Henry is expected to attend Thursday’s meeting with Harris, along with other leaders of the Caribbean nations. In October, Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry requested the immediate deployment of a foreign armed force, but the United Nations Security Council, along with the US and Canada, have yet to respond. US senior administration officials said the worsening security situation requires an international response and that the US strongly supports the deployment of a multinational force to Haiti. Killings and kidnappings have soared across the metropolitan area and beyond. That initiative is considered key, given that gangs are estimated to control up to 80 percent of the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince. Haiti’s National Police, a severely underfunded and understaffed agency struggling to quell a surge in gang violence, will also receive help to investigate and prosecute crimes with US ties that involve gangs, weapons smuggling and human trafficking. The US, with help from the UK, plans to establish a programme as well in the eastern Caribbean to mentor local judges and prosecutors, in a bid to improve prosecution of gun-related crimes as island nations struggle with a backlog of cases. It will also support a unit based in Trinidad and Tobago aimed at helping islands solve gun-related cases and provide training for the collection and analysis of related intelligence. In addition, the state department promised to help improve forensic work in the region and help strengthen local police departments. Vice President Kamala Harris June 8, 2023Īs part of the initiatives announced on Thursday, the US justice department expects to appoint a coordinator to oversee cases involving illegal weapons smuggling in the Caribbean, as island nations report a rise in violent crimes. “Our partnership, we strongly believe, is essential to our mutual security and prosperity,” she said.Ī tremendous welcome from the people of The Bahamas as we mark 50 years of diplomatic relations between our two nations. Harris, who is the highest-ranking US official to visit the Bahamas since it became independent 50 years ago, landed shortly after 12pm US Eastern Time (16:00 GMT) for the one-day visit.ĭozens of greeters, including school children and members of Harris’s sorority, greeted the vice president as the Royal Bahamas Police Force band played.ĭuring a meeting with leaders, Harris said that strengthening the US-Caribbean relationship is a priority for her. The announcement was made ahead of an official trip to the Bahamas on Thursday for a meeting of Caribbean and US leaders, hosted by Harris and Bahamian Prime Minister Philip Davis. United States Vice President Kamala Harris has announced that her country is investing more than $100m in the Caribbean region to crack down on weapons trafficking, help alleviate Haiti’s humanitarian crisis and support climate change initiatives.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |