Antony Blinken says most members of Haiti’s transitional council have been appointed

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Friday that most of the nine members of Haiti’s political transition council have been nominated by the groups they represent, but several have yet to be confirmed.

Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry announced on Monday that he would resign once a committee of seven voting members and two observers from different political alliances and social classes is in place.

The U.S. State Department said on Tuesday it expected transition committee members to be appointed within the next 24 to 48 hours, but the process was already lagging.

“It’s never going to be smooth sailing, it’s never going to be linear,” Blinken told reporters during a visit to Austria. “So it’s a work in progress, but we’re already seeing progress.”

The Miami Herald reported Thursday that five groups have put forward slates of candidates, but divisions remain, with one group putting forward multiple candidates.

Party platform Pitit Desalin said on Wednesday it would withdraw from the agreement. It plans to set up its own committee, which it hopes will include Guy Philippe. Guy Philippe, who was deported from the United States in November after serving six years in prison, is seeking amnesty for the gang leader.

Blinken participated in Caribbean Group talks on Monday with representatives of the Haitian government and opposition on resolving the crisis in Haiti. Escalating gang violence is exacerbating a humanitarian disaster, cutting off food supplies and forcing hundreds of thousands from their homes.

Port-au-Prince was initially calm after Henry announced his resignation late on Monday, but violence has erupted again in the past two days.

Thick smoke billowed from downtown Port-au-Prince on Friday. Local media reported that businesses in the affluent suburb of Pétionville had closed and burning tires blocked the streets of nearby Delmas.

“It all started very, very badly,” Frederic Boisrond, a sociologist at McGill University, told Radio-Canada, noting dissent within the group where the Jamaican leader proposed a transitional committee.

“Elections are a very long-term prospect,” he added, noting that electoral rolls would need to be reestablished and mayors, senators and representatives reappointed after security is restored. “This is a huge machine that needs to be reinstalled. Haiti is in year zero of democracy.”

Haiti’s last election was held in 2016, with a reported turnout of around 20%.

Meanwhile, heavily armed gangs have taken over much of the capital, and human rights groups report widespread killings, kidnappings and sexual violence. The United Nations estimates that more than 360,000 people are internally displaced in Haiti.

stumbling block

U.S. aid chief Samantha Power announced Friday $25 million in humanitarian aid to Haiti for food, basic relief supplies, relocation support and emergency medical care. That’s in addition to the $33 million announced Monday.

A humanitarian bridge announced by the United Nations to be operational from the Dominican Republic has encountered a setback.

Dominican authorities said they had agreed with Haiti an evacuation route “dedicated to Dominicans and staff of missions, diplomacy and international organizations as a precautionary or emergency exit.” The route will be operated by the organization’s own aircraft, they said.

Blinken also said on Friday that international forces aimed at restoring security in Haiti were moving forward, but challenges remained.

As security in Haiti deteriorates, the Kenyan-led force faces obstacles in terms of funding and concerns within Kenya. Nairobi announced earlier this week that it was suspending the deployment and would reassess it once Haiti’s new government is in place.

“Once the new committee is fully formed – which again I expect that to happen in the next few days – the force process will be able to move forward and then our trajectory will at least have a chance of leaving Haiti in a more stable place,” Blinken said.

“Having said that, this process faces challenges every day. There are political challenges, there are security challenges, and we are working hard to address those challenges.”