Port-au-Prince.- The Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), Albert Ramdin, met this Monday with the Haitian Prime Minister, Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, to learn about Haiti’s efforts to restore security and create the conditions for holding “credible,” “inclusive,” and “transparent” general elections.
According to Haitian authorities, general elections are scheduled for mid-next December. The last time there were elections in Haiti was in November 2016.
The conversations also allowed for examining means to reinforce international support for Haitian institutions and improve coordination among the various partners, addressing topics such as Justice, sustainable development, economic reactivation, and the strengthening of cooperation between Haiti, the OAS, and the Caribbean Community (Caricom), the Haitian Government reported.
The meeting was also held with the presence of high-ranking government officials; the governor of the Bank of the Republic of Haiti (BRH), Ronald Gabriel, the secretary general of Caricom, Carla Barnett, as well as representatives of various regional and international institutions accompanying Ramdin.
The Haitian Minister of Economy and Finance, Serge Gabriel Collin, signed an agreement on the integration of Haiti into the CAF- Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean.
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The Haitian government reaffirmed “its determination” to continue actions aimed at “restoring the authority of the State, strengthening security” throughout the territory and “advancing” the electoral process, in “respect of the aspirations” of the Haitian people and democratic principles, said the document released by the prime minister’s office.
Through this high-level meeting, the OAS, Caricom, and their partners reaffirmed their commitment to accompany Haiti in its efforts toward security, institutional stability, and the holding of elections, the statement highlighted.
Security and elections, the priorities
This mission, which will extend until Wednesday, aims especially to consolidate cooperation around the national priorities that constitute security, the electoral process, humanitarian needs, and the reactivation of development, according to Haitian authorities.
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During his stay in Haiti, Ramdin and his delegation –in addition to the prime minister– will meet with various institutional actors to take stock of the country’s situation and examine the modalities for more coherent international support oriented towards concrete results.
The visit will also constitute an important stage in the implementation of the OAS Roadmap for stability and peace in Haiti. It should contribute to translating the commitments of partners into concrete and coordinated actions, based on the priorities defined by the Haitian authorities.
Haiti faces a situation of severe insecurity due to powerful armed gangs that control 90% of the Haitian capital. The crisis is spreading to all sectors of the country.
Since April, the Gang Suppression Force (GSF), created by the United Nations Security Council and composed of military and other personnel from various countries, has been operating in the country and has managed to recover some areas of the capital.
