What we know about the installation of the Presidential Council scheduled for Thursday

Updated at 8:48

The installation of the members of the Transitional Presidential Council is taking place this morning of Thursday, April 25, 2024, at the national palace. This is what we know about the event to date.

Inauguration location

Some are still wondering where the inauguration will actually be held. The latest news is that the inauguration is currently being held at the presidential palace, instead of the Villa d’Accueil (Sources: AlterPresse, Radio Galaxie).

Guests

Around a hundred guests were expected to participate in the inauguration ceremony of the Presidential Transitional Council, according to sources close to the Council contacted by Loop. The guests will be members of the Diplomatic Corps, high dignitaries and some political figures, we learned. Initially, it was planned to invite around 400 people, but the security situation changed that.

Inauguration speech

Questioned by Le Nouvelliste, to know who will deliver the official speech during the inauguration this Thursday, “a source at the Council informed the newspaper that the councilors have chosen a neutral member of the Council, Régine Abraham, to make the inauguration speech.”

However, since Wednesday evening, information in circulation suggests that it is the former ambassador of Haiti to the Dominican Republic, Smith Augustin, representative of the RED/EDE Compromis historique platform, who will deliver the official speech. This choice would have been made because of his younger age, but also because he is not a candidate for the position of president of the Council, according to Metronome.

Media coverage

Our sources close to the Council inform us that media participation in the event will be “very tight due to the security situation”. Only a few media will take part in the ceremony. Remember that the members of the Council initially wanted the public to be able to follow the event live. It is unclear whether this will be the case this morning.

Note also that the election to designate the president of the Presidential Council could not take place this Tuesday as announced. According to our sources, representatives within the nine-member entity prefer that the installation take place before the choice of the body’s president.

As a reminder, the council will be composed of seven members with voting rights, representing the main political forces in Haiti and the private sector. Two observers without the right to vote will also represent the voice of civil society, the other of the religious community.

This article will be updated…