Latin America Advisor
Latin America Advisor
A Publication of The Dialogue
Can the Transitional Council Lead Haiti Effectively?
Haiti’s transitional presidential council began work last month, but one of its most important early decisions, selecting an interim prime minister, led to discord. // File Photo: Alex via Creative Commons.
The first days of Haiti’s transitional presidential council were marked by discord when just four of its seven voting members last week nominated Fritz Bélizaire, a little-known former sports minister, as the country’s prime minister. Critics said he was incorrectly selected, without the input of the remainder of the council. The controversy led Bélizaire’s supporters on the council to walk back the decision and say they would instead select a prime minister from a pool of applicants, Reuters reported. What does the controversy over the appointment of an interim prime minister mean for the council and its ability to move Haiti out of its crisis? What must the council do to establish a viable leadership and advance the country toward political stability? Should the gangs that are estimated to control most of Port-au-Prince have a seat at the table?
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Keith W. Mines, vice president for Latin America at the United States Institute of Peace: “To say Haiti’s Transitional Council got off to a rocky start is an understatement. The council was formed for the most part via Zoom with facilitation from outside Haiti, so there was always going to be a challenging transition to working face-to-face in Haiti. But the council quickly fell into blocs that communicated to each other via radio and the press, even as one bloc made a bold nonconsensual grab for power that remains to be sorted out. Several things would help the council to reach its full potential for guiding Haiti’s urgent transition to functional and democratic governance. First, the council will need to meet daily in person, arrive at consensus and then…”
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The Inter-American Dialogue publishes the Latin America Advisor every business day for a distinguished membership of informed corporate leaders, scholars, and government officials invested in Latin America’s development and future. The Advisor‘s highly regarded Q&A section covers questions submitted by subscribers themselves. Commentators regularly include heads of state, business leaders, diplomats, economists, analysts, and thought leaders from around the world. Many of the world’s largest and fastest-growing companies subscribe to the Advisor. To subscribe, click here. For terms and conditions, click here. For more information, contact Gene Kuleta, editor of the Advisor, at gkuleta@thedialogue.org.
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