During a press conference in Ottawa on Thursday, United States (US) Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his Canadian counterpart Mélanie Joly remained non-committal on leading a multi-national joint task force to deal with the security crisis in Haiti.
Though the pair raised concern about the political, humanitarian, and security crises faced by the island nation, Blinken stressed that any “potential mission” would be “very limited in scope, limited in time, and in support of the Haitian National Police, because the purpose is to reinforce their capacity to finally get a grip on the security situation and to deal with the problem of gangs dominating certain critical parts of Port-au-Prince in particular.”
The United States and Canada are working closely with our partners to achieve stability, safety, and health for Haiti. https://t.co/elaNZvzU8S pic.twitter.com/v7lIJNG19k
— Department of State (@StateDept) October 28, 2022
“We’re talking between us, but also with many other countries about who might be willing to participate in such a mission, as well as who will lead it,” he said, adding, “That’s an ongoing conversation that we’re both having, and having with others. So this is a work in progress, and we’re continuing to pursue it.”
The United Nations (UN) has supported the idea of a joint task force “improve the security situation and enable the flow of desperately needed humanitarian aid to Haiti.” It will be put to a vote next month. Both the US and Mexico have gotten behind the proposal, with US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield noting that it would be a “non-UN” mission and could be empowered to use military force if necessary.
Prior to Blinken’s visit to Ottawa, US Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs Brian Nichols had said that Canada would be a key player in leading efforts to resolve the brewing crisis in Haiti; however, no firm answer was forthcoming during Blinken’s visit.
Investing in the Indo-Pacific, developing our Arctic Strategy, supporting Ukraine, addressing the crises in Haiti— these are all key priorities for 🇨🇦 & 🇺🇸. We share an essential partnership, together, @SecBlinken and I are committed to addressing the most pressing global issues. pic.twitter.com/dBlUbrwtMJ
— Mélanie Joly (@melaniejoly) October 27, 2022
Joly emphasised that the country was thrust into a “triple crisis” following the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moise last year—a dire security situation with access to fuel blocked by gangs, rising humanitarian problem due to a cholera outbreak that has infected at least 2,243 people and killed 55, and the need for “fair elections” to deal with the ineffective interim government of Prime Minister Ariel Henry. Henry’s position as PM has been repeatedly met with violent protests due to economic and security concerns as well as his alleged involvement in Moïse’s death.
Keeping this in mind, Joly stressed, “No decision will be taken without the involvement of the Haitians themselves,” adding, “We will always support solutions that are by and for Haitians.” She also mentioned that an assessment team is currently on the ground in Haiti “to understand what is the state of the police force in Haiti and what is the current security situation,” noting that Ottawa is looking at “different options.”
Joly also said that Canada is considering imposing sanctions on “the people that are at the core of the financing of these gangs, and we need to make sure that we have a strong approach when it comes to sanctioning” in order to hold them accountable. Noting that Canada has provided $40 million for the Haitian police this year she asserted that Canada and Haiti share a “strong relationship.” “And more than ever, Haiti needs us. And so of course we will play a role,” she stated.
I met with @JustinTrudeau in Ottawa to discuss our shared priorities, from strengthening North American competitiveness to supporting Ukraine and Haiti. It is always a pleasure to speak about our close friendship and common values – even more so while on Canadian soil. pic.twitter.com/Cr4Udd8DzU
— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) October 28, 2022
In this regard, the US and Canada recently supplied armoured vehicles to the Haitian police and are also considering training local security forces.
Meanwhile, Blinken also met with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to discuss “the progress we have made together on the goals laid out in the Roadmap for a Renewed US-Canada Partnership.” He will also visit a lithium factory in Montreal.