(Washington) Haiti’s prime minister is in the United States to speak with a member of the White House on Monday, according to a government source, as the Caribbean country is plunged into a crisis over gang violence .
Garry Conille, interim prime minister appointed at the beginning of June, is due to meet the US deputy national security advisor, Jon Finer, as well as international fund executives in Washington, according to his office.
His trip comes at a crucial time for Haiti, ravaged since March by gang violence, and where 2,500 Kenyan police officers landed Tuesday as part of an international mission to restore security in the country.
The United States is a key player in this mission, funding it with more than $300 million in funds and nearly $60 million in equipment.
The arrival of Kenyan police officers from the multinational security force “will bring much-needed relief to Haitians,” declared US President Joe Biden.
Garry Conille, already Prime Minister of Haiti between September 2011 and May 2012, hailed a “unique opportunity” to restore order on Haitian territory.
But the task promises to be daunting.
Haiti has suffered from decades of political instability and is facing a resurgence of gang violence, which controls 80% of the capital Port-au-Prince, coupled with a humanitarian crisis.
Nearly 600,000 people have fled gang violence and more than a hundred Haitian migrants arrived in Florida on Wednesday after seven days at sea.
The restoration of security in the Caribbean country should ultimately allow elections to be held. The last one dates back to 2016.