Haiti's future governing council vows to restore order: statement

Port au Prince: The governing council that aims to oversee a political transition in Haiti vowed Wednesday to restore public and democratic order, i...

Port-au-Prince: The governing council that aims to oversee a political transition in Haiti vowed Wednesday to restore "public and democratic order," in its first statement to the Caribbean nation wracked by a worsening security crisis.

"We are determined to alleviate the suffering of the Haitian people, trapped for too long between bad governance, multi-faceted violence and disregard for their perspectives and needs," said the statement from the Presidential Council, which has yet to be officially installed.

Prime Minister Ariel Henry, who has led the impoverished Caribbean nation since the shock 2021 assassination of president Jovenel Moise, promised over two weeks ago to step down after a transitional council is stood up -- though reaching that stage has proved exceedingly difficult.

Henry's decision came after a steadily worsening security crisis culminated in a coordinated campaign of attacks by armed gangs demanding his ouster late last month.

The presidential transition council -- to be composed of seven voting members and two non-voting members -- draws from Haitian political parties, the private sector and elsewhere, and is to name an interim prime minister and government to set the stage for fresh elections.