Gonsalves Addresses International Ministerial-level Meeting on Haiti

Your Excellencies,

1. I begin by thanking the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada for her invitation to participate in this critical meeting. I also extend warm greetings to the esteemed Foreign Ministers; I greet particularly, the Honourable Dr. Ariel Henry, Prime Minister of the Republic of Haiti. I am most pleased to note the participation, at this international ministerial meeting, not only from our hemisphere, but also from Europe, Japan, the OIF, the UN and its agencies.  I urge that we involve, too, the African Union.

2. We gather today with the hope that our deliberations will bring us closer to finding lasting solutions to the multifaceted crises confronting our Caribbean sister nation.Undoubtedly, the precarious and pervasive political, socio-economic and security situation in Haiti is extremely worrying, presents daunting challenges and requires great attention from the international community.

3. Vincent and the Grenadines, together with CARICOM member states are committed to exhausting all possibilities to assist Haiti. Indeed, my government has been consistently advocating for more robust engagement and sustained support from the international community, evident most recently when we hosted, along with Kenya, Niger and Tunisia (the A3+1), a High-level Arria Formula, on October 15, 2021, during our tenure as a non-permanent member on the United Nations Security Council.

4. We therefore welcome this initiative by Canada and take this opportunity to share the following observations.

5. First, we are mindful of Haiti’s deeply entrenched challenges and do not expect them to be resolved overnight. We, however, reaffirm that the crises can only be resolved by peaceful means, through an inclusive inter-Haitian dialogue process.

6. Cognizant of the highly complex political landscape, we stress that Haiti’s political organisations and civil society groups must advance a Haitian-led and Haitian-owned process  to address its problems and promote national reconciliation.

7. In this context, we call on all political parties and stakeholders to soften deeply held positions, build trust, exhibit compromise and undertake actions that herald willingness to bridge the existing political chasm to facilitate dialogue. We further commend to Haiti, the instruments and tools available through CARICOM, to assist in this regard, as outlined by our Secretary General.

8. Second,  the socio-economic and humanitarian situation is of grave concern. Abject  poverty, which is a fundamental root cause of unrest and instability, needs to be tackled urgently. There can be no genuine stability without strengthening the country’s institutions and economy, including through a long-term strategy and commitment for sustainable development. It is therefore imperative that we accompany the Haitian authorities in the rebuilding and reforming of institutions, in particular the judicial system, and promote the sustainable development of the country.

9. Haiti’s legacy of underdevelopment must also not be separated from its historic injustices. Accordingly, it would be remiss of me not to repeat our just and justiciable call for reparations.

10. The nexus between development, security and human rights is nowhere more evident than in This brings me to a third and vital point – the security situation. Strengthening the state’s security apparatus, specifically enhancing the capacity of the Haitian National Police (HNP) to restore stability and security, remains central. The disturbing levels of violence perpetrated by gangs, including kidnappings and sexual and gender-based violence against women and girls, require urgent intervention.

11. Equally, allegations of egregious abuses at the hands of the police must be fully investigated. The net must be cast wider to stamp out corruption, end impunity and ensure good governance.  Such an approach would help to create an enabling political climate to facilitate peace and security.

12. Additionally, I take this opportunity to the repeat my call for traditional development partners of Haiti in the North Atlantic, Latin America, and elsewhere,  in tandem with multi-lateral agencies to fashion, with the Haitian people, a veritable “Marshall Plan” so as to place Haiti on a path of sustainable development in the shortest possible time. Global funding, on a sustained basis, for Haiti is critical even as its political and judicial institutions are being credibly built and sustained.

13. Excellencies,  as we commence this crucial year, the international community ought to revisit its approach in Haiti, particularly its peacebuilding approach. To this end, we look forward to the findings in April of the assessment to be conducted on the United Nations Integrated Mission in Haiti (BINUH) as mandated by the Security Council. We also look forward to a strengthened and more fit-for-purpose BINUH during the next renewal of its mandate.

14. Vincent and the Grenadines remains committed toseeing Haiti break these vicious cycles of crises and usher in an era of peace and prosperity. Haitians, however, must take ownership of their challenges and make the necessary effort to embark once again on the path of peace and stability. As demonstrated from the vicissitudes of their history, we are confident that our Haitian brothers and sisters will overcome the existing challenges and repair the gravely damaged fabric of their society. We owe a great historical debt to Haiti.

I thank you.

