As crisis grips Haiti, U.S. pledges another $100 million for force to address violence

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday announced an additional $100 million to finance the deployment of a multinational force toHaitifollowing a meeting with Caribbean leaders in Jamaica to haltthe country's violent crisis.

Blinken also announced another $33 million in humanitarian aid and the creation of a joint proposal agreed on by Caribbean leaders and Haitian stakeholders that would expedite the creation of a "presidential college."

He said the college would take "concrete steps" he did not identify to meet the needs of Haitian people and enable the pending deployment of the multinational force to be led by Kenya. Blinken also noted that the U.S. Department of Defence doubled its support for the mission, having previously set aside $100 million.

The joint proposal, which bringsthe proposed U.S. contribution to the force to $300 million, has the backing of Caricom, a regional trade bloc that held Monday's urgent meeting.

"I think we can all agree:Haitiis on the brink of disaster," said Guyanese President Irfaan Ali. "We must take quick and decisive action."

Ali said he is "very confident that we have found commonality" to support what he described as a Haitian-led and Hatian-owned solution.

WATCH |International officials gatherin Jamaica to discuss chaos in Haiti:

Stabilization must be top priority for Haiti, former U.S. ambassador says

5 months ago

Duration 2:36

International officials gathered in Jamaica to discuss the chaos in the Haiti should be focused on stabilization and consider who would be best positioned to speak with gang leaders driving the surge in violence says Pamela White, a former U.S. ambassador to Haiti.

Haiti at 'tipping point'

Meanwhile, Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness said the meeting was a work in progress.

"It is clear thatHaitiis now at a tipping point," he said. "We are deeply distressed that it is already too late for too many who have lost far too much at the hands of criminal gangs."

Embattled Prime Minister Ariel Henry, who faces calls to resign or agree to a transitional council, did not attend the meeting. He has been lockedout of his own countrywhile traveling abroad, due to surging unrest and violence by criminal gangs who have overrun much of Haiti's capital and closed down its main international airports.

Henry remained in Puerto Rico and was taking steps to return toHaitionce feasible, according to a brief statement from the U.S. territory's Department of State.

WATCH |Nearly 3,000 Canadianstrapped in Haiti as violence closes port and airport:

Thousands of Canadians trapped in Haiti as violence spirals

5 months ago

Duration 2:07

Nearly 3,000 Canadians are trapped in Haiti because spiraling violence has closed both the port and airport and the Canadian government has no options to evacuate them.

'Urgent need' to establish government

While leaders met behind closed doors,Jimmy Chrizier, considered Haiti's most powerful gang leader, told reporters that if the international community continues down the current road, "it will plungeHaitiinto further chaos."

"We Haitians have to decide who is going to be the head of the country and what model of government we want," said Chrizier, a former elite police officer known as Barbecue who leads a gang federation known as G9 Family and Allies. "We are also going to figure out how to getHaitiout of the misery it's in now."

The meeting in Jamaica was organized by members of a regional trade bloc known as Caricom, which for months has pressed for a transitional government inHaitiwhile protests in the country have demanded Henry's resignation.

"The international community must work together with Haitians towards a peaceful political transition," U.S. Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs Brian Nichols wrote on X, formerly Twitter. Nichols will attend the meeting.

Concerns remain that a long-sought solution will remain elusive. Caricom said in a statement on Friday announcing the urgent meeting in Jamaica that while "we are making considerable progress, the stakeholders are not yet where they need to be."

Mia Mottley, Barbados' prime minister, said that up to 90 per centof proposals that Haitian stakeholders have "put on the table" are similar. These include an "urgent need" to create a presidential council to help identify a new prime minister to establish a government.

Her comments were briefly streamed by Caricom, in what appeared to have been a mistake, and then were abruptly cut off.

Curfew extended

The meeting was held as powerful gangs continued to attack key government targetsacross Haiti's capital of Port-au-Prince.

Since Feb. 29, gunmen have burned police stations, closed the main international airports and raided the country's two biggest prisons, releasing more than 4,000 inmates.

Scores of people have been killed, and more than 15,000 are homeless after fleeing neighbourhoods raided by gangs.Food and water are dwindlingas stands and stores selling to impoverished Haitians run out of goods. The main port in Port-au-Prince remains closed, stranding dozens of containers with critical supplies.

Late Monday, the Haitian government announced it was extending a nighttime curfew until March 14 in an attempt to prevent further attacks.

WATCH | Haiti's police have lost control of the airport and seaport:

Emergency summit aimed at restoring order in Haiti

5 months ago

Duration 3:01

Regional leaders from the Caribbean, plus officials from Canada and the U.S., met in Jamaica to find a way out of the crisis in Haiti as more than 80 per cent of the capital Port-au-Prince is now under gang control and fears of civil war grow.

Henry could not be immediately reached for comment after Monday's meeting. Helanded in Puerto Ricolast week after being denied entry into the Dominican Republic, which shares the island of Hispaniola withHaiti.

When the attacks began, Henry was in Kenyapushing for the UN-backed deployment of a police forcefrom the East African country that has been delayed by a court ruling.

A growing number of people are demanding Henry's resignation. He has not made any public comment since the attacks began.

UN Security Council calls for end to gang violence

The UNSecurity Council on Monday urged Haiti's gangs "to immediately cease their destabilizing actions," including sexual violence and the recruitment of children, and said it expects that a multinational force will deploy as soon as possible to help end the violence.

It urged the international community to support the Haitian National Police by backing the force's deployment.

Council members also expressed concern at the limited political progress and urged all political actors to allow free and fair legislative and presidential elections.

A UNdelegation attending Monday's meeting includes the secretary-general's chief of staff Courtenay Rattray, Undersecretary-General Atul Khare, who is in charge of UNlogistics, and Assistant Secretary-General Miroslav Jena, who is in charge of the Americas in the UNpolitical office.

UNSecretary-General Antnio Guterres is calling for the urgent deployment of the multinational force and that the mission be adequately funded, said his spokespersonStephane Dujarric.

Currently, funding is at only $10.8 million, with officials in Kenya demanding more than $230 million.