Haiti’s Prime Minister Ariel Henry has agreed to resign, the chair of the Caribbean community (Caricom) has announced, after weeks of mounting pressure and escalating gang violence in the country.
The announcement from Guyana’s President Irfaan Ali came after regional leaders met in Jamaica on Monday to discuss a political transition in Haiti. Henry is currently stranded in Puerto Rico, unable to return home due to armed gangs controlling territory.
“We acknowledge his resignation upon the establishment of a transitional presidential council and naming of an interim prime minister,” President Ali said after the meeting in Kingston.
Heavily armed gangs have taken over streets in the capital Port-au-Prince recently, demanding Henry’s resignation despite him leading as unelected premier since the killing of President Jovenel Moïse in July 2021.
A month-long state of emergency and nighttime curfew are in force in the Port-au-Prince area as the government struggles to regain control amid a spiral of gang dominance.
Henry had been abroad trying to secure an international security force when a gang coalition launched attacks, storming police stations and Haiti’s main prisons. His plane was blocked from landing back in the country.
The Caricom group had made clear Henry was an impediment to stability, while the US also shifted to accepting his departure was necessary despite initially wanting him to stay for a transition.
A senior US official said Henry decided to resign on Friday but announcement was delayed for further talks. Secretary of State Antony Blinken committed another $100m towards the planned UN-backed security force.
President Ali said a seven-member transitional council would appoint an interim PM swiftly, excluding any potential candidates in future elections. It aims to restore order and hold votes for the first time since 2016, after postponements under Henry.
Many Haitians had questioned his legitimacy governing without an elected head of state for so long. His resignation paves the way for fresh attempts to stem the gang crisis and chart a path to overdue elections.
