Report to Congress on Options to Counter Destabilization in Haiti

Report to Congress on Options to Counter Destabilization in Haiti Section 7019(e) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2024 (Div. F, P.L. 118-47) and House Report 118-146 Overview: This report outlines the Administration’s work on options to counter destabilization in Haiti, including by providing support to the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission to Haiti. U.S. Strategy to Prevent Conflict and Promote Stability (SPCPS) in Haiti In March 2023, the Administration transmitted to Congress the 10-year SPCPS plan for Haiti. The plan reflects a long-term strategy to address drivers of conflict and instability so that Haiti’s citizens and government advance a shared vision and a permissive environment for long-term stability. It recognizes that long-term stability requires improvements in security, political, economic, and social conditions and outlines a roadmap for U.S. engagement to support the Haitian people in improving those conditions. The 10-year plan’s phased approach prioritizes establishing security as a pre-condition to longer-term efforts, including harmonization UNCLASSIFIED  Page 2 of 8 with U.S. support to MSS mission planning. The ongoing interagency efforts detailed below reflect current U.S. efforts to advance the 10-year plan objectives, with an immediate focus on addressing safety and security. Support for Haitian Political Reconciliation Since October 2022, the Department of State has implemented the “Towards Meaningful Dialogue” program to address the prolonged political impasse in Haiti by fostering inclusive dialogue. Program activities center on promoting meaningful Haitian-led dialogue among core political actors and influential groups and building civil society’s capacity to fully engage in the process. Ongoing efforts include: • Civil society outreach and consultations, including qualitative and quantitative tools, such as surveys, to gather data and inform means to integrate Haitian voices into the political process. • Capacity-building activities for civil society leaders, such as working directly with Haitian sub-implementers to encourage citizen engagement and participation and promote greater inclusion of civil society voices in consensus building. Department officials, including the Secretary of State, Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs, and Charge D’Affaires for Embassy Port-au-Prince, have actively contributed to efforts by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) toward political reconciliation. On March 11, 2024, CARICOM hosted Haitian stakeholders and international development partners Brazil, Canada, France, Mexico, the United Nations, and the United UNCLASSIFIED  Page 3 of 8 States to discuss the multidimensional crisis in Haiti. This meeting followed a series of discussions that engaged a wide range of actors including Haitian political parties, the religious community, the private sector, the diaspora, and civil society. Haitian stakeholders committed to form a transitional governance arrangement, through the Transitional Presidential Council (TPC), which paves the way for a peaceful transition of power, continuity of governance, an action plan for near-term security, and the road to free and fair elections. It further seeks to assure that Haiti will be governed by the rule of law. This commitment reflects hard compromises among a diverse coalition of actors that have prioritized their countries above their differences. On April 25, the TPC, composed of nine members (seven voting members and two non-voting members), was sworn in. Members include representatives from key sectors and political parties: Fritz Jean (Montana Group), Lesley Voltaire (Lavalas), Edgard Leblanc (Collectif), Emmanuel Vertilaire (Pitit Desalins), Smith Augustin (EDE/RED/Compromise Historique), Laurent St-Cyr (Private Sector), Louis Gerald Gilles (December 21), Regine Abraham (Interfaith, observer), and Frinel Joseph (civil society, observer). To share power between the represented political parties and sectors, the TPC rotates the presidency every five months. The TPC named UNICEF regional director for Latin America and the Caribbean and former prime minister Garry Conille as interim prime minister on May 28, 2024. The TPC and Conille named the Council of Ministers on June 11, and the new ministers were sworn-in on June 12. The new Council UNCLASSIFIED  Page 4 of 8 of Ministers totals 14, including four women. None of the ministers are particularly well-known politicians. Conille, a technocrat with more than 20 years of experience working for the United Nations as a development specialist, pledged to establish a transitional government of technocrats with strong representation for youth and women. In early June, the TPC reiterated its intention to complete selection of a Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) in June. Formation of a transitional government and CEP are key steps to move Haiti toward free and fair elections in late 2025. Strengthening the Haitian National Police (HNP) The Department of State provides support to the HNP to strengthen its institutional capacity to maintain security and counter criminal activity. Since 2021, the Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) allocated $189 million to develop and professionalize HNP leadership, counter gang violence, increase intelligence and operational capabilities, combat transnational organized crime, support community violence prevention, and