A year after Moïse’s assassination, U.S., partners are coming to Haiti’s aid | Opinion

Haiti has reached a critical point. At least 150 people lost their lives in early May during an intense wave of violence in and around Port-au-Prince as gangs sought to increase their territorial control.

The one-year anniversary of President Jovenel Moïse’s murder looms, with no justice for his family and no political accord to put Haiti back on the path of democracy. Fuel shortages and labor disputes hamper Haiti’s economic recovery. Russia’s brutal war of choice against Ukraine is worsening Haiti’s already dire food insecurity. Gang violence and poverty are driving Haitians to place their lives in the hands of unscrupulous human smugglers.

Amid these dire circumstances, the United States remains committed to walking with the Haitian people as they seek to restore democratic order and build a brighter future for their citizens.

On July 8 — one day after the anniversary of President Moise’s shocking assassination — we will join international partners, led by Suriname, the Caribbean Community’s incoming chair, to urge world leaders to focus their attention on Haiti, redouble their efforts to improve security with tangible contributions and exhort Haiti’s government to recommit to dialogue and a broad, inclusive political accord. Since launching these meetings in December, the United States, together with Canada and France, has continued to rally like-minded partners to do more. Together, we have mobilized more than $140 million and expect to secure further commitments in the weeks to come

The United Nations remains an essential partner in Haiti, providing expertise and coordination for our collective efforts in support of political progress, human rights and security. The U.N. Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) needs international support to extend its mandate beyond July 15, and we will continue to engage partner nations and international organizations to expand support for BINUH and its vital efforts.

The time has come for additional steps that will allow Haiti to restore democratic order. Prime Minister Ariel Henry, the Montana Group and other key stakeholders must move swiftly to finalize an inclusive political accord so the government of Haiti can begin the work needed to enable free, fair and transparent elections when conditions permit. While these efforts must be Haitian-led, the United States, in conjunction with our international partners, stands ready to provide support.

Security conditions in Haiti must improve so Haitians can go about their lives in peace and cast their ballots with confidence, knowing the results reflect their voices. Since 2021, the United States has quadrupled our security assistance to strengthen the Haitian police’s capacity to counter gangs.

A secure democracy rests on a foundation of law. To that end, the U.S. government has made every effort to assist Haitian authorities with the investigation into President Moïse’s assassination. We support a thorough, independent investigation. In parallel, the U.S. government has charged and extradited, where necessary, three individuals who planned or organized the plot to assassinate Haiti’s president while they were on U.S. soil. Those responsible for President Moïse’s death must be held accountable.

In the wake of last summer’s tragic events, the United States has committed significant resources to support the Haitian people as they work to confront growing insecurity, restore democratic institutions, and revive the country’s economic development. In addition to security assistance, the United States provided more than $153 million in life-saving humanitarian assistance and early recovery, risk reduction and resilience programming to those most in need.

We have deployed more than $47 million in assistance to fight the COVID-19 pandemic in Haiti and donated approximately 500,000 safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines doses. And our actions have spurred our international partners to step up their own efforts.

While Haiti’s challenges are daunting, they are not insurmountable. The United States remains a key partner in helping the Haitian people put their country back on the path to peace and democracy. The Haitian people deserve nothing less.

Brian A. Nichols is U.S. assistant secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs.

This story was originally published July 6, 2022 at 5:16 PM.