Arriving in the country on Wednesday, October 11, U.S. Under Secretary of State Brian A. Nichols met with representatives of the Montana Agreement. The meeting took place in the presence of the elected president of the agreement, economist Fritz Alphonse Jean, former minister Magalie Comeau Denis and Jacques Ted ST Dic, member of the follow-up office of the August 30 agreement (BSA).
The U.S. diplomat said his meeting with Montana representatives was focused on “the urgent need to address the cholera epidemic and the fuel blockage that is hampering the humanitarian response.
In a message posted on his Twitter account, Brian Nichols stressed that “stakeholders must urgently develop a consensus on an agreement that leads to improved security, elections and prosperity for all Haitians.
For his part, the elected president of the Montana Agreement, economist Fritz Alphonse Jean agreed, reporting that the discussions focused on the need for a national consensus for the formation of a transitional government that can lead to credible elections.
Fritz Alphonse Jean also reported that Assistant Secretary of State Brian Nichols and Chargé d’Affaires Stromayer expressed ”the concern of the United States on the evolution of cholera cases in Haiti that could lead to a humanitarian crisis.
The U.S. delegation will also meet with de facto Prime Minister Ariel Henry, members of the private sector and representatives of civil society organizations, according to a memo released Wednesday morning by the U.S. State Department.
For his official tour in Haiti, the American diplomat is accompanied by Lieutenant-General Andrew Croft, deputy military commander of SOUTHCOM, the branch of the U.S. army controlling the geographical area where Haiti is located.
Other White House staff are also part of the delegation.
Prior to the U.S. delegation’s meeting with Haitian stakeholders, the U.S. administration announced new visa restrictions against those involved in the operation of street gangs in Haiti and other criminal organizations. The announcement was made by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on his Twitter account.
