New cabinet announced ahead of the expected deployment of the Kenyan-led international security force to the Caribbean country.
Haiti’s transitional council has announced the formation of a new government, replacing all members of former Prime Minister Ariel Henry’s cabinet, as the country struggles to address economic problems and rampant gang violence.
Tuesday’s announcement came two weeks after the council named Garry Conille – former regional director of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) – as interim prime minister.
Several ministers in the new cabinet do not belong to the country’s political class.
Dominique Dupuy, Haiti’s representative at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), will serve as the country’s Minister of Foreign Affairs. Conille will also serve as Minister of the Interior – a critical position that oversees the Haitian National Police.
Haitian authorities have struggled to contain gang violence. Over the past three years, armed groups have launched organized attacks across the country, blocked fuel terminals and invaded police stations in the capital Port-au-Prince and other cities.
The unrest has been exacerbated by a series of crises facing the country of more than 11.5 million people.
Haiti has suffered periodic natural disasters, food insecurity, a cholera outbreak, and long-standing political instability, including the assassination of President Jovenel Moise in 2021.
After Moise’s assassination, then-Prime Minister Henry became the country’s de facto leader. But he faced questions about his legitimacy after indefinitely postponing Haiti’s presidential and legislative elections.
Gang leaders and civil society groups demanded Henry’s removal. He stepped down in April, allowing a transitional presidential council to take over the government.
Haiti has not held elections since 2016. Earlier this year, the US State Department said the creation of the new transitional council paves the way for “free and fair elections” in the country.
The international community, led by the United States, has been pushing to send a multinational security force to help quell the violence in Haiti. Kenya should lead the police force.
Kenyan President William Ruto said UN-backed international officers will be deployed to the Caribbean country soon.
“The people of Haiti are perhaps hoping, by the grace of God, that probably next week or the week after that we will send our police officers to restore peace,” Ruto said on Sunday.
The force will have the difficult task of restoring security and order in Haiti. According to UN estimates, 80 percent of Port-au-Prince and surrounding areas are under the control or influence of criminal groups, who have been accused of murder, kidnapping and sexual violence.
This story originally appeared on Aljazeera.com read the full story
