AAt the time of his plebiscite in Port-au-Prince on Tuesday 28, the new Prime Minister, Garry Conille, was in a small CARICOM state, Antigua and Barbuda. It was from there that he addressed Haitians and the Haitian authorities in a recorded message to Haiti in which he declared
« I accept this appointment with great humility, when I look at the list of candidates. I thank the Councillors and all the organizations they represent for their trust. I commit to working closely with all the Councillors to address the urgent problems facing the country. I could not accept this responsibility if I could not count on such solidarity. Despite the major challenges that await us, I am convinced that a step has been taken. Because, this is the first time, in several generations, political groups of different tendencies, long-time competitors, agree on an independent, non-partisan personality, who will come to help them rebuild democracy.
Since Tuesday, we have not been idle. We have informal conversations with friends from the national and international community. The Council continues to work actively to identify the profiles of those who will be part of the government. We will ensure that the transitional government reflects the courage, generosity, resilience and diversity of the Haitian people. Women, men, experienced professionals will have to contribute to this government. Young people and women, who are the majority in the country, must find their place there. The diaspora, which is a major support for our economy, must be represented.
With the CP, we will ensure that we find competent, practical, honest and patriotic people,” Garry Conille had advanced.
Of course, with this appointment of Garry Conille to the Prime Minister’s office, reactions poured in, congratulations and greetings came from all over the world. From Canada to France, via Mexico, the States of the Caribbean Community, the European Union, the Dominican Republic, Kenya, the United Kingdom, among others, who were impatiently waiting for the international community to have a real interlocutor in Port-au-Prince, all said they were satisfied with this appointment and hoped that the new laureate would succeed in this task which will not be a vacation in the tropics for him. If the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) headed by the Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres in Haiti, Maria Isabel Salvador, had indicated on her Twitter account X what ” BINUH notes with satisfaction the progress made in the process of establishing the transitional authorities.
We continue to follow the ongoing efforts for the formation of a new government as soon as possible. BINUH renews the call of the Secretary-General of the United Nations for increased participation of women and youth in the political process,” The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) states also believed that the CPT had set aside any particular and political interest to facilitate the appointment of the senior UN official to head the Haitian government. And according to the leaders of this regional organization, we are moving towards the road to organizing elections in a timely manner. CARICOM commends the Transitional Presidential Council for putting the interest of the country and the Haitian people above all else. This will remain a paramount objective as the CPT, in collaboration with Transitional Prime Minister Conille, continues to move forward in restoring security and establishing the critical, broadly representative institutions needed to deliver public services, provide humanitarian assistance, facilitate socio-economic improvement and hold free and fair elections in a timely manner.” noted CARICOM in a statement.
The Organization of American States (OAS), the United Nations (UN), the International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF), the European Union (EU), in short, all these organizations that have been involved in resolving the crises in Haiti in recent decades have welcomed in their own way the arrival of this technocrat at the top of power in Haiti. With the appointment of new Prime Minister Garry Conille, we are determined to support the Transitional Government in its efforts to secure Haiti, reform the Constitution and prepare for national elections,” indicated the Office of the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States in Haiti on its account X. In addition, the Dominican Republic, whose relations with Haiti have not been at their best since the Ouanaminthe Canal affair, also praised this appointment for Garry Conille, highlighting the academic level of the new Prime Minister.
“We welcome the appointment by the Presidential Council of Haiti of the renowned academic Garry Conille as Prime Minister. With a deep desire for harmony in bilateral relations, we wish you every success in your delicate and historic management,” Dominican Republic Foreign Minister Roberto Alvarez was to declare on his account X Wednesday, May 29, 2024. Finally, let us round off this round of greetings with an important but new player in the Haitian crisis, Kenya. This country, which has been waiting for two years to send its police and military to act as the Gendarme in Haiti at the request of the United States, reacted like all those whose participation in the Multinational Security Support Mission in Haiti is expected to say that the appointment of Garry Conille is a step towards resolving the security crisis facing the country. Not only does the Kenyan government congratulate the new Prime Minister, but it also says it is eager to work with the new authorities in Port-au-Prince to tackle the gangs that disrupt the smooth running of the country.
