Ms. Dupuy's Exit Exposes Haiti's Incoherence
Ambassador Dominique Dupuy
For over two and a half years, Haitian social and political leaders have failed to reach a consensus. As a result, Prime Minister Ariel Henry remained in office for 30 months. With Port-au-Prince falling to gangs while Mr. Henry was out of the country, he announced his resignation. This opened a new opportunity for the parties to negotiate an agreement.
Through the mediation of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), they finally reached an agreement that brought together the major opposing factions. This fragile agreement, facilitated by CARICOM, bypassed the Constitution, which was already largely inapplicable during most of Henry's tenure.
Given the constitution's inapplicability, this imperfect agreement represents a chance for Haitians to move beyond Mr. Henry. It led to the establishment of a Transitional Presidential Council with seven voting members and two non-voting observers, representing diverse political groups like the Private Sector, Lavalas, Montana, and Pitit Desalin. This Council was tasked with exercising specific presidential power during the transition.
The agreement to create the Presidential Council and select the representatives who would join it was not based on the Haitian constitution. Instead, it established four exclusion criteria:
Anyone currently facing charges, indicted, or convicted in any jurisdiction.
Anyone under United Nations sanctions.
Anyone intending to run in Haiti's next election.
Anyone opposing UN Security Council Resolution 2699.
The party EDE/RED nominated Ms. Dominique Dupuy, Haiti's current delegate to UNESCO, as its representative. Ms. Dupuy was set to be the sole female voice and the youngest member of the Council. However, many voices argued she was ineligible because, at 34, she was one year shy of the constitutional age requirement of 35. Interestingly, while these voices were quick to question Ms. Dupuy's eligibility based on age, they conveniently ignored the constitutional requirement for 30% female representation. There were other specious criticisms, but it was evident that as a woman, she was subjected to particularly vicious attacks. Yesterday, Ms. Dupuy released a video in which she renounced her participation, citing death threats and criticisms about her selection.
This controversy underscores a broader issue of incoherence within Haitian society and its political class. The irony of objecting to Ms. Dupuy's age, especially when the agreement under which this Council was established exists because adherence to the constitution is currently unfeasible, is striking.
I don’t know Ms. Dupuy and certainly have no idea of her politics. However, last week she delivered a speech at UNESCO about the situation in Haiti, for which she received praise. One week later, she was vilified as not sufficiently Haitian. Consequently, this morning we learned that EDE selected a male to replace Ms. Dupuy, resulting in a council devoid of female, youth, and diasporic voices. Yet, the church, which is supposed to be apolitical, has a seat on the council.
Despite legitimate criticisms of the international community's role in Haiti, this episode underscores a persistent challenge: Haitian factions struggle to genuinely resolve conflicts. This lack of genuine effort manifests in both incoherence and a lack of good faith, ultimately eroding trust, the most critical element for progress.
While I support the concept of the Presidential Council, I hope the representatives will prioritize the country's stability by transcending party loyalties. However, this recent episode leaves me deeply concerned about how the process will move forward and whether the Haitian people can make the necessary sacrifices to save the country.