Haitiās Prime Minister Garry Conille announced on Wednesday that his newly installed government will prioritize enhancing security and cracking down on corruption in the troubled Caribbean nation.
āHaiti faces major challenges. Violence and instability paralyze our daily lives,ā Conille stated during an official ceremony. āMy government will work tirelessly to improve the conditions of every Haitian. Without security, no sustainable progress can be achieved.ā
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Conille emphasized the importance of equipping police and soldiers to meet current security challenges effectively. āIt is crucial that our police and soldiers are ready to face todayās security challenges. We will ensure they have the tools needed to carry out their mission effectively and professionally.ā
Haiti has long been plagued by gang violence, which escalated at the end of February when armed groups launched coordinated attacks in Port-au-Prince, aiming to overthrow then-prime minister Ariel Henry. Henry announced in early March that he would step down, passing executive power to the transitional council. On Tuesday, a decree appointing members of the new cabinet was published, two weeks after the council named Conille as interim prime minister.
Conille also stressed the need to reform and strengthen Haitiās state institutions. āThe fight against corruption will be an absolute priority of my government,ā he said, promising regular audits of public resources.
Edgard Leblanc Fils, president of the transitional council, stated that the government’s goal is to āpave the way for free, democratic, credible, and transparent elections.ā
Last year, a UN-backed security force led by Kenya was promised to support the struggling Haitian police, though it has yet to be deployed. Kenyaās President William Ruto indicated that the deployment, involving 1,000 officers alongside personnel from several other countries, is expected to start within a few weeks.