THE WAY FORWARD FOR HAITI  (Ideas Towards a CARICOM Position)

The recent assassination of President Moise of Haiti amidst the extreme challenges to all State institutions, constitutional order, peace and security, and socio-economic development, has brought Haiti to the brink of social and political collapse.

The way forward ought to be founded on the embrace of the following core principles:

1. The Haitian people, their political organisations/parties and civil society must be the ones to devise and implement a Haitian solution to the Haiti’s problems and challenges.

2. The Haitian people require meaningful and efficacious engagements with, and support from, regional, hemispheric, and international partners to assist in charting and implementing the way forward.

3. Regional, hemispheric, and international engagements should involve centrally the following entities with corresponding roles/functions:

1. CARICOM of which Haiti is a member.  CARICOM is well-placed to provide:

• Considerable support to the electoral process for the conduct of credible elections;

• A “good offices” role in assisting/advising the political parties/organisations and civil society in Haiti to fashion a Transitional/Provisional Government charged with, among other things, the holding of credible elections within 12 to 18 months’ time.

[It is to be noted that on Monday July 19, 2021, an announcement was made in Haiti of a new Prime Minister, Dr. Aril Henry, with the support of the Core Group of Ambassadors (USA, France, Canada, Germany, Brazil, Spain, the European Union and representatives from the UN and the OAS).  The Core Group referred to the creation of “consensual and inclusive government”.  CARICOM is absent here.]

1. The Peace Building Commission (PBC) of the United Nations, an inter-governmental advisory body to assist with the essentials of building state institutions, maintaining peace/order/security, and facilitating socio-economic development.

[There are 31 members of the PBC comprising 7 members of the Security Council — the P5 plus Kenya and St. Vincent and the Grenadines; 7 members of the UN General Assembly; 7 members of the UN’s Economic and Social Council; 5 top providers of military personnel and civilian police on UN missions; and 5 top providers of assessed contributions to UN Budgets and of voluntary contributions to the UN Fund.

The World Bank, the IMF, the European Union, and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation participate in all meetings of the PBC.]

1. The African Union: Haiti is a country predominantly of African people of African descent. Africa has tremendous experience in building peaceful, orderly, democratic societies from post-colonial challenges.  The AU member-states may also be invited to provide security personnel in the transitional period in Haiti.

Currently in the PBC there are the following AU members: Egypt, South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Rwanda.  Egypt is the current Chair of the PBC.

1. The Organisation of American States (OAS):  Haiti is a member of the OAS.  Given the checkered history of the OAS’s recent involvement in Haiti and elsewhere, it may be advisable to keep the role of the OAS very limited.  In any event 14 of the OAS member-states are from CARICOM.  And there are 6 members of the OAS which are on the PBC:  USA, Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Canada, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.  Thus, through CARICOM and the PBC, the membership of the OAS is well-represented.  In any event the PBC may invite additional partners to participate in its meetings.  Such partners may include member-states who are not members of the PBC, relevant entities of the UN system, IFIs, regional and sub-regional organisations, as well as civil society groupings.

1. The UN Security Council itself where necessary and desirable.

1. The Vatican: Vital in helping with political dialogue between parties/groups in Haiti.

1. CELAC: This grouping embraces the whole of Latin America and the Caribbean.  Haiti is a member.

4. Possible practical steps in the way forward:

1. Maintaining an adequate/sufficient security presence through the PBC mainly from the AU, Latin America, and CARICOM.

[Military personnel from the USA, UK, Russia, China, and member-countries of the European Union ought to be discouraged, given challenges arising from historical and contemporary circumstances.]

1. Preparing for credible elections within 12 to 18 months’ time with CARICOM’s assistance.

1. Mobilisation of resources for peace, security, development, institution-building through the PBC.

1. Forming immediately a broad-based, credible government of national unity mandated with certain central tasks including the holding of elections.

1. Engage the entire world to assist Haiti especially our Caribbean, our hemisphere, Africa, and Europe.

CAUTIONARY NOTE

Events are moving fast without CARICOM’s input.  It may well be that both the CORE Group and many Haitian leaders consider CARICOM a bit player or an officious bystander.  The challenges to CARICOM’s involvement are real, despite Haiti’s membership of CARICOM.  We in CARICOM at one and the same time ought to be principled, practical, and realistic without any illusions of over-stating our possibilities while not ignoring our obligations and responsibilities to a member-state.

Dated the 19^th day of July 2021.