Prime Minister Ariel Henry has announced his decision to step down as Haiti’s leader amid mounting international pressure to hand over the reins.
Henry is currently stranded in Puerto Rico but announced the news to the Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM) members remotely via video conference.
“I want to thank the Haitian people for the opportunity I had been granted,” he said in his address. “I’m asking all Haitians to remain calm and do everything they can for peace and stability to come back as fast as possible.”
Haitian PM Ariel Henry released a video confirming he will step down after the creation of a transitional council, under a plan agreed with regional leaders. Henry was speaking from Puerto Rico after gangs prevented his return to Haiti from a visit to Kenya. pic.twitter.com/JT1Xweu4hn
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) March 12, 2024
Henry will leave office when a transitional presidential council is created and an interim PM is named. Just hours before, Caribbean leaders and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met in Jamaica for an emergency meeting to discuss Haiti’s growing crisis.
However, Henry’s stint as president was only meant to be temporary.
Henry was sworn in as Haiti’s prime minister in January 2021, two weeks after the assassination of the country’s President, Jovenel Moïse. Claude Joseph served as Interim Prime Minister after Moïse’s death, backed by the police and military, but Haiti is still battling for order to be restored.
No elections have been held in Haiti since 2016.
Last month, government officials from Haiti announced they are working on an official agreement with Kenyan officials to secure the long-anticipated deployment of a police force.
Officials from Haiti, Kenya, and the U.S. met for an “entry-level discussion” ahead of setting a deadline for the arrival of Kenyan police forces to help Haiti fight a surge in gang violence. Henry initially requested the deployment in October 2022 and was approved by the U.N. Security Council the following year.
“The government that I’m running cannot remain insensitive in this situation. There is no sacrifice that is too big for our country,” Henry said in a recorded statement. “The government I’m running will remove itself immediately after the installation of the council.”
Henry’s acceptance was welcomed.
CARICOM chairman Irfaan Ali says a transitional presidential council is to be established in Haiti, with seven voting members and two non-voting members, following the resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry. The announcement followed a high-level meeting in Kingston on Monday. pic.twitter.com/90FgWtyO4m
— Jamaica Gleaner (@JamaicaGleaner) March 12, 2024
“We are pleased to announce the commitment to transitional governance arrangement which paves the way for a peaceful transition of power, continuity of governance and action plan for near-term security and the road to free and fair elections. It further seeks to assure that Haiti will be governed by the rule of law,” said Guyana leader and CARICOM Chairman Irfaan Ali in a news conference.
