New Haitian Cabinet Appointed Amidst Gang Turmoil

Haiti appointed a new Cabinet as it battles gang violence, with key positions including Prime Minister Garry Conille as interior minister and Dominique Dupuy as foreign affairs minister. The government acknowledges the need for female representation amidst rising violence and economic crisis. A Kenyan police force is expected to assist.

In a decisive move, Haiti's transitional council appointed a new Cabinet on Tuesday, taking the final step in rebuilding a government to lead a nation besieged by gang violence. This key development was confirmed to The Associated Press by government spokeswoman Kettia Marcellus.

Among the new appointees, Carlos Hercules, the attorney for Prime Minister Garry Conille, assumes the role of minister of justice and public security, while Conille himself takes on the position of interior minister. Jean Marc Berthier Antoine has been designated the defense minister.

The appointment comes at a critical time as Haiti prepares for a UN-backed police force deployment from Kenya to restore order. This follows weeks of gang-led chaos that compelled former Prime Minister Ariel Henry to resign and led to significant disruptions, including the takeover of police stations and the country's two largest prisons, resulting in over 2,500 casualties in the first quarter of the year alone.

Prime Minister Conille has vowed to address the violence plaguing the nation. Despite the appointment of four women to the new Cabinet, advocates like Pascale Solages from the feminist group Nègès Mawon, criticize the government's insufficient female representation. Notably, Ketleen Florestal, who brings experience from the World Bank, will oversee the Ministries of Economy and Finance during a time of escalating poverty and inflation, further strained by gang violence.

The transitional council, tasked with appointing a provisional electoral commission, has a non-renewable mandate expiring on February 7, 2026, when a new president is expected to be inaugurated. The exact swearing-in date for the new Cabinet remains uncertain.

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