2026-02-26

Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aime met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on February 25 on the margins of the 50th CARICOM Heads of Government Conference in Basseterre, St. Kitts and Nevis. Rubio characterized the National Pact as a strong signal of hope and collective responsibility essential for restoring national and international trust. Discussions covered the security situation, GSF deployment support including specialized personnel and logistics, and the conditions necessary for credible elections. The bilateral meeting represents the highest-level US-Haiti diplomatic engagement since the CPT's dissolution. The National Pact for Stability and the Organization of Elections was officially presented on February 23 at the Villa d'Accueil in Port-au-Prince, drawing ambassadors from the US, Mexico, Canada, and France alongside the BINUH Special Representative, over 200 political parties, the private sector, and civil society. The 30-article document establishes the legal framework for the post-CPT interim period from February 7, 2026, through the installation of elected officials. Key provisions vest February 26, 2026 executive power in the Council of Ministers under PM leadership per the May 23, 2024 decree, mandate a non-partisan technical cabinet, bar government members from using public resources for partisan purposes, and explicitly prohibit Fils-Aime from running as a candidate. Critics have characterized the February 7 transfer of full executive authority to Fils-Aime as a soft coup, with HaitiLibre noting the Pact grants the Prime Minister and his government full powers without a clearly defined term limit. The Pact is Haiti's fourth power-sharing agreement since President Moise's 2021 assassination. Its durability rests on sustained international backing, security progress, and voluntary compliance by over 200 signatories who have signed without an enforcement mechanism. The EU, France, and Canada have each endorsed Fils-Aime's continued tenure, providing the multilateral legitimacy buffer that insulates the arrangement from domestic opposition. At CARICOM, Fils-Aime outlined a three-phase security strategy: combined PNH, FAd'H, and GSF operations against gangs; arrests and judicial prosecution; and youth reinsertion programs with UNICEF support. He expressed confidence that elections would be held by year-end and cited the Carrefour-Aeroport recapture as evidence that state authority can be restored. Finland pledged over $2 million specifically for Haiti's humanitarian response, and discussions were reported as underway with the UAE on security and investment partnerships.