- Statement by H.E. Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, Chairman of CARICOM
As chairman of the Caribbean Community, I wish to give the following update in relation to our meetings with Haitian stakeholders:
We have been working on this around the clock for the last three days. And in spite of many meetings, we have not yet been able to reach any form of consensus between the government and respective stakeholders in the opposition, the private sector, civil society, and religious organisations.
The situation is complex, with many moving parts. It is compounded by the absence of key institutions functioning, such as the presidency and parliament.
The outbreaks of violence and a lack of humanitarian aid further undermine this.
We’ve been urging all Haitian stakeholders about the urgent need for a consensus, given that they all agree that the solution must be Haitian-led and Haitian-owned. Consensus and getting a consensus are therefore of paramount importance.
Recognise that there must be a political solution to anchor any stabilisation of security and humanitarian efforts. The fact that more people have died in Haiti in the early part of this year than in Ukraine must give everyone in Haiti and in the international community a serious pause.
This matter goes to the UN Security Council today in closed session. It is clear that Haiti, even with a homegrown solution, will need the support of not just CARICOM but the international community. But to get there, we must have consensus among the key players in Haiti. They’re all aware of the price of failure.
Our meetings continue today with all concerned. We will continue to provide updates to the community and the people of Haiti. We at CARICOM are fully committed. To the rising, all our efforts and all our energies on this pressing matter of Haiti.
