Philip Davis, prime minister of The Bahamas, delivering his opening remarks at the CARICOM Summit held in Nassau, the capital of The Bahamas. Photo: CARICOM.
The Caribbean Community (CARICOM), at its 44th Meeting of Heads of Government, reiterated that the Community must play a leadership role in addressing the deteriorating situation in Haiti, a member state of CARICOM. The declaration was made through a statement issued at the conclusion of the meeting on Saturday, February 18, in Nassau, The Bahamas.
The final declaration of the summit addressed the security situation in Haiti, “a Member State of the Community, towards which there are moral and political obligations.”
“Heads [of government of the CARICOM] affirmed that decisive action is needed at the earliest opportunity by CARICOM in view of the mounting insecurity and its widespread impact on all facets of Haitian life,” the statement added.
The CARICOM also addressed the relevance of the political agreement adopted on December 21, 2022 to achieve a so-called National Consensus for an Inclusive Transition and Transparent Elections in Haiti.
The regional body ratified that proposal, launched by Haiti’s de facto Prime Minister Ariel Henry, but stressed the need for the consensus to be more inclusive, and agreed to convene “an early meeting of stakeholders” in Jamaica.
The CARICOM heads of government also agreed to participate in another meeting in Haiti “with Haitian stakeholders, to assist in the development of a plan to restore security and the rule of law.”
In October 2022, CARICOM expressed its willingness to assist Haiti to alleviate the crisis, which has generated strong protests due to the high cost of living and the scarcity of fuel.
In a statement published on Wednesday, February 15, the CARICOM stated that it had received a letter from Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry, requesting “assistance to alleviate the deepening humanitarian, security, political and economic crisis” in the country.
The CARICOM heads of government also emphasized “on strengthening the capacity of the Haitian National Police to protect the general population from criminal activities,” and thanked the government of Canada for “the various forms of security assistance” provided to the Haitian police.
“The Heads of Government agreed to build international partnerships in support of efforts to return Haiti to peace and stability as a necessary precursor for free, fair and credible elections,” the statement concluded.
In addition to the crisis in Haiti, food and energy security and financing for climate change and health were also analyzed at the CARICOM meeting.
CARICOM, comprising 15 member states and five associates, was founded in 1973 in Trinidad and Tobago, through the Chaguaramas Treaty.
The objective of this entity is to promote integration among the Caribbean countries as a subregional body, through economic and commercial union, coordination of the foreign policy of the member states, and cooperation in various areas of common interest.
(Últimas Noticias) by Ariadna Eljuri
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/JRE/SC
