Canada, Barbados discuss ongoing crisis in Haiti

OTTAWA (CMC):

The prime ministers of Canada and Barbados have held talks on the ongoing political, security and humanitarian crisis in Haiti.

During a meeting on Wednesday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his Barbadian counterpart, Mia Mottley, both welcomed the establishment of the new Transitional Presidential Council.

“They expressed hope that this development will pave the way for the restoration of democratic order in Haiti, facilitate the deployment of the United Nations-authorised Multinational Security Support mission to help the Haitian National Police, and bring long-term stability to the country,” said the Canadian government in a statement.

“Prime Minister Trudeau recognised the role of Barbados and its fellow members of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) in supporting these efforts by fostering inclusive political dialogue to advance Haitian-led solutions,” the statement added.

The prime ministers also highlighted the importance of mobilising financing for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, including through multilateral development banks, and agreed to continue working together to this end.

“Prime Minister Trudeau and Prime Minister Mottley looked forward to continuing to advance shared priorities anchored in our strong bilateral relationship, and they agreed to remain in close contact as the situation in Haiti continues to evolve,” the statement said.

In early March, ahead of an emergency meeting by CARICOM leaders in Jamaica to discuss the crisis in Haiti, the prime ministers of Canada, Jamaica and Barbados had underscored the importance of the United Nations-authorised Multinational Security Support mission to restore stability in the violence-wracked country.

The Canadian government said Trudeau spoke separately with the prime minister of Jamaica, Andrew Holness, and Mottley, “to discuss the situation in Haiti”,

In the meeting with Holness, Trudeau “underlined that Canada remains committed to supporting the Haitian National Police and members of the Caribbean Community as they prepare to participate in the mission”.

“Prime Minister Holness expressed his gratitude for Canada’s strong and consistent support for peace and democracy in Haiti, including through participation in the dialogue,” the statement said.

After Trudeau’s meeting with Mottley, the statement said the leaders discussed “the important role of the Caribbean Community, of which Barbados is a member, in fostering inclusive political dialogue to advance Haitian-led solutions to the conflict”.

“The prime ministers expressed their grave concern over the deteriorating security and the humanitarian crisis in Haiti,” the statement said.

Meantime, Caribbean-American Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke has joined with the co-chairs on the Haiti caucus in the United States House of Representatives in calling for the urgent deployment of a Multinational Security Support Mission and humanitarian assistance to Haiti.

Clarke, the daughter of Jamaican immigrants, who represents the 9th Congressional District in Brooklyn, New York, Congresswomen Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick and Ayanna Pressley co-chair the Haiti Caucus.

The co-chairs said they continue to be “deeply concerned by the deteriorating situation in Haiti”, stating that at least 80 per cent of Port-au-Prince, the capital, is under the control of gangs.

The congressional representatives noted that, last year alone, there were nearly 5,000 murders, 2,000 kidnappings, and more than 310,000 people who have been internally displaced.

“Gangs are routinely using sexual violence and have threatened to start a civil war,” the co-chairs said. “Enough is enough. We urge our colleagues in Congress to join the Biden-Harris Administration and the international community in funding urgent assistance to restore security for the Haitian people.

“Every day we wait for this critical funding, more Haitians will die,” they warned. “The clock is ticking.”