Antony Blinken Visits Haiti

Well, good evening everyone. I came to Haiti today to meet with Prime Minister Conille, the Transitional Presidential Council, other political and security leaders to advance our shared commitment to a secure and democratic Haiti.

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Back in March, we were with CARICOM leaders and other critical stakeholders, Haitians and other partners from beyond the region in Kingston, Jamaica to rally regional support for Haitian-led political transition. Since that time, the Haitians have stood up a Transitional Presidential Council. There’s a government with an interim prime minister, a cabinet, and we see these institutions moving forward to do the work of delivering for the Haitian people.

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The United States appreciates Haiti’s leaders putting aside their differences, working together to put the country on the path to free and fair elections. And we look forward to the TPC swiftly naming a Provisional Electoral Council to organize those elections. That is the critical next step.

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We also welcome Haitian efforts to address corruption allegations and promote transparency and accountability. These are essential for this transition government to maintain the trust of the Haitian people.

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As the United States demonstrated with our recent sanctions on former President Martelly, we will use every tool that we have to hold accountable those who facilitate violence, drug trafficking, instability.

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As this political process has moved forward, in parallel, so too is the necessary efforts to provide a strong security foundation. And in particular, the Multinational Security Support Mission, authorized by the United Nations last year has moved forward. Over the past several months, more than 380 Kenyan personnel have arrived in support of the Haitian National Police as part of this mission, with more to come.

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In recent weeks, the MSS, with the Haitian National Police has increased joint operations, taking the fight to the gangs and delivering a powerful message: The Haitian people, not Haitian gangs, will write the country’s future.

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As a result, the airports reopened. Commercial flights have resumed, allowing goods to enter the country. In parts of Port-au-Prince, there’s more economic activity, more markets reopened, more people venturing out.

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In my meetings today with leaders of the security mission, the Haitian Police, we discussed how to ensure that security personnel are well-trained, well-equipped and accountable so that they can work together to effectively combat violence and instability and maintain Haiti’s momentum.

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The United States, for our part, already delivered over $300 million to support this multinational mission, sending armored vehicles, radios, night vision goggles, standing up an entire base of operations, and we’ll be getting more assistance here more quickly.

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We’ve also provided $200 million to the Haitian police since 2021, helping to train and equip new recruits as well as specialized anti-gang units.

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We deeply appreciate the indispensable leadership of Kenya, President Ruto, as well as the contributions of CARICOM and the international community.

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Canada has been one of Haiti’s strongest and most enduring partners, devoting millions in training and equipment to bolster the Haitian National Police and the Multinational Security Support Mission.

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Jamaica, who is deputy commander of this mission, has committed to sending its own personnel to Haiti.

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El Salvador is sending a medevac team.

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But at this critical moment, we do need more funding, we do need more personnel to sustain and carry out the objectives of this mission.

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The United States has been actively working to secure this additional support. In a couple of weeks, we’ll be at the United Nations for the General Assembly. I intend to convene a ministerial meeting to encourage greater contributions to help meet Haiti’s security needs, its economic needs, its humanitarian needs, as well as to renew the mission’s mandate, which expires in early October.

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The United States is also committed to using this foundation of security to support and unlock the potential of the Haitian people. We’re the largest contributor of humanitarian assistance to Haiti. That includes an additional $45 million in humanitarian aid that I’m announcing today, bringing the total US aid to over $210 million this year. That means more food, more water, more sanitation, more health and support services for one and a half million more Haitians.

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In the long term, the United States is working to return Haiti to the path of growth and opportunity, including through a whole-of-government strategy that the United States and Haitian stakeholders have developed to prevent conflict and promote stability here in Haiti.

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We’re particularly focused in shoring up the apparel sector, which constitutes a quarter of Haiti’s GDP, 90% of its exports and employs tens of thousands of Haitians. The United States’ HOPE/HEALTH trade preference program is an essential part of this effort, incentivizing companies to locate factories here by allowing Haitian-produced clothing to be exported to the United States duty-free.

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This critical legislation expires next year, so we’re working with our Congress to quickly reauthorize it. We’ll also continue partnering with the Haitian government to make it easier for companies to do business here in Haiti.

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Now, we’re very clear-eyed about what is required to address Haiti’s challenges. It’s an enormous amount of work to be done. The challenges are significant. But I think from just a few hours here today, meeting with leaders, talking to people, as well as being immersed in the work that we’ve done these past few months, what I am seeing is tremendous resilience and the emergence, the reemergence of hope.

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We see it in young police recruits who are ready to reclaim their communities. We see it in citizens who see the transition government beginning to address challenges with seriousness and a sense of purpose. We see it in parents who can begin again to imagine going out to the supermarket, sending their kids to school without fear.

