Haiti has appointed a new prime minister, less than two weeks after President Jovenel Moise’s assassination threw the Caribbean nation into greater political uncertainty. The New prime minister, Ariel Henry was sworn in during a ceremony in the capital Port-au-Prince on Tuesday; the same day that official commemorations were held to honour Moise.
According to Aljazeera, The country’s acting Prime Minister Claude Joseph said earlier this week that he would step down “for the good of the nation”; after a key group of international diplomats on Saturday came out in support of Henry and urged him to form a new government.
Ariel Henry who is a 71-year-old neurosurgeon and former cabinet minister said; during the ceremony that the plans to meet with various sectors of society in the coming days; to build a political consensus to address the problems Haiti faces.
“It is in the context of extreme polarisation … that we must find and implement a lasting solution to the multifaceted crisis with which we are confronted,” he said.
President Moise was killed on July 7 when a group of gunmen stormed his private residence in Port-au-Prince; and opened fire on him and his wife, Martine Moise, who was critically injured.
On Tuesday, the government released the names of Henry’s 18-member cabinet, with the ministers of justice, economy, finance, agriculture; and others keeping their positions. Joseph will return to his former post as foreign minister.