Criminality is ubiquitous in Haitian officialdom. In fact, Haitian politics and government at all levels have become so enmeshed in and dependent on graft, gunrunning, drug smuggling, and gang violence that it is nearly impossible to disentangle them.
Diagnosis of the crisis has been easy—but what key actors in Haiti and its international partners can agree on what to do about has remained muddled.
Since March 2021, Haitian civil society has been working hard to develop innovative, local solutions to the country’s problems, including a blueprint for a Haitian-led transition that could well forge a new path for the country. For that plan to work, the changes will need to be profound and transformative, and the process of implementing them as inclusive and empowering, as possible.
Unless there is a course adjustment soon, all signs point to a catastrophic political and humanitarian crisis in Haiti.
What is needed is a consensus roadmap for policymakers — both in Haiti and among key international actors — that responds to Haiti’s needs over the horizon.
