Haiti’s main political parties have reached an agreement establishing a transition government until the holding of presidential elections and a constitutional referendum next year.
The agreement, reached over the weekend, establishes a Council of Ministers under the leadership of Prime Minister Ariel Henry.
“I have the assurance that this agreement will make it possible to conduct the affairs of the State during the interim period as short as possible, in order to achieve our main common objective which is a return to the normal functioning of our democratic institutions on new bases, in a secure and stable environment,” Henry said.
The “agreement for peaceful and effective good governance” was signed between Henry, who has been leading the country since the assassination of President Jovenel Moise on July 7.
“Rest assured that no distraction, no summons or invitation, no maneuver, no threat, no rear guard combat, will distract me from my mission.
“I want to say to those who have not yet understood it, that the diversionary maneuvers to sow confusion and prevent justice from doing its job serenely, will not pass. The real culprits, the intellectual authors and the sponsors of the heinous assassination of President Jovenel Moïse will be identified, brought to justice and punished for their crime,” Henry said.
His statement is in reference to an invitation by the Government Commissioner of Port-au-Prince for him to come forward and explain to the Public Prosecutor’s Office regarding two phone calls he allegedly made to Felix Badio on the day of the assassination of President Moïse.
Badio is one of the main suspects in the assassination of Moïse and has been on the police have been searching for him.
The spokesman for the opposition grouping known as “Democratic and Popular Sector” (SDP), André Michel as well as the representatives of political groups such as Edmonde Supplice de la Fusion, Saurel Yacinthe from INITE, signed this agreement.
“It was not an easy decision… But we understood that the time has come to build this country on a consensual basis of dialogue permanent. If this agreement did not contain the demands of the population, the democratic and popular sector would not sign,” said Michel.
According to the Commission for the Search for a Solution to the Haitian Crisis (CRSHC), the course is now set on the creation of a monitoring office composed of 21 members including 13 from the CRSHC, three representatives of civil society, three representatives of political parties and two members of the popular sector.
The 25-member National Transitional Council will comprise 52 members including 27 members of the social sectors and 25 members of parties, groups and political poles which will be responsible, among other things, to choose a President and a Prime Minister who will have to lead the transition for a period of 24 months.
CRSHC said it was inviting all Haitians to read the agreement of August 30, 2021, and signed on September 11 and to append their signature online if they wish, to support this agreement.
“It was not an easy decision… But we understood that the time has come to build this country on a consensual basis of dialogue permanent. If this agreement did not contain the demands of the population, the democratic and popular sector would not sign,” said Michel.
The agreement established the holding of presidential elections by the end of 2022. It also included a national constituent assembly made of 33 members appointed by institutions and civil society organizations.
The assembly will have three months to prepare a new Constitution to be voted in a referendum by Haitians.
CMC