improve corrections to stabilize the security environment and restore the rule of law. Key support elements include advisory and training, provision of equipment, and logistical and infrastructure support. INL supports 14 embedded subject-matter experts and two UN Police Officers to offer mentoring, guidance, and instruction to HNP specialized units. These include: • Counter-Gang Intervention Units – The Department of State provides equipment, logistics, vetting, training, and mentorship to the HNP's UNCLASSIFIED  Page 5 of 8 counter-gang intervention units. • Police School/Academy – The Department of State provides equipment, training, refurbishment support, and mentoring to HNP school recruits. • Equipment – Since 2021, the United States has provided unarmored and armored vehicles, protective equipment, and other equipment for the HNP, helping to defray the HNP’s equipment costs so it can focus on salaries and other resources to grow the force. These programs equip, train, and support other HNP specialized units, including the border and counternarcotics units, and support infrastructure and health programs for prisons, stemming cholera outbreaks. On March 26, 2024, with authorization from the President, the Department notified Congress of the intent to direct the drawdown of up to $10 million in articles and services for Haiti, which will enable the transfer of equipment from the Department of Homeland Security, including lethal assistance (side arms and ammunition) to the HNP and non-lethal assistance (body armor) for the Armed Forces of Haiti, for anticrime purposes. Citizen Security and Community Policing The United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID’s) Haiti Citizen Security Program is a multifaceted program focused on reducing gang violence in Port-au-Prince through three components: (1) strengthening the HNP’s engagement with communities; (2) promoting community resilience to violence; and UNCLASSIFIED  Page 6 of 8 (3) providing social services, particularly for survivors of violence. USAID and the Department of State assist police to expand their presence in targeted neighborhoods through this program, which strengthens strategic communications between police and communities, works with police and communities to identify and fund community development, and provides equipment and small-scale rehabilitation to ensure police stations and structures are operational in targeted neighborhoods. These efforts supplement INL’s HNP support. Information Sharing and Regional Security Programming, to Include Efforts to Combat Firearms Trafficking In July 2023, the Department of Justice named a Coordinator for Caribbean Firearms Prosecutions to elevate attention on firearms trafficking and help facilitate prosecutions of firearms offenses with a U.S. nexus and support implementation of the provisions of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. In November 2023, Haiti participated in the Eleventh Ministerial Meeting of the Caribbean-U.S. Security Cooperation Dialogue. Discussions centered on U.S.-Caribbean cooperation to address firearms trafficking, counter transnational organized crime, strengthen maritime security, and prevent youth crime and violence. The dialogue also included Caribbean regional and national efforts to address trafficking in persons, irregular migration, and recommendations for further progress. Heads of delegation unanimously adopted the dialogue joint statement, which laid out priorities for security cooperation for the next year, and they welcomed the UNCLASSIFIED  Page 7 of 8 authorization, under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, of a multinational security support (MSS) mission in Haiti. On November 16, 2023, the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the HNP signed a memorandum of understanding to facilitate law enforcement information sharing through the ATF eTrace system. Use of the eTrace system can help identify potential gun traffickers and suspects in criminal investigations involving firearms. On February 13, 2024, with support from the Department of State, Homeland Security Investigations and the Haitian government signed a memorandum of cooperation to formally establish a Haiti Transnational Criminal Investigative Unit, which facilitates the exchange of information between law enforcement partners in the United States and Haiti and enhances cross-border investigative capabilities to prosecute persons involved in transnational criminal activities. Support for the MSS Mission The United States plans to provide $300 million to support the MSS mission. Of that amount, $200 million will be in-kind support from the Department of Defense, and $100 million will come from the Department of State. Funding from the Department of State is planned to support logistics, equipment procurement, MSS personnel reimbursements, and staffing support, including contracted police advisors. Department of Defense funding will include support to establish and maintain the Life Support Area, equipment, billeting, basing, airlift, communications, and medical support for the MSS UNCLASSIFIED  Page 8 of 8 mission. On April 12, 2024, with the President’s authorization, the Department of State notified Congress of its intent to direct the drawdown of up to $60 million in articles and services for the MSS mission to Haiti. The drawdown enables the transfer of equipment from U.S. departments and agencies, for anti-crime and counternarcotics purposes, to countries contributing to the MSS mission. UNCLASSIFIED