At a solemn gathering marking International Anti-Corruption Day, Haiti’s transitional leadership delivered a stark assessment of the nation’s justice system while reaffirming commitment to governance reforms. Interim President Laurent Saint-Cyr addressed dignitaries at Port-au-Prince’s Karibe Hotel on December 9, emphasizing transparency as the cornerstone of public trust during ceremonies organized by the Anti-Corruption Unit (ULCC).
The high-profile event assembled key stakeholders including Canadian Ambassador André François Giroux, United Nations representatives, finance ministry officials, and diplomatic corps members alongside student delegations and youth activists. Saint-Cyr particularly highlighted the vital role of younger generations as both participants and beneficiaries in the anti-corruption movement, identifying education as the fundamental mechanism for fostering integrity and societal resistance to corruption.
The transitional leader outlined institutional priorities, stressing the necessity of unimpeded oversight operations and inter-agency cooperation to prevent misuse of public resources and strengthen constitutional order. He formally recognized ULCC personnel as ‘Guardians of Transparency, Integrity, and Good Governance’ while referencing the April 2025 decree establishing specialized judicial hubs for processing complex financial crimes.
Despite these declarations, official statistics reveal a disheartening enforcement gap. Historical data indicates that since ULCC’s establishment in 2004, the agency has submitted 94 investigative reports to judicial authorities resulting in merely two convictions—one in 2015 and another in 2024. Under current director Hans-Jacques Ludwig Joseph, 68 cases have been referred for prosecution with minimal judicial action, exposing systemic deficiencies in Haiti’s legal apparatus.
This disparity between investigative efforts and judicial outcomes underscores what analysts describe as an entrenched regime of impunity, particularly regarding corruption cases involving powerful interests. The transitional administration now faces dual challenges of implementing structural reforms while overcoming institutional inertia within the justice sector.