Basseterre, 16 February 2024 – The Right Honourable Dr. Denzil Douglas, Minister of Affairs on Tuesday 13th February 2024 participated with his CARICOM colleagues in consecutive virtual meetings- firstly with the US Assistant Secretary of State for the Western Hemisphere Affairs, Brian Nichols and subsequently in the Eighteenth (18th) Informal Consultations of the COFCOR.
Tuesday’s virtual meetings primarily focused on the ongoing situation in Haiti, status of preparations for the international security force as well as the continuing advocacy for voluntary support to the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission.
The United Nations Security Council Resolution 2699 (2023), adopted on 2nd October 2023, inter alia, authorized a Kenya-led security mission in Haiti for one year with a review after nine (9) months.
The United States has pledged 200 million to the mission and Jamaica, the Bahamas and Antigua and Barbuda have already pledged to send personnel. Kenya may deploy up to 1000 troops. CARICOM Member States had previously called for international assistance for the Haitian National Police (HNP) to quell the surge in gang violence, restore stability in the country, and pave the way for free and fair elections. The CARICOM Eminent Persons Group (EPG) remains engaged with Haitian stakeholders to ensure that they fulfill their commitment to develop the relevant framework agreement for a governance structure in support of political stability and democracy in the country.
Minister Douglas is pleased with the solidarity being expressed by the global community on the MSS mission and on the advancement of the process to date. He however, expressed that the Government and people of Saint Kitts and Nevis remain gravely concerned about the multipronged crisis in Haiti and promised that Saint Kitts and Nevis will continue to remain both seized of the situation and engaged in the ongoing deliberations on the deployment of the international armed force to assist the Haitian people.
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