HAITI'S Prime Minister Garry Conille Takes a Stand Against Violent Gangs

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti, September 5, 2024 - As the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken prepares to visit Haiti, Prime Minister Garry Conille is taking bold steps to curb the violent gangs that have taken control of large parts of the capital, Port-au-Prince, and are spreading into other regions.

In a bid to restore order and stability to the Caribbean nation, Conille has expanded the state of emergency to cover the entire country, a move that comes as the government battles to contain the escalating violence.

With nearly 580,000 people internally displaced and close to five million facing severe hunger, Conille's administration is racing against time to regain control of the streets and restore basic services. 

The Prime Minister has been working tirelessly since the new government was formed three months ago to address the crisis, and his efforts have been bolstered by the US, which is the largest funder of a UN-backed security mission aimed at combating gang violence.

Conille's plan to retake areas controlled by gangs involves supplying the Haitian army and national police with equipment and resources to tackle the violent groups. The Prime Minister has also been working to address the root causes of the crisis, including poverty, unemployment, and lack of access to basic services.

The state of emergency, which was initially declared in the Ouest department, has been extended to cover the entire country, including the agricultural area of Artibonite, the Centre department, and Nippes, on the southern peninsula. The move is a clear indication of the government's determination to tackle the crisis head-on and restore stability to the nation.

As Blinken prepares to meet Conille, the US Secretary of State is expected to discuss the forthcoming steps in Haiti's democratic transition. The visit comes as more than a million people remain without electricity in Port-au-Prince, after protesters stormed and vandalized a power plant.

The situation in Haiti is dire, but Conille's leadership and determination to address the crisis offer a glimmer of hope. With the support of the international community, the Prime Minister is working to restore order, stability, and hope to the people of Haiti.

In March, armed gangs stormed Haiti’s two biggest prisons, freeing around 3,700 inmates.

The Ouest Department - a region including the nation's capital, Port-au-Prince - was originally put under a state of emergency on 3 March, after escalating violence gripped the capital.

In June and July, a group of 400 Kenyan police officers arrived in Haiti to help combat the violence, the first tranche of a UN-approved international force that will be made up of 2,500 officers from various countries.

-30-