Several stakeholders on the country’s political stage have met to devise a strategy that would
lead to an understanding prior to formal negotiations that would lead to sustainable solution to
the myriad problems facing the nation. According to reliable sources, there have been at least
five (5) meetings took place in the capital Port-au-Prince over the past two weeks, from late July
to early August 2023, bringing together such important personalities as current interim Prime
Minister Ariel Henry, and the former Chief of staff to UK Premier Tony Blair, Jonathan Powell,
who is also affiliated with the organization, Inter Mediate. The parties have agreed to the
restoration of a bi-cephalous executive power, including a presidential college and a prime
minister as the head of a government of national unity. An agreement remains difficult to reach
regarding the tenure of the Prime Minister and the President. These negotiations came at the
urging of CARICOM for the parties to set some basic ground rules before formal negotiations
begin. Organizations taking part in these talks include Fanmi Lavalas the group of eight (8)
political parties that formed the January 30, 2023 declaration, the Montana agreement (which is
the August 30, 2021, accord) and the Jamaican proposition.
During the talks, the British envoy, who is working on behalf of the US, proposed a document on
which each protagonist is expected to revise and correct, until it represents a consensus will, but
nothing has been done so far. The international community, especially CARICOM has been
diligently working to find a genuine Haitian solution to the crisis. A second inter-Haitian summit
was organized in Port-au-Prince from July 12 to 15, 2023 by former Prime Ministers Kenny
Anthony of Saint Lucia, Perry Christie of the Bahamas, and Bruce Golding of Jamaica, as well
as Trinidadian Ambassador Colin Granderson. Unfortunately, no concrete decision has been
announced after a series of talks. The political party, Organisation du peuple en lutte (OPL)
criticized the lack of a basic methodology defined by the CARICOM emissaries as the reason for
the failure of the talks, while Michel André, spokesperson for one of the branches of the Secteur
démocratique et populaire (SDP) concluded that the Kingston talks were a failure because only a
consensus between the active and social forces in Haiti could allow the nation to regain its
sovereignty and break with this current reign, as recommended by the Montana group. An earlier
roundtable which was planned for March 24 – 26, 2023 to bring together all the main political
actors to deepen the discussions and come up with a workable solution did not take place.
Meanwhile, as violence rages on, the US Undersecretary for Caribbean affairs for Haiti, Barbara
A. Feinstein announced that in coming weeks, an observer mission will arrive to assess the
possibility of deploying a multinational force to the country, following Kenya’s decision to
commit troops to help stem the violent gang activities. The Kenyan mission which will be based
in Haiti, will talk with the Haitian authorities and other political actors and civil society leaders
around the needs of the security mission and the ways in which Kenya can assist. Other Kenyan
authorities are also due to travel to the US to intensify discussions with US government officials
and UN officials in New York. In her speech, the Undersecretary reiterated that the US continues
to apply a comprehensive approach to Haiti, particularly the security situation, in order to train
and equip the Haitian National Police, facilitate the distribution of humanitarian aid, support an
inclusive dialogue campaign led by Haitians with the various actors, in particular the Caribbean
Community (Caricom) for a consensus that can lead to elections. The US plans to introduce a
resolution at the UN, for the creation of the multinational force, and called on other countries to
join in the effort to help the Haitian people. By Tuesday, August 15, 2023, the UN is expected to
produce a security report, which should influence how the deployment of this force would take

place in Haiti. These are important steps, and the US is encouraging other partners in the
international community to participate, with funding, equipment, or personnel.
Elsewhere, protest movements in the capital have prompted the US embassy to close today,
Tuesday, August 8, 2023. A statement posted on its website warned that the embassy is closed,
and all personnel are restricted to the embassy compounds until further notice due to gunfire
heard nearby. The embassy was shuttered a day after several thousand people, with their faces
covered to conceal their identities, marched through streets of the capital demanding protection
from the violent gangs which have pillaged neighborhoods across the capital city and beyond for
months. The crowd marched from the troubled community of Carrefour-Feuilles to Champ de
Mars in the downtown area and then to the prime minister’s official residence, where police
broke up the demonstration with tear gas. According to experts, since the assassination of
President Jovenel Moïse in 2021, gangs have seized control of up to 80% of Port-au-Prince,
killing, raping, and sowing terror in communities already suffering endemic poverty. From
January to March, more than 1,600 people have been reported killed, injured, or kidnapped, a
nearly 30% increase compared with the last three months of 2022, according to the newest U.N.
report. On Monday, UNICEF announced an “alarming spike” in kidnappings, with nearly 300
confirmed cases so far this year, almost equaling the number reported for all of last year, and
almost three times the total for 2021. The agency noted that women and children are increasingly
being kidnapped and used for financial or tactical gain.
In other news, following the poor performance at the women’s world cup in New Zealand and
Australia, the French coach of the women’s national team, the grenadieres, Nicolas Delépine,
tended his resignation and that of his coaching staff on Tuesday. He said though the federation
did not want to see him go, he thinks it’s the right time to leave, taking with him only good
memories.
The funeral of veteran journalist Liliane Pierre Paul will take place this Saturday August 12,
2023, according to Stéphane Pierre Paul, brother of the deceased. Two days of mourning are
planned to salute the memory of the star journalist of Radio Kiskeya.
Former transitional president Boniface Alexandre passed away this past Friday, August 4, 2023,
at the ripe age of 87, at his home, according to information reaching the press. The former
provisional president (February 29, 2004 – May 14, 2006) was born on July 31, 1936, in
Ganthier. He was former President of the Court of Cassation (in the 1990s), of which he was
appointed President in 2002 by then President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. On October 28, 2020,
Boniface Alexandre joined forces with Jovenel Moïse to head a 5-member Committee, known as
the Independent Advisory Committee (ICC), for the development of an unconstitutional and
illegal draft of a new Constitution. On Wednesday, September 8, 2021, the said committee
submitted to de facto Prime Minister Ariel Henry a draft of the said document, for the necessary
follow-up. He submitted that it was a colossal job, carried out by the members, despite various
attacks and threats.
Dela Harlley