The United States is urging Haitian political actors to get to work on setting up the new transitional government as quickly as possible.
In an electronic conversation with CTN’s Emmanuel Paul, one of the State Department’s spokespersons urged the resigning government and other parties involved in the process to “avoid procedural hurdles and focus on the substance of the agreement for transitional governance, as stated in the March 11 Final Declaration, which was reached in Kingston.”
In the decree issued last week on the establishment of the transitional presidential college, the resigning government had demanded that the nine members of the CPT file documents attesting to their Haitian citizenship. They would also have to prove that they were not subject to United Nations sanctions, according to the decree.
This request was rejected by the parties making up the presidential college, who see it as a maneuver to pass the time at a time when the country is plunged into an unprecedented crisis.
CPT members point out that Ariel Henry’s resigned government was formed following an agreement.
The members of Ariel Henry’s gang had not provided any of the documents they are demanding today, the Presidential College recalled in a statement last week.
Early on Monday, a decree containing the names of the nine members of the transitional presidential college was published in the official newspaper Le Moniteur.
The government, through the Ministry of Culture and Communication headed by Emelie Prophète, was quick to deny this information, describing the decree circulating on social networks as “Fake News”.
Several people close to the government and members of Ariel Henry’s cabinet confirmed the authenticity of the decree containing the names of the members of the presidential college.
Former Croix-des-Bouquets deputy Jean Tholbert Alexis, a member of resigning Prime Minister Ariel Henry’s cabinet, confirmed that the document had indeed been published in the government official newspaper Le Moniteur.
A representative of the Presidential Council of Transition (CPT), accompanied by a Justice of the Peace, had gone to the Presses Nationales to verify the publication of the decree. But they were not received by Presses Nationales managing director Ronald Saint Jean.
In this conversation with CTN’s editorial team, the spokeswoman said she hoped Haiti’s leaders would understand the need to prioritize the interests of the Haitian people.
“We call on all stakeholders to work together in good faith to advance the interests of the Haitian people,” said the spokeswoman, who reiterated U.S. support for efforts to establish a new transitional government.
“We welcome the progress being made toward the establishment of the Presidential Transitional Council in Haiti,” the State Department spokeswoman reported.
During a virtual meeting last week with representatives of Haitian organizations in the diaspora, members of the Biden administration expressed U.S. concern about the deteriorating security and humanitarian situation in Haiti.
Recent violence and unrest have further exacerbated the difficulties faced by the Haitian people, underscoring the urgent need for effective transitional governance.
In a statement last week, the United States welcomed the publication of the decree on the establishment of the presidential college, which represents a crucial step in resolving the urgent issues facing Haiti and establishing a path to a better future for all Haitians.
Establishing the CPT: The United States urges Haitian actors to “avoid procedural obstacles and prioritize the interests of the Haitian people”
