Coordinated support for Haiti was expected to be among the main issues to be discussed at the Brazil-Caribbean Summit held yesterday.
Prime Minister of St. Lucia Philip J. Pierre is currently in Brazil for this high-level meeting under the theme “Moving Closer to Unite”. The St. Lucia delegation included External Affairs Minister Alva Baptiste, and Ambassador to CARICOM, Elma Gene Isaac.
Haiti has faced an acute security crisis, which was made exponentially worse by the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021.
Approximately 5600 people were reportedly killed in gang violence last year, a figure which was increased by 1000 over the previous year. Over 1400 kidnappings have also been recorded. It is believed that over 80% of the capital Port-au-Prince, is under armed gang control. The violence is said to have displaced more than 1.3 million Haitians.
Prime Minister Pierre and eight heads of state and several heads of government, alongside representatives from international organizations were expected to make a case for heightened support for the troubled Caribbean country.
The Summit also marked a renewed push to deepen cooperation between Brazil and the Caribbean in response to global and regional challenges. Among the issues which was also expected to receive major attention is food and nutritional security. Against the backdrop of huge supply chain challenges, coupled with added pressure resonating as a result of US imposed tariffs, food security demanded a monumental share of the discussions.
Ambassador Gisela Padovan highlighted Brazil’s ability to produce food for 1.6 billion people, noting the potential for increased trade with Caribbean nations.
Padovan remarked that cooperation is crucial for the region’s representation on the world stage, arguing that challenges cannot be addressed in isolation. Connectivity improvements, such as land routes between Brazil and Guyana and increased air connections, were also a focal point.
Climate change, energy transition, and disaster risk management.
Prime Minister Pierre is expected to return to the island on June 15thth, 2025.
During his absence, Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Ernest Hilaire is the Acting Prime Minister.