Benin pledges 2,000 troops for Haiti stability mission
-Thomas-Greenfield says US to provide US$200m but no soldiers
The West African state of Benin has pledged 2,000 troops to the planned multinational force to bring stability to Haiti and the United States will provide US$200m among other support but says its soldiers are not needed as Port au Prince requires peace, democracy and stability and not the spectre of an occupying power.
“The US is committed to supporting the multinational force. We are committed to providing the Multinational Force with what it needs to deploy on the ground, and we are committed to providing a lot of the logistical support that is required,” US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield said at a press conference yesterday in Georgetown in response to a question from Stabroek News on if US troops would form part of the multinational force.
“What we have heard, and I think what you have heard as well, is that Haiti does not need what appears to be an occupying power in Haiti. I think this is why this is so important that the region has to engage and that African countries have to engage. We have committed US$200m to supporting that process, we have committed to provide logistics. We have committed to providing equipment and support to the multinational force,” she added.
Thomas-Greenfield headed the US delegation to the ongoing CARICOM Heads of Government summit here.
In his address at the opening of the summit on Sunday evening, President Irfaan Ali underscored this country’s and the region’s commitment.
“Our region has one interests when it comes to Haiti; that is the people of Haiti, and we will not deviate from that interest - the people of Haiti. Anything that impedes the interests of the people of Haiti is of immense concern for the leadership of this region,” Ali stressed.
“Already today [Sunday], we spent most of this morning on the very issue of Haiti. We are committed as a region in ensuring that the people of Haiti can also realize their full potential in peace, security, and with good governance. We owe it to this, the people of Haiti. Sometimes, as a region, we are in tough positions and we have to take tough measures, but always, the region’s toughness is always in the interests of the region’s people, that is fundamental for the region,” he added.
This newspaper understands that Guyana has pledged monetary support for Haiti but it is not clear how much.
Prime Minister of Haiti, Ariel Henry on Sunday also told Stabroek News that he has had and will continue to have ongoing meetings with heads of CARICOM whom he believes want as much of a resolution to the current crisis on the island of Hispaniola which it shares with the Dominican Republic.
“We have ongoing meetings…I think that the CARICOM leaders (are) engaged in the Haiti crisis, they want to achieve something and we hope that during these meetings we have, a common understanding of how we are going to proceed [will occur],” he said.
Henry who was emphatic in saying that he will not “at all” be running for the presidency, said that he understands that opposition forces in his country are against him but they need to put the people of Haiti and their peace and security above all power aspirations.
Fighting for power
“The problem in Haiti is that the politicians when they are fighting, they are fighting for power and they want to lead by the [power].We have to embrace together and to go to election to give the power to the people. Give the people the right to choose who they want,” he said contending that the country needs calm and stability urgently.
Asked if there has been a timeframe for when he believes elections can he held, he said that he was advised that within 18 months, once the nation is stabilized, they could go to elections. “We are talking about this year. Our colleagues who are the experts, they are saying within 18 months…fresh elections,” he said.
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