On Thursday, the Organization of American States (OAS) highlighted the urgency of providing humanitarian and electoral assistance to Haiti, after reviewing the report submitted by the Working Group established in February to support a potential electoral process in the country. The OAS Permanent Council commended the efforts of the fourteen member states that made up the group, which engaged in a dialogue with the Haitian government and presented a detailed overview of security and humanitarian needs in Haiti. The report recommends that OAS member states and permanent observer state coordinate and integrate their efforts with other actors to provide timely and comprehensive support to the Haitian people.
The Ambassador of Trinidad and Tobago to the OAS, Anthony Phillips-Spencer, emphasized that the report’s primary objective is to inform states about areas in need of assistance and immediate support, such as security and democracy. Phillips-Spencer stressed the importance of delivering humanitarian and electoral assistance to ensure free and fair elections in Haiti. The report notes that most of the international humanitarian aid sent to Haiti so far has been directed at addressing insecurity, leaving other areas underserved. Haiti is currently experiencing a severe crisis, including armed gangs controlling a significant part of the capital, a cholera outbreak, and increased migration to neighboring countries in the Caribbean and the United States. The Haitian Prime Minister, Ariel Henry, requested international military aid to combat the gangs last October.
In recent months, the United States and Canada have imposed sanctions on Haitian political leaders for alleged drug trafficking, money laundering, and financing and supporting armed gangs. The OAS has reported that entities such as the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) have committed to working with the Working Group in the months ahead. US ambassador to the OAS, Frank Mora, expressed the urgent need for aid and pledged to continue the dialogue on providing assistance to Haiti.