“On behalf of the Republic and the people of Kenya, I extend my congratulations to Garry Conille on his appointment as Prime Minister of Haiti. This milestone is not lost on the world and is a testament to the determination of our brothers and sisters in Haiti to move forward. Kenya stands in strong solidarity with Haiti, as we look forward to working with you and your government to put Haiti back on the path to sustainable development. N ap fè konfyans nan lavni!” wrote President William Ruto in a Tweet on Wednesday, May 28. It is Saturday, May 1e June 2024, in the afternoon, that the new head of government had returned to Haiti from Miami after spending about ten years abroad as a senior UN official all over the world. The next day, Sunday, June 2, he was already at the foot of the ramp, in France they said on the ground, to see for himself the devastating effect of armed groups on the city center, the historic part of the capital.
Doubly trapped first with a bulletproof vest that was visibly too small and then locked in an armored vehicle of the PNH, he had difficulty extracting himself to look at the deplorable and lamentable state of Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti, the country of which he was preparing to take the reins. After a short tour in the company of the Director General of the National Police, Frantz Elbé, he was able to return without incident to his hotel in Pétion-Ville, while waiting to settle into his official residence in Musseau as Prime Minister. Three days after his return to Haiti, in fact, on Monday, June 3, 2024, the new tenant of the Villa d’Accueil was officially installed and invested in his functions by the President of the Presidential Transitional Council, Edgard Leblanc Fils. In front of an audience of diplomats, senior government officials, members of the stakeholders of the April 3 Agreement and a few other guests, a sober ceremony was organized in Musseau, where the Prime Minister’s office is temporarily seated, along with all the members of the CPT, and where Edgard Leblanc Fils had addressed his Prime Minister.
«This act comes at a particularly difficult time, the country is living in a multidimensional crisis, it is therefore important for the nation’s vital forces and particularly for political actors to work in consultation, in consensus, in harmony, in order to succeed in this transition. We are counting on Dr. Conille to put in place the policies that are appropriate with the CPT in order to address the problem of insecurity and also to redress the country’s economy, reform the institutions and achieve credible, free, democratic elections.”had to declare the one who presides over the CPT for a period of 5 months within the framework of the rotating presidency of this body acting as head of the Executive Power. After a brief moment of applause, Garry Conille, in his investiture speech, addressed the guests.The first instructions given to me by the members of the Council are that there is no time to lose. I very much appreciate this conviviality that emerges between the different members of the government.
This shows us that political groups must put aside their differences, at a time when the interest of the nation must be prioritized. We have no illusions about the challenges that await us, about the difficult impasses that we have to cross.” had stressed the one who took control of the government for a period of two years as, moreover, the members of the CPT, that is until February 7, 2026 if all goes well by then. Once the installation of the Prime Minister was done, it was the negotiations on the one hand with the members of the CPT and on the other hand with the stakeholders for the formation of the government that were going to delay this time the formation of a new ministerial cabinet to replace that of Ariel Henry. It was necessary to wait almost a month after the investiture of the PM before the new government could see the light of day.
According to those close to all camps, the negotiations on the sharing of ministerial posts were tough, even harsh, between the presidency and the Prime Minister’s office, which, from the start, wanted to have a government reduced to 14 or 15 ministries, no more. A decision that was not going to make the task of the Prime Minister any easier, as he wanted to reduce the number of ministries, that is, to group some together or even eliminate them altogether. However, by taking this decision, Garry Conille was going to open a war with those who saw this as an opportunity to remove them from power. For several weeks, the protagonists had to spend long days and sleepless nights before reaching an agreement.
The Prime Minister finally won half of this showdown he had started with various sectors that wanted to have their share of the cake, even if several ministries that he wanted to eliminate, in particular, Youth and Sport, Culture or the Environment and the Status of Women and Women’s Rights are maintained either in their autonomy or by integrating another ministry. Furthermore, during the weeks of the formation of the government, several names of personalities who circulated or leaked on social networks to occupy this or that ministry have disappeared from the organization chart. And for good reason e. He did not have enough share to satisfy all those who hoped or entertained the idea of taking part in the ministerial adventure. Finally, on Tuesday, June 11, 2024, the list of members of the Ministerial Cabinet was announced and the decree published at the same time in a Special Issue of The monitor No. 26, official journal of the Republic.
It includes 14 members for 18 ministries whose list we publish here for the edification of readers but also for history. Because these personalities will have the heavy responsibility of getting Haiti out of this Transition which, in reality, dates from 1986, that is to say, at the end of the Duvalier dictatorship although this interim government led by Garry Conille is the second after that of Prime Minister-President Ariel Henry who took charge of the country after the murder of President Jovenel Moïse three years ago. The list of the government of Prime Minister Garry CONILLE: Minister of the Interior and Territorial Communities, Garry CONILLE; Minister of Foreign Affairs and Worship and Minister of Haitians Living Abroad, Dominique DUPUY.
