According to Paris, there was a “general consensus” at the Kingston meeting to “not include in this presidential council individuals who have been convicted, indicted, or under international sanctions.”
“Acts of heinous barbarism”
Haiti is plunged into a situation of near-anarchy with large parts of the country and 80% of the capital under the control of armed gangs engaging in atrocities, murders, rapes, and kidnappings for ransom. Some residents, however, criticize the prospect of this presidential transition council as foreign interference.
“There have been heinous acts of barbarism” committed by gangs “that have been documented,” underline French diplomatic sources. And “some gangs are mobilized, engaged in combat under the influence of drugs, under the influence of alcohol, and they commit acts of barbarism against the policemen which they film.”
Paris supports the Haitian police, to whom it has provided a contribution estimated at one million euros last year. It has also launched financial contributions amounting to 3 million euros to support the deployment of Kenyan police officers in Haiti, planned as part of an international mission that is currently suspended and awaiting the establishment of the presidential transition council.
