(Port-au-Prince) The highly anticipated Haitian presidential transition council was officially created on Friday, a month after the announcement of the resignation of contested Prime Minister Ariel Henry.
The formation of this body which will attempt to restore public order and stability in the country prey to gang violence, was made official by a decree signed by Mr. Henry and published in the official journal, The monitor.
“The mandate of the transitional presidential council ends, at the latest, on February 7, 2026,” according to the text.
Its members will have to “quickly” appoint a prime minister as well as an “inclusive” government.
The council is not yet formally in charge of the country and Ariel Henry “will present the resignation of his government following the appointment of a new prime minister”, specifies the document.
The poor Caribbean country has suffered from chronic political instability for decades. But at the end of February, the gangs, whose violence was already ravaging entire sections of the territory, launched coordinated attacks against strategic sites, saying they wanted to overthrow Prime Minister Ariel Henry.
The latter, appointed a few days before the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse, was strongly contested. He was unable to return to his country after a trip to Kenya.
On March 11, the same day as a meeting between Haitians and several organizations and countries such as the United States, he announced that he would resign to make way for a transitional presidential council.
The body was able to see the light of day after weeks of difficult negotiations.