Haiti declares national emergency, US Secretary of State personally arrives to assess the situation

As the Haitian government declared a month-long state of emergency due to escalating crime and violence, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken made a rare visit to the Caribbean nation.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrives in Haiti on September 5. (The Washington Post)

According to AFP news agency, this is the first visit by a senior US official to Haiti since 2015. Mr. Blinken will meet with members of the newly established transitional council and interim Prime Minister Garry Connile to discuss the security and political situation.

On September 5, at a press conference during his visit, the US Secretary of State announced $45 million in humanitarian aid to Haiti and called on the international community to contribute more funding and manpower to the security and stability forces there.

According to Secretary of State Blinken, the United States supports the extension of the mandate of the United Nations-led Multinational Security Assistance Mission (MSS) to support Haiti in its fight against armed gangs that have taken control of much of the capital and expanded into neighboring areas.

The mission was initially approved for a 12-month term, set to expire in October, but has so far failed to achieve much due to a lack of staff and funding.

Ahead of the visit, US Assistant Secretary of State for the Western Hemisphere Brian Nichols said a major focus of Mr. Blinken’s visit will be discussing stable funding for the MSS. The Biden administration has committed $360 million to the mission, including logistical support and equipment.

According to Mr. Nichols, this is a "critical moment" for Haiti and Secretary of State Blinken will "reaffirm Washington's commitment to supporting the Haitian people and promoting peace."

The visit comes two months after Kenya sent police to Haiti to join an international force to restore order. Haiti has not held elections since 2016 and is facing a prolonged period of violence and instability.

Thousands of prisoners escaped in two mass jailbreaks in Haiti's capital earlier in March, and tensions have shown no sign of easing since.

On September 4, the Haitian government declared a month-long nationwide state of emergency due to increasingly serious crime and violence.

There are currently about 400 Kenyan police in Haiti, but the mission requires the participation of police and soldiers from the Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Benin, Chad and Jamaica for a total of 2,500 personnel.

The force will be deployed in phases, at a cost of about $600 million a year. To date, the UN has received $68 million of the $85 million pledged for the mission.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/haiti-ban-bo-lenh-tinh-trang-khan-cap-toan-quoc-ngoai-truong-my-dich-than-toi-danh-gia-tinh-hinh-285190.html