GOVERNMENT
2004-2007 - Interim Government Prepares the Way for a New Democracy
Following the constitutional line of succession, Supreme Court Chief Justice Boniface Alexandre assumed the presidency and Gerard Latortue was appointed prime minister of the Interim Government of Haiti (IGOH) with the mandate of organizing elections to choose a new government. Despite significant delays and controversies over who was Haitian enough to run for President, the interim government managed to organize three rounds of elections with the help of the OAS and UN. The first round of elections for President and Parliament took place peacefully on February 7, 2006. An impressive turnout estimated at over 60% of registered voters caused some logistical difficulties which were overcome. Overall, the elections were considered free, fair, transparent, and democratic by national and international observers.
René Préval, former President (1996-2001) and former ally to Aristide, won the presidential election with 51.15%. Partial results had shown he fell short of the majority and triggered demonstrations against alleged fraud. The later decision of the Electoral Council not to count blank ballots gave the victory to Préval. The Parliament, composed of a 30-seat Senate and a 99-member Chamber of Deputies, was elected in two rounds held on February 7 and April 21, 2006. Lespwa is the main political force in both chambers but fell short of the majority. Fusion, UNION, Alyans, OPL, and Famni Lavals have many representatives in both chambers. Préval chose his long-time political associate and former Prime Minister Jacques-Edouard Alexis to serve again as his Prime Minister. Municipal elections were held December 3, 2006 and April 29, 2007. Some of these local government positions had not been filled in over a decade.
International
Presence 1995-2004
After the transition of the 21,000-strong MNF into a peacekeeping
force on March 31, 1995, the presence of international military
forces that helped restore constitutional government to power
was gradually ended. Initially, the U.S.-led UN peacekeeping force
numbered 6,000 troops, but that number was scaled back progressively
over the next 4 years as a series of UN technical missions succeeded
the peacekeeping force. By January 2000, all U.S. troops stationed
in Haiti had departed. In March 2000, the UN peacekeeping mission
transitioned into a peace-building mission, the International
Civilian Support Mission in Haiti (MICAH). MICAH consisted of
some 80 non-uniformed UN technical advisers providing advice and
material assistance in policing, justice, and human rights to
the Haitian Government. MICAH's mandate ended on February 7, 2001,
coinciding with the end of the Preval administration. The OAS
Special Mission has some 25 international police advisors who
arrived in summer 2003; is in addition to observing and reporting
Haitian police performance, they provide limited technical assistance.
International
Presence 2004-Present
At the request of the interim government and the UN, the U.S.-led
Multilateral Interim Force, made up of troops from the U.S., Canada,
France, and Chile, arrived in Port-au-Prince to ensure stability
until the arrival of a UN peacekeeping force.
In April 2004, the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 1542, which created the UN Stability Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH). Since that time, the Security Council has consistently and unanimously approved the renewal of MINUSTAH's mandate at 6-month intervals. On October 14, 2008, the UNSC voted unanimously to extend MINUSTAH's mandate for 12 months through October 14, 2009. The Stability Mission is currently authorized at 7,060 troops and 2,091 civilian police.
Principle
MINUSTAH Officials
Special Representative of the Secretary General--Hedi Annabi (Tunisia)
Force Commander--Carlos Alberto Dos Santos Cruz (Brazil)
Police Commissioner--Mamadou Mountaga Diallo (Guinea)
Principal
Government Officials
President--Rene Preval (since May 14, 2006)
Prime Minister--Michele D. Pierre-Loius
Minister of Foreign Affairs--Alrich Nicolas
Minister of Justice and Public Security--Michele D. Pierre-Louis
Minister of Economy and Finances--Daniel Dorsainvil
Ambassador to the U.S.--Raymond Joseph
Ambassador to the OAS--Duly Brutus, Charge d'Affaires
Ambassador to the UN--Leo Merores, Charge d'Affaires
The
Embassy of Haiti is located at 2311 Massachusetts Ave., NW, Washington,
DC 20008 (tel. 202-332-4090).
Government
Type: Republic.
Independence: January 1,1804.
Constitution: March 1987.
Branches: Executive--President. Legislative--Senate
(27 Seats), Chamber of Deputies (83 seats). Judicial--Court of
Cassation.
Administrative subdivisions: Nine departments
(a law creating a 10th department, approved by Parliament and
signed by then-President Aristide, was awaiting publication to
become law in November 2003).
Political parties and coalitions: Fanmi Lavalas
(FL), Struggling People's Organization (OPL), Open the Gate Party
(PLB), Christian Movement for a New Haiti (MOCHRENHA), Democratic
Consultation Group (ESPACE), Popular Solidarity Alliance (ESKANP),
several others. The Democratic Convergence is a coalition of most
leading opposition parties formed to protest the results of May
2000 legislative and local elections.
Suffrage: Universal at 18.
