Transitional council names new Haiti PM

In its first acts since being officially sworn in last week, Haiti's transitional governing council has named former sports minister Fritz Belizaire as the country’s new prime minister and Edgard Leblanc Fils, a former president of the Haitian Senate, as president of the council.

The transitional council is also tasked with appointing an electoral council to pave the way for the first elections in the Caribbean country since 2016.

Haiti has descended into increasing lawlessness since the July 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse, culminating in the riots and attacks on key infrastructure in February and March as gang leaders called for the resignation of acting prime minister Ariel Henry.

Henry finally resigned last week before the transitional council was sworn in.

The aim is now to stabilise security and hold new general elections in 2026, supposedly with the help of a UN-approved multi-national security mission. This mission has been pending since last year, but has met resistance both in Haiti and in Kenya, which was to lead the mission and deploy 1,000 personnel.

Several gang leaders have continued to warn that ignoring their demands will have serious consequences while calling for amnesties for their crimes and more youth training programmes.

For more context and background, read: Haiti in-depth: A transition beset by challenges and uncertainty