U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken called Thursday for more funding for the international security force in Haiti, while urging transitional authorities to move quickly toward elections in the gang-ravaged country.
The Secretary of State himself announced $45 million in new humanitarian aid, urging other countries to help fund this force supported by the United States and the UN to support the Haitian police, which has been overwhelmed by criminal gangs whose violence has worsened the crisis.
“At this critical moment, we need more funding. We need more personnel to support and achieve the objectives of this mission,” Antony Blinken said at a press conference, adding in French: “We are with you!”
At the headquarters of the Multinational Mission for Security Support (MMAS), the Kenyan-led police force meant to restore security, the Secretary of State met with Haitian and international security officials.
Washington, which does not provide troops to this force but is the main financial and equipment contributor, is hoping for other contributions to ensure the sustainability of its funding.
– “Preparing for elections” –
The highest-ranking U.S. official to visit Haiti since 2015, Blinken arrived in Port-au-Prince two months after Kenya sent police as part of the long-awaited international force.
Arriving in the morning, Mr. Blinken held several meetings at the American ambassador’s residence.
During his meeting with interim Prime Minister Garry Conille, he noted “real progress” in the initial work of international forces with the Haitian police.
“Security is the foundation for everything that will happen next, including preparation for next year’s elections, but also basic services to the Haitian people,” he said.
The Haitian Prime Minister acknowledged an “extremely complex” situation but with a certain optimism. “If our partners support us and commit to our side, we will achieve our objectives,” he said, welcoming “quite remarkable” progress.
“This is a moment of great challenge, but also of hope for Haiti,” Blinken added at a press conference with the coordinator of the presidential transition council Edgard Leblanc Fils. “The next crucial step that we talked about is the establishment of an electoral council. We hope that will be established soon,” he stressed.
Edgard Leblanc Fils said he hoped to be able to “present” this electoral council as early as next week with the aim of elections in November 2025 and a transfer of power in February 2026.
Haiti has not held an election since 2016.
– Bandits “not even worried” –
With some 400 police officers arriving this summer, out of the 2,500 planned for the long term, the MMAS is slow to deploy, even though officials assure that it has made it possible to regain “control of essential infrastructure, such as the airport” in the capital, and to reopen roads that have facilitated the return of thousands of displaced Haitians.
But two months after his arrival, the capital’s residents are beginning to lose patience with the lack of concrete results.
“The gangs’ exactions continue and the bandits are not even worried,” Watson Laurent, a 39-year-old motorcycle taxi driver, recently lamented to AFP.
The Haitian government also extended the state of emergency to the entire country on Wednesday.
Mr. Blinken’s visit also coincides with a massive power outage in Port-au-Prince in recent days, after a group of protesters stormed a power plant.
Violence by armed groups had intensified at the start of the year, forcing the controversial Prime Minister, Ariel Henry, to resign.
The US Secretary of State then traveled to the Dominican Republic, which shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti and has notoriously stormy relations with its neighbour.
Blinken will meet with newly re-elected President Luis Abinader there on Friday, days after his country allowed the United States to seize the plane used by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro as part of U.S. sanctions on Caracas.
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