The Canadian government is reducing its diplomatic presence in Haiti to “essential employees” at the embassy in Port-au-Prince, but so far has no plans to begin evacuating citizens as unrest continues to grip the Caribbean nation.
Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly announced the move Thursday, saying the staff reduction will allow Canada to “maintain our presence in Haiti to support Canadians during this volatile situation, given the limited availability of supplies.”
As of Thursday, the Canadian embassy in Port-au-Prince remains temporarily closed to the public “due to the unpredictable security situation.”
The remaining consular team in the country will continue to provide assistance to Canadians, remotely, along with those who are now “temporarily abroad,” Joly said.
Non-essential employees have been relocated to the Dominican Republic, Global Affairs Canada (GAC) officials confirmed Thursday during a briefing in Ottawa. This follows other countries that have already removed personnel from Haiti in recent days.
The operational transfer of Canadian personnel took place on Thursday morning, using chartered helicopters.
Citing operational security, officials did not confirm the number of personnel evacuated or those remaining. The government also declined to discuss whether Canada has increased its security posture at the embassy.
“In terms of ensuring the security of the team that remains in Port-au-Prince, the drawdown is also part of that logic in terms of being able to focus our security, our assets, our life support, to support that core team that remains in place,” said GAC Director General Sebastien Beaulieu.
Joly said Canada remains committed to supporting the Haitian people in the long term, but the immediate priority is the safety of Canadians.
“This intervention will help ensure that,” he said.
This turn comes after Canada’s ambassador to Haiti, André François Giroux, told CTV news channel Power Play on Monday that embassy staff were “very safe” and had no evacuation plan, but he was “ready for any eventuality.”
Tips for Canadians
Given the instability and increase in gang violence and attacks on infrastructure, GAC updated its travel advice for Haiti on March 10, advising Canadians to “shelter in place” or limit their movements if they are unable, as well as stock up on essential foods. water and medicines.
There are currently about 3,000 Canadians in Haiti registered with the Registration of Canadians Abroad service, and the federal emergency response center has responded to fewer than 100 inquiries since March 3.
Officials said Thursday that the government is currently in direct contact via text and email with Canadians in Haiti about the curfew and other emergency response measures, but so far there are no plans to offer assisted departures or flights. of repatriation.
Canada is “planning prudently, but we’re not there yet” when it comes to evacuations, Beaulieu said.
The GAC has said the government continues to “closely monitor and evaluate the security situation,” pledging to work in coordination with allies on contingencies as the situation evolves.
Haitians must lead the solution: prime minister
Canada yesterday issued a statement welcoming the news of a political agreement between Haitian stakeholders to move forward with the appointment of a presidential council and transitional government, amid the extensive political and humanitarian unrest that has been proliferating since mid of 2021.
Ambassador Giroux is part of the diplomatic staff who will remain in Haiti to “continue engaging Haitian stakeholders and international partners in the implementation of the political agreement,” the GAC said in a statement following Joly’s social media post.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the current security situation a “catastrophe” and “extraordinarily challenging,” while outlining the role Canada is playing in diplomatic talks with CARICOM nations.
“It’s obvious that with the current challenge, as much as the international community still has a role to play, if we want a sustainable solution, it has to be led by Haitians themselves,” Trudeau told reporters during a scrum in Windsor. , Ont.
Earlier this week, following the resignation of Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry, community leaders gathered at Montreal’s Maison d’Haiti to call on the Canadian government to step up its efforts to address the crisis rocking their homeland.
Trudeau said Thursday that he spoke with members of the Haitian community last night.
“It’s not easy… We are very active on this file and we will continue to be,” Trudeau said.
With files from Genevieve Beauchemin of CTV News
We have moved today to reduce our essential employee footprint at our embassy in Port-au-Prince 🇭🇹.
This will allow us to maintain our presence in Haiti to support Canadians during this volatile situation, given the limited availability of supplies.
– Mélanie Joly (@melaniejoly) March 14, 2024