Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly is announcing more support for Haiti, as neighbouring countries say they have hope the Caribbean nation can overcome a severe political and humanitarian crisis.
For Canada’s support to Haiti to be effective, it must be well-coordinated and integrated. The Haitian people deserve no less.
— Mélanie Joly (@melaniejoly) June 15, 2023
That’s why we held a ministerial meeting on Haiti and announced the Canada-led Joint security coordination cell.
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Canada is adding two former senators to its list of sanctioned Haitian elites whom Ottawa accuses of supporting gangs, bringing the total to 21 people.
Ottawa is also adding $13 million to its funding for law enforcement, as Canada and the U.S. focus on shoring up the work of the Haitian National Police as they try to stop gangs from committing brazen acts of violence and controlling critical infrastructure.
Lastly, we announced $13 million in aid for Haiti through the UN Development Program and the UN Drugs and Crimes Office, helping to address both immediate and long term concerns.
— Mélanie Joly (@melaniejoly) June 15, 2023
Joly has convened a meeting of ministers from Haiti and countries concerned about the gangs that have filled a power vacuum after the 2021 assassination of president Jovenel Moïse.
She also announced that Canada is launching a "co-ordination cell" this summer, which will have Ottawa harmonize security efforts by Haiti and multiple countries, such as assessing the training and material needs of police.
The United Nations' representative in the country noted that recent earthquakes and floods have worsened instability, hunger and a cholera outbreak.
The Jamaican government says efforts funded by Canada and the U.S. to get Haitian leaders to carve out a political solution to the crisis have found some momentum, but it says Haiti might still need the international military intervention it requested last fall.
"The situation on the ground is extremely fragile and the needs are immense," Joly said during Thursday's virtual meeting. "They go beyond Canada's, or any country's capacity to address them alone."