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Everyone that I met today cares about this country and is committed to its future. And I want the people of Haiti to know that the United States is with you, [foreign language 00:07:04], will remain with you, and many other countries are as well.

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So I think we’ve seen a good start to moving Haiti forward, but much remains to be done. We’re determined to continue. We’re determined to help the Haitian people write the future that they deserve.

The first question goes to Rotchild Francois with Radio RFM.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken, you just announced new humanitarian help to Haiti. Humanitarian assistance is important, but the country also needs investments that are important for economic growth and the creation of jobs and wealth in Haiti. You see, when we have resolved the security problem, how will the United States continue to help Haiti rebuild its future after the gangs have been dealt with?

[foreign language 00:08:07]. And the question is, what can we do to really help Haiti develop its economy? Humanitarian assistance is critical, but we also, the question suggests, need to other things. And the truth is we have been and will continue to do so.

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Besides the humanitarian assistance, if you go back just over the last few years, going back to 2021, we provided more than $800 million in development, economic, and health assistance, as well as security assistance. And then separate from that is the humanitarian assistance.

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So you’re exactly right that these investments in Haiti’s foundational activities and everything that needs to happen to support them, that is essential and we’ll continue to do that.

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I mentioned the HOPE/HELP Act that’s been critical in supporting the apparel sector, which is so central to Haiti’s economy. We want to renew that. It expires next year. But that’s been critical because it incentivizes companies to put factories here in Haiti to produce the apparel that then gets sold in the United States and throughout the region.

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So these and other measures, as well as a program we have that is part of the Global Fragility Act, where we have a ten-year plan in effect for Haiti to help support its development, to prevent instability, but to promote as well economic activity.

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So all of these things have to come together. But I’d just say again, I think the first thing to get right is to make sure that the security foundation is there. And that’s what’s happening now with the MSS and the Haitian National Police. A lot more work to be done, but it’s starting to move. And then we also want to make sure that Haiti is back on a clear democratic track, and that means elections next year.

For the next question, Michael Crowley with The New York Times.

Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Secretary.

Michael.

Thank you. Turning to the Middle East for a moment, if we may. There’ll be more questions about Haiti, I’m sure. Many of us were with you in Israel in June. At that time, there was a ceasefire proposal on the table, and you said to the press corps that the possibility, the prospect of a ceasefire really is down to one person at this point, and you said it was Yahya Sinwar, the leader of Hamas. Of course, a lot of things have happened since that time, but I wonder whether it is still your assessment that really it comes down at this point to that one man, Yahya Sinwar. There is a lot of criticism right now about the role of Prime Minister Netanyahu and what his exact position is. So I wondered if you could just kind of come back to that basic question of where you place the primary responsibility.

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And then if I just may add one more question, this may be in the department of stating the obvious, but can you just… Would you acknowledge at this point that the prospect of a normalization agreement between Saudi Arabia and Israel that would include some sort of a security agreement between the United States and Saudi Arabia is not going to happen under President Biden’s presidency?

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Thank you.

Thanks, Michael. So you’re right, that’s exactly what I said in June, and you’re also right that since then there have been intervening events. And I think that only underscores something truly essential, which is that as close as we have gotten and as close as I believe we are to getting a ceasefire agreement, every day that goes by where it is not finalized and the parties don’t say yes, period, is a day in which something else happens and there is an intervening event which simply pushes things off and runs the risk of derailing what is a pretty fragile apple cart.

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So the experience that we’ve had over the last couple of months, where there’s been extraordinary work done to get a framework agreement that both parties signed onto, then to work to fill in some of the gaps because the framework agreement doesn’t have every detail in it, that remained to be negotiated, things that need to be implemented, we’ve been doing that work. And I think based on what I’ve seen, 90% is agreed, but there are a few critical issues that remain where we need to be able to get agreement and they really go to how certain aspects of the agreement would be implemented. And I think much of this has been discussed in recent days, including the Philadelphi Corridor, including some of the exact specifics of how hostages and prisoners are exchanged. So that remains, but pretty much everything else is there.

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So at this point, it seems to me that it’s really incumbent on both parties to get to yes on these remaining issues. And we’re in very active discussions with, first of all, with our partners in this effort, Egypt and Qatar. And I expect in the coming days we will share with Israel, and they’ll share with Hamas our thoughts, the three of us on exactly how to resolve the remaining outstanding questions. And then it will be time really for the parties to decide yes or no. And then we’ll see.

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As to normalization, Saudi Arabia, no, I don’t agree with the purpose of the question or at least the statement that it’s no longer possible. Now, it’s very clear to me from my conversations with Israelis, with Saudis that both very much would like to pursue this. But there are a couple of requirements for that to happen. Number one is calm in Gaza. So this ceasefire is an essential prerequisite to being able to move forward with normalization. Second, as we’ve discussed, is a credible pathway for a Palestinian state. A lot of work would have to go into that.

