Overview:
Article Summary: Haitian Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé officially installed his new 18-member cabinet following the departure of the Presidential Transitional Council. The government is tasked with restoring security, organizing elections and addressing Haiti’s deepening humanitarian and economic crises. The inauguration, attended by diplomats and senior officials, comes amid years of political reshuffles since the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse and ongoing gang violence that continues to destabilize the country.
PORT-AU-PRINCE — Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé formally took control of Haiti’s executive branchTuesday, installing his new 18-member cabinet and urging ministers to “save the country” as the nation’s fractured transition enters a decisive phase
Standing at the Villa d’Accueil, one day after his appointments were approved at a Council of Ministers meeting, Fils-Aimé told newly sworn-in ministers that their mandate was simple but urgent: restore security, organize long-delayed elections and prevent further collapse of state institutions.
“Ministers, you must demonstrate your commitment to saving the country,” Fils-Aimé said, warning that officials who serve partisan interests instead of the public would be held accountable.
The installation marks a significant shift. With the departure of the Presidential Transitional Council, executive authority is now consolidated under a single prime minister — a structure backed by the newly signed National Pact for Stability and the Organization of Elections. Unlike previous transitional arrangements, this one does not set a fixed end date for Fils-Aimé’s mandate and contains no formal counterweight institution.
“Today’s ceremony is not just a change of government; it is the result of a collective commitment stemming from the National Pact,” Fils-Aimé said. “It is proof that we can put aside our differences to save Haiti.”
A government without a clock
The new cabinet replaces the CPT framework and comes after more than three years of rotating leadership since the July 7, 2021, assassination of President Jovenel Moïse. Since then, the country has seen a succession of interim leaders and government reshuffles.
Claude Joseph briefly assumed power in the immediate aftermath. Ariel Henry governed without elections for nearly three years before resigning in 2024 under intense pressure. The CPT followed, then a short-lived premiership under Garry Conille. Fils-Aimé took office in November 2024, and now, he stands as the sole executive authority.
No national elections have been held since 2016 despite repeated promises to restore order and organize the vote. Parliament remains defunct. Every elected national office remains vacant.
“Today’s ceremony is not just a change of government; it is the result of a collective commitment stemming from the National Pact, proof that we can put aside our differences to save Haiti.”
Haitian Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé
While the Provisional Electoral Council has set August and December 2026 as voting dates, the government has yet to publish an electoral budget or a detailed roadmap explaining how balloting will take place under current security conditions.
Supporters and signatories of the latest political agreement described the move as a step toward ending the transition.
“The time has come for the transition to end,” said André Michel on X, a leader within the December 21 Accord coalition. “We remain committed to restoring security and holding elections. There will be no dialogue with gangs.”
The Organisation of the People in Struggle (OPL), another signatory, called on the prime minister to create conditions for elections this year, saying he now has broad authority to act.
Security remains the defining test
The inauguration comes as gangs control an estimated 80% to 90% of Port-au-Prince, according to the international community’s assessments. Armed groups have attacked neighborhoods, police stations and critical infrastructure, displacing more than 1.4 million people nationwide, and large parts of the capital remain inaccessible.
The government has pledged to strengthen the Haitian National Police and support the Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS) led by Kenya. To replace the ineffective MSS, the United Nations Security Council approved a 5,500-member Gang Suppression Force (GSF) in October. The United States-proposed GSF is expected to be deployed between April and May.
Diplomats from France and the United States attended the March 3 ceremony, along with senior representatives of the Haitian police and the Armed Forces. Representatives of the Court of Accounts, the Superior Council of the Judiciary, and the Provisional Electoral Council were also present—a sign of international and institutional backing for the new arrangement.
Still, the central challenge remains the same one that has followed every administration since 2021: restoring security and public trust to hold credible elections.
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