The turbulent social and political situation of the Haitian people will be addressed at a Caribbean high-level meeting. Author: rebellious youth
NASSAU, Bahamas, Feb. 15—44th. The Caribbean Community (Caricom) summit began this Wednesday with the expected presence of Canada and the United States and with the aim of obtaining aid for Haiti but promoting a “Haitian solution”.
During a pre-appointment press conference reviewed by EFE, the Bahamas Prime Minister and President pro tempore of the block, Philip Davies said that “at Caricom we don’t have the resources to solve the Haiti problem on our own and we need outside help.”
For this reason, he added, we are looking “up north in Canada and the United States to come to the rescue.”
However, he clarified that “it has to be a Haitian solution, not a US, Canadian or Caribbean solution. We are here to help them find a solution.”
Davis insisted that Caricom wanted to “stabilize the country enough to ensure free and fair elections.”
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was expected to arrive Wednesday afternoon for a three-day meeting, and the presence of US Presidential Climate Envoy John Kerry was also announced, he added. office.
According to the information, the Canadian government issued a statement last Tuesday saying that Trudeau and Kerry expressed deep concern about the current crisis in Haiti and “the importance of supporting regional actors.”
“(They) reaffirmed their commitment to work together to support the decisions put forward by the Haitians, advance dialogue towards democratic elections, and strengthen Haiti’s effective capacity to enforce the law,” the statement said.
The presence of criminal gangs has worsened the situation in Haiti, especially after the assassination of President Jovenel Moise in July 2021. The elections, already behind schedule at the time, continued to be delayed and instability increased.
While voices from the Haitian government itself, such as that of Prime Minister Ariel Henry, called on the international community to support the Haitian security forces in the fight against the proliferation of organized crime and arms trafficking, other statements, mainly from Haitian organizations, spoke out against intervention, meaning a presence in the country foreign troops.
In addition to the crisis in Haiti, the issue of Ukraine is also expected to occupy the leaders of Caricom, as it was announced that the President of this country, Volodymyr Zelensky, will address the Community plenary meeting on Friday. via videoconference from Kyiv.
Bahamas sources cited by Telesur said Trudeau’s presence is also aimed at exploring how Canada can strengthen cooperation with the bloc, which will be discussed during a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Davis.
Similarly, leaders will consider measures to improve the prospects for food security in the region, based on the latest report from Caricom’s ministerial working group on the matter, Telesur added.
The issue of financing actions to combat the consequences of climate change is also on the agenda, therefore, the presence of representatives of the World Trade Organization and international financial organizations at the summit was announced.
Davis will open the meeting this Wednesday, when bloc general secretary Carla Barnett will also speak, Telesur reports.
The Caribbean Community was formed in July 1973 and consists of the Bahamas, Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Lucia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago.
Source: Juventud Rebelde