(Djerba) Canada on Sunday announced new aid for Haiti and the imposition of sanctions against former Haitian President Michel Martelly and the two former prime ministers accused of profiting from the work of armed gangs.
Mr. Trudeau made the statement during a meeting on Haiti that took place on the last day of the Francophonie Summit in Tunisia.
Canada has extended economic sanctions to three prominent Haitian personalities: former President Michel Martelly as well as former Prime Ministers Laurent Lamothe and Jean-Henry Céant.
PHOTO HECTOR RETAMAL, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE ARCHIVES
Former President of Haiti Michel Martelly
According to Federal Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly, this trio helped criminal gangs undermine the current government of Haiti. She urged her international partners to follow Canada’s lead.
“Our sanctions are linked to the fact that those sanctioned directly profit from the work of gangs and are associated with a corrupt regime,” she said.
Haitian Foreign Minister Jean Victor Généus said the new sanctions will have real consequences for those who turned his country into a “nightmare”.
“The sanctions will have a deterrent impact,” he said during the meeting.
No Canadian military intervention
The Haitian government wants international military intervention to fight gangs blocking access to fuel and essential supplies, amid a worsening cholera outbreak.
But Canada will not intervene militarily in Haiti unless all political parties in that country agree, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said.
The United States has said that Canada would be an ideal leader for such a military intervention, but Ottawa has suggested other ways to help Haiti.
“Canada is very open to playing an important role, but we must have a Haitian consensus,” said Mr. Trudeau.
Justin Trudeau said Sunday that Canada was working with the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and actors from all Haitian political parties to achieve consensus on international assistance.
“It’s not enough for the government to ask for help,” he said. There must be a consensus between the government and the opposition. If we want to resolve the enormous issues and challenges facing the Haitian people, we must have an agreement, a political harmony that is very clear on the way forward. »
A team from Global Affairs Canada that traveled to Haiti to try to understand what is going on there has already returned to Canada and presented its report at meetings Trudeau says he attended.
It will be very complicated to develop a strategy because several members of the Haitian elite have already used previous humanitarian crises to enrich themselves on the backs of the people.
“That’s why we have an approach that will go step by step. We understand the urgency of the crisis, but we know that we have to do things to really help the Haitian people regain stability, not only in the short term, but also in the long term. »
The Prime Minister also announced investments totaling $16.5 million to help stabilize Haiti. The amounts are distributed as follows: $8 million to meet the needs of populations affected by the crisis, $5 million to help the Haitian authorities investigate, prosecute and judge cases of corruption and economic crime, money laundering money and related offences, 3.5 million to strengthen and improve access to legal aid for victims of gender-based violence as well as to support the strengthening of access to justice, the fight against impunity and the fight against corruption.
23.4 million to promote the French language
Mr. Trudeau also announced $23.4 million in funds to various Francophonie agencies to promote the French language, democracy and education in French in emerging countries.
He added that Canada will provide approximately $125 million to support various sustainable development projects in the Sahel, particularly in Mali and Burkina Faso, and counter-terrorism in Francophone West Africa.
The Canadian Prime Minister also met with the President of Niger, Mohamed Bazoum, who deplored Canada’s disengagement in the region.
“Canada was one of Canada’s most important partners in the 1970s. Canada was very present,” he said at the start of the meeting. We have moved away a bit, but we will continue to work to ensure that our ties become closer again. »
Trudeau says he was not informed of Chinese interference
Justin Trudeau said he was never told if any parliamentary candidates in the last federal election had received funding from the Chinese government.
A Global News report that aired earlier this month cited unnamed sources as saying Trudeau had been informed last January that China had attempted to interfere in Canadian politics, including by funding at least 11 candidates in the federal elections of 2019.
The Liberals were questioned repeatedly in the House of Commons this week by opposition MPs, who demanded that they reveal the identities of the candidates involved and find out what Canada intended to do about the Chinese interference. .
From Tunisia, Mr. Trudeau said he had never been informed by security or intelligence officials of the existence of Chinese-funded candidates.
He claimed to have learned of the allegation when the Global News report aired.
Trudeau said he asked security officials to review the reports and provide all possible information to a House of Commons committee that is currently studying the allegations.
The Canadian Press