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But given all the work that we’ve done, the United States has done with Saudi Arabia over the last year in terms of what would be required between us, given the fact that both Israel and Saudi Arabia, in conversations with us, have expressed clearly that this is something they’d like to pursue, I think if we can get a ceasefire in Gaza, there remains an opportunity through the balance of this administration to move forward on normalization.

Sheilla Louis Joseph with Radio Metropole.

Hello, Secretary of State. With the will to transform the MSS in Haiti into a peacekeeping mission, will this not encounter opposition from Russia and China, who have the right to veto? And what will happen after October 2nd, 2024?

Thank you. [foreign language 00:16:03]. First, I think it’s important to note that the entire UN Security Council got behind the Multinational Security Support Mission. And I think it’s because it was clear that that mission is important to the people of Haiti and to the future of this country. It’s important to countries throughout the region, and we even see countries well beyond the region making clear the importance that they attach to the mission because they know that restoring security here, taking the streets back from the gangs is critical. So given that, seems to me the world, including the countries you mentioned have already demonstrated support.

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The mission itself needs to be renewed, and that’s what we’re working on right now. But we also want to make sure that we have something that is reliable, that’s sustainable, and we’ll look at every option to do that. So a peacekeeping operation would be one such option. I think there are others. We just want to make sure that we have a way to move forward, first renewing the mission and then making sure we have a way to make it sustainable for the future, because this is going to take some time.

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The ultimate objective is this, though: It’s not an indefinite endeavor. The entire purpose of the mission is first and foremost to regain control from the gangs, but then to enable Haitian institutions, particularly the Haitian National Police, to take this on for themselves. The point is not to have an indefinite international mission here; the point is to help our Haitian colleagues stand strongly on their own two feet and to be able to carry this on. But to get to that point, we need some time. So we’ll look at the best way to make sure we can sustain this effort.

And for the final question, Christina Ruffini with Decision Points.

Christina.

Mr. Secretary, nice to see you. You just said that you need more funding to carry out the objectives of this mission. Why do you think you’re not seeing financial commitments from other regional allies like Brazil or Mexico? What do they say to you when you try to engage them on this issue? I know you mentioned you’re going to bring it up at the UN. Does the US support an expanded multinational peacekeeping mission, or do you think the MSS, where you just were, is sufficient? And based on what you heard today and what we’ve been discussing, do you think Haiti will be on track to be able to hold elections next year?

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And if I may, your schedule’s been pretty grueling the last year. You’ve got a young family. If Democrats win in November and you’re asked, do you stay on or is it time for break?

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Thank you, sir.

Thanks, Christina. So look, there are different kinds of support, each of which is essential. There’s money, there’s equipment, there’s personnel. And we have a number of countries that have already stood up in one or more of those areas to support Haiti and to support the MSS. And I went through a number of them just a short while ago.

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But we also, I think, want to make sure that the mission has the resources that it needs to do the job as effectively as possible. And so we’re looking at additional personnel contributions. Kenya will be coming forward with more, but other countries, some have already agreed to do that. There are others that we want to see if they’re willing to participate.

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Making sure that the financial support is there, including the salaries of the people who are engaged in these missions, that’s critical. We have some money in the bank to do that, including through the UN fund that’s been established. But as we’re projecting out and as we’re looking at growing the MSS mission itself, we also have to figure out what’s going to be required to pay for that. And I think we’re going to need more funding to do that. That’s exactly why I’m bringing together colleagues at the UN General Assembly on the margins of that just to make sure that we are properly resourcing.

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Now, I think the other thing is success breeds success. So countries are looking at what’s happening right now in Haiti. They’re looking at what’s happened over the last few months. They’re looking at the start of this Multinational Security Support Mission And whether it’s getting results. And I think what they’re seeing is it is.

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Now, again, I’m very clear-eyed about this. This is hard stuff. But we’ve already seen, thanks to the work of the MSS with supporting the HNP, the Haitian National Police, the airport taken back and reopened, the main hospital in Port-au-Prince taken back, some neighborhoods where there’s now economic activity again. And what I heard today talking to the leaders of the Haitian National Police and the MSS is a clear plan for what they’ll do next. And I think that’s going to build on itself. That in turn will attract more support. And I hope that by the time, for example, we get to the UN in about two and a half weeks, there’ll be a record of initial success as well as again, this plan for going forward, and that will bring in more support.

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As to my own future, all I’m looking at right now is the balance of this administration and January. And I can tell you from having spent some time over the last week on a bit of a break with my kids, I will relish having a lot more time with them.

Thank you, all.

Thank you. Thanks, everyone.