Haitian Prime Minister Resigns

On March 11 (local time), the rotating chairman of the Caribbean Community (Caricom), President of Guyana Irfaan Ali confirmed that Mr. Ariel Henry had resigned as Prime Minister of Haiti.

Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry has decided to resign. (Source: Reuters)

Mr. Henry has served as Prime Minister of Haiti since President Jovenel Moise was assassinated in 2021.

Henry's resignation came after regional leaders met earlier in the day in Jamaica to discuss a framework for Haiti's political transition, Reuters reported.

A UN source revealed that the only message Caricom wanted to convey to Prime Minister Henry was to ask him to resign, a move that is likely to be supported by the countries with the most influence over Haiti, such as the United States and Canada.

The situation in the African country has deteriorated rapidly since early March, when criminal gangs attacked the National Prison in the capital Port-au-Prince, causing thousands of prisoners to escape, threatening national security. The country was forced to declare a state of emergency and extend it for another month from March 7.

Armed gangs continue to control much of the capital Port-au-Prince and continue their violent fight against the government of Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry, demanding his resignation while the leader is stranded abroad.

The United Nations remains on alert and urges the Haitian government and all relevant parties to immediately take measures to promote the political process towards elections.

Amid violence, political crisis and years of drought, some 5.5 million Haitians (50% of the country’s population) are in need of humanitarian assistance from outside. In less than a week, at least 15,000 Haitians have fled their homes to escape the violence.

In this context, AFP reported that on March 11, at a conference in Jamaica, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken pledged an additional $133 million in aid to Haiti, while emphasizing that the escalating crisis showed the urgency of deploying a multinational force.

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