Minister of Economy and Finance and Minister of Planning and External Cooperation, Ketleen FLORESTAL; Minister of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Rural Development, Vernet JOSEPH; Minister of Public Works, Transport and Communications, Raphaël HOSTY. Minister of Trade and Industry and Minister of Tourism, James MONAZARD; Minister of the Environment, Moïse JEAN-PIERRE Fils; Minister of National Education and Vocational Training and Minister of Culture and Communication, Antoine AUGUSTIN; Minister of Social Affairs and Labor, Georges Wilbert FRANCK; Minister of Public Health and Population, Georges Fils BRIGNOL; Minister of the Status of Women and Women’s Rights, Marie Françoise SUZAN; Minister of National Defense, Jean Marc Berthier ANTOINE.
Minister of Youth, Sports and Civic Action, Niola Lynn Sarah DEVALIS OCTAVIUS. Three days later, the Prime Minister’s Office published a decree announcing the appointment of three ministers delegated to the Prime Minister. They are Joseph André Gratien, in charge of Elections and Constitutional Reform; Herwil Gaspart, in charge of Solidarity and Humanitarian Affairs and Marie Chantal Dumay, in charge of the Clean-up of State Institutions, the Fight against Corruption and Impunity. After the investiture of the members of the government, Prime Minister Garry Conille was to make a very long speech in which he urged the recipients to each harness themselves in their respective ministry in order to give hope to Haitians and restore Haiti’s dignity.
Here is a long extract from the speech by Ariel Henry’s successor delivered on Wednesday, June 12, 2024 at Villa d’Accueil during the official installation of his government: “Our country, Haiti, faces major challenges. Violence and insecurity paralyze our daily lives, humanitarian crises exacerbate the suffering of our most vulnerable compatriots, and political instability undermines the very foundations of our society. By recognizing these painful realities, we must find within ourselves the strength and determination to overcome them. As the Greek philosopher Heraclitus said, “The character of a man is his destiny.” We must demonstrate courage and determination, because it is in these moments of crisis that the true character of a nation is revealed. Together, I firmly believe that we can transform these challenges into opportunities to rebuild our country on stronger and more just foundations. I therefore commit to you, my fellow citizens, to serve our nation with integrity, transparency and dedication. My government will work tirelessly to improve the living conditions of every Haitian, to build a safer and more prosperous future, and to restore the dignity of our people.
Through the Presidential Transitional Council, we signed a collective contract with the Haitian people to materialize the agreement of April 3, 2024, which provides for a set of major projects: public and national security, economic recovery, infrastructure rehabilitation, food and health security, the national conference and the constitutional question, the rule of law and justice, as well as elections for the renewal of political personnel. This paradigm of change will irrigate all the arteries of government action, it will inspire and illustrate our postures and all the actions that we will be called upon to take at the head of the government. I therefore ask you, Ladies and Gentlemen Ministers, to participate valiantly in this common effort to promote and nourish this culture of change in the spheres of activity falling within your respective areas of competence. Yes, our collective pilgrimage necessarily begins with a return to a secure climate. Without security, no sustainable progress can be achieved. To achieve this, it is crucial that our police officers and soldiers are well prepared to face today’s security challenges. We will ensure that they have the necessary tools to carry out their mission with efficiency and professionalism.”
With the formation and installation of the government on Wednesday, June 12, 2024, which Garry Conille is in charge of, nothing should oppose, prevent or delay the deployment of troops from the Multinational Security Support Mission in Haiti during this month of June 2024, as has been said many times and confirmed by the Kenyan Head of State, William Ruto last week and confirmed this week (Monday 24) by the imminent and official arrival in Haiti of a contingent of 400 men. But according to all likelihood and various sources, in particular, from the Kenyan Ministry of the Interior, there are already Kenyan troops on Haitian soil who have arrived in the greatest secrecy for two weeks. Kenyan and American authorities are awaiting the arrival of these 400 soldiers to officially announce the start of the deployment of the Multinational Mission for Security Support in Haiti (MMAS), which will ultimately be commanded by Deputy Inspector General Godfrey Otunga.
(Fin)
