A new government expected Tuesday in Haiti

Published on : 07/19/2021 – 5:55 PM

Haiti will have a new government on Tuesday, July 20, of which Ariel Henry will be the Prime Minister. He had been appointed by President Jovenel Moïse just before he was assassinated.

In this new government, the current interim Prime Minister, Claude Joseph, will resume his post as Minister of Foreign Affairs, said this source.

This announcement seems to put an end to the standoff between Claude Joseph and Ariel Henry, in competition for the leadership of the executive.

“For several days, Claude Joseph and Ariel Henry have multiplied working meetings which will lead to the formation of an inclusive government with Ariel Henry as Prime Minister and Claude Joseph, Minister of Foreign Affairs,” said the official.

“There will be no President of the Republic. The mission of this new government will be to organize the general elections as quickly as possible”, he added.

A “consensual and inclusive” government

The balance finally tipped in favor of Ariel Henry, who benefited over the weekend from the support of a group of ambassadors representing the following countries: Germany, Brazil, Canada, Spain, United States, France, Union European Union, as well as the Special Representative of the Organization of American States (OAS) and the Special Representative of the Secretary General of the United Nations.

In a statement on Saturday, this “Core Group” called “for the formation of a consensual and inclusive government”.

“To this end, (the Core Group) strongly encourages Prime Minister-designate Ariel Henry to continue the mission entrusted to him to form such a government,” added the ambassadors.

The funeral of Jovenel Moïse, shot in the middle of the night on July 7 by an armed commando, will take place on Friday.

Ariel Henry, a 71-year-old surgeon, is on his third ministerial experience. He was Minister of the Interior from January to September 2015, then Minister of Social Affairs and Labor from September 2015 to March 2016. He was also a member of the cabinet of the Minister of Public Health from June 2006 to September 2008, before become chief of staff from September 2008 to October 2011.

With AFP