Although Canada and the United States agree on the fact that more must be done to help Haiti emerge from the crisis that is paralyzing it, the chief diplomats in Ottawa and Washington are still discussing the best way to do it. The United States wants an international force to be sent to allow the Haitian authorities to regain control on the ground. Discussions to this effect continued during the visit of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to Ottawa. But the federal government is not ready to commit.
Mr. Blinken began his first official visit to Canadian soil on Thursday, as the United Nations debates the intervention of such a force in Haiti and the American administration has hinted in recent days that Canada could lead the ‘operation.
The Secretary of State, however, refused to publicly confirm that Washington would like Ottawa to coordinate this international force. “We are talking among ourselves, but also with several other countries, in order to see who would be ready to participate in such a mission and who could take charge of it,” he contented himself with answering alongside the Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs. foreigners, Mélanie Joly. The United States has already made it known behind closed doors that it does not wish to take command.
In the hour preceding the arrival of Secretary Blinken, Ottawa announced the dispatch of an assessment team to Haiti to assess the security situation, the level of organization of the local police and the humanitarian situation in the country.
“Haiti needs us more than ever. We will obviously play a role, ”assured Minister Joly at a press conference.
No hasty decision
Behind the scenes in Ottawa, however, it is felt that the formation of an international armed force is premature. It still favors the exploration of a way out of the diplomatic crisis – if the two camps agree to negotiate – and the imposition, by virtue of a resolution to this effect adopted at the United Nations, of sanctions on the gangs which make reign the chaos in Haiti. Canadian police forces could also resume their efforts to train national forces, as they have done in the past.
“There will be no decision taken without the involvement of the Haitians,” insisted Mélanie Joly, noting the importance of any mission in the country having “strong legitimacy”.
“In the circumstances, we must indeed work with the Americans, with many other countries in the region”, she insisted, thus seeming to get rid of the idea that the responsibility for an international force falls on the shoulders of Canada. Ottawa has delivered, along with Washington, military equipment purchased by the Haitian government and offered $40 million to the country this year.
The idea of a “specialized armed force” has been called for by Prime Minister and interim President Ariel Henry, who has never been sworn in and has clung to power since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in July 2021 The intervention of foreign countries is however disputed on the ground, because it is seen as an “occupation” by some.
Haiti has been in crisis since gangs blocked access to essentials like water, food and oil.
Still nothing to settle the Roxham file
Minister Joly and Secretary Blinken, who met with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the end of the day, also discussed the war in Ukraine, the situation in Iran, the Arctic and the Indo-Pacific region.
Mme Joly also mentioned the safe third country agreement between Canada and the United States, which in its current state means that thousands of migrants cross the border irregularly, in particular at Roxham Road. Ottawa and Washington say they have been in discussions for years to modernize the agreement.
“Negotiations are taking place and are continuing,” contented Minister Joly with an update.
The response was equally succinct on the American side. Secretary Blinken pointed out that the file also involves many countries in South America and Latin America. The migration challenge “must be tackled by countries of origin, countries of transit and countries of destination”, he argued.