Caribbean leaders meet Thursday for the second of three days of talks in the Bahamas with a focus on the situation in Haiti, as well as regional health, food security, climate, trade and security issues.
As the meeting of CARICOM leaders opened Wednesday, Secretary-General Carla Barnett reiterated the preference for finding a Haiti-led solution to the country’s challenges.
“Even as progress is being made on some fronts, CARICOM and indeed the wider international community continue to struggle to help Haiti resolve its multifaceted crises,” Barnett said. “We will continue our efforts to assist all stakeholders in Haiti to ensure a Haitian-owned resolution to the crises.”
SEE ALSO: Haiti at Fore as Caribbean Leaders Tackle Regional IssuesBarnett said the region’s leaders “will have to show the resilience and fortitude of the Haitian people” in resolving regional challenges and improving the lives of people in the Caribbean community. She added that the goal is creating a “safe, sustainable, prosperous and viable community for all.”
In addition to leaders from CARICOM’s 15 member states, representatives from other nations are also participating in the meeting, including Canada and the United States.
The office of Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry tweeted Wednesday that he had “an important work meeting” with Brian Nichols, the U.S. assistant secretary of state for Western Hemisphere affairs.
The Associated Press reported Canadian officials were also part of talks with U.S. and Haitian officials about the situation in Haiti.
“Advancing our shared priorities. Creating opportunities for people across Canada and the Caribbean. Addressing the situation in Haiti,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tweeted late Wednesday about the agenda at the CARICOM talks, where he is participating.
Ann Marie Davis, wife of The Bahamas' Prime Minister Philip Davis, Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Chief Justice Ian Winder and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Investment and Aviation Issac Chester Cooper attend the CARICOM opening ceremony at Paradise Island, Bahamas, February 15, 2023.
Haiti has experienced a period of instability following the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse, with a rise in violence and the influence of armed gangs.
SEE ALSO: US Arrests Four in Haiti President Assassination PlotSome information for this report came from The Associated Press.