Secretary of State Antony Blinken reiterated US support for an international force to help stabilize Haiti, agreeing with Prime Minister Ariel Henry on the “urgency” for such a UN-authorized operation. But he again stopped short of offering to lead it as some foreign governments grapple with whether and how to staff, fund and carry out such a mission.
The United Nations has been pushing for intervention in the Western hemisphere’s poorest country, which is racked by overlapping crises of violence and poverty. Gangs control large parts of the capital, and a cholera outbreak has killed nearly 300 people, with most cases found in the slums. The government has eroded in public confidence, and the country’s dueling political factions cannot temper the inflamed gang violence or create a viable transitional government.
Foreign leaders have earnestly discussed how to respond to the government’s call for a foreign security mission. But the complexities and risks of any deployment make it essential that Haiti’s dueling political forces agree on its basic terms to limit the risk of backlash and ensure the success of a mission.
But many Haitians have severe misgivings about military intervention. They see the proposed force as a relic of colonial dependence and a reprise of unpopular past foreign interventions. They also fear that an armed intervention will allow the government to reinforce what they see as an illegitimate hold on power.
On his visit to Trinidad and Tobago, where he attended the CARICOM summit of Caribbean nations, Blinken met with Henry, who had been calling for an international force. The two agreed on the “urgency of deploying a multinational peacekeeping or force to enable the Haitian National Police to restore stability in Haiti,” the State Department said.
Blinken also met with the foreign ministers of Guyana and Jamaica on Wednesday, urging them to strengthen their borders, work with their neighboring states to curb drug trafficking, and take steps to mitigate the impact of climate change. He also announced a new position for a senior US official to focus on the fight against guns and gun crime in the Caribbean.
Michael Ben’Ary will serve as the first US coordinator for Caribbean firearms prosecutions. Blinken also urged Caribbean countries to continue pushing financial institutions to defer debt payments in the face of natural disasters, a particularly acute concern in Haiti. He pledged $5.5 million to help small farmers in the region boost their productivity and access technology as they try to adapt to the effects of climate change. He also called for a global effort to reduce the cost of food, noting that one in two Haitians cannot afford to eat healthy foods. Blinken will travel to Guyana on Thursday to finish his trip to the Caribbean.
