分类： politics

Elections : Statistics on the electoral process (daily data)

As Haiti prepares for its upcoming general elections, new daily data published by the nation’s Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) on September 27, 2026, offers a comprehensive snapshot of candidate registration trends, highlighting persistent demographic disparities and incomplete compliance with national gender representation rules.

Breaking down the distribution of candidates across all elected positions, legislative seats draw the largest pool of contenders by a wide margin. A total of 580 candidates have registered to run for Member of Parliament, while 195 are seeking Senate seats. For local government offices, 274 candidates are vying for CASEC positions, 260 have put their names forward for mayor, and 160 are running for ASEC seats. At the top of the ticket, the presidential race remains a compact contest, with only 10 candidates formally registered to date, all of whom are men representing different Haitian political parties.

An analysis of the demographic breakdown of all candidates reveals a stark overrepresentation of middle-aged men across all races. Nearly 85% of all contenders fall between the ages of 31 and 60: the 31–45 age bracket accounts for 42.5% of all candidates, followed closely by the 46–60 group at 42.1%. Young candidates aged 18 to 30 make up just 5.3% of the total, while candidates 60 and older represent 10.1%. In terms of gender, men hold an overwhelming 79% of all registered candidacies, leaving women with just a 21% share overall.

Geographically, candidate numbers and female participation vary dramatically across Haiti’s departments. The Southeast department has the highest total number of candidates at 282, followed by the South with 243 and the West with 169. Female candidate shares also shift sharply by region: the Southeast leads with 27.7% women candidates, while the share drops to 15.6% in Artibonite, 15.1% in the Northeast, and hits a low of just 13.9% in Grand’Anse.

These figures also show that Haiti has not met its constitutional mandate requiring a minimum 30% female candidate quota, outlined in Article 17.1 of the national constitution. The shortfall is most acute in national-level races: there are no women candidates in the 10-person presidential field, women make up just 6.7% of all Chamber of Deputies candidates, and only 13.8% of Senate candidates. By contrast, local and territorial offices exceed the 30% requirement: 33.5% of mayoral candidates, 33.6% of CASEC candidates, and 41.3% of ASEC candidates are women.

Tracking the timeline of registration activity, daily volumes held steady between September 21 and 25, with an average of 80 to 100 new applications submitted each day. A slight dip to 59 registrations was recorded on September 26, followed by zero new applications on September 27, a sign that the candidate registration window is set to close imminently.

One high-profile candidacy remains unresolved as of the latest data update: former leader Michel Martelly, who registered online on September 22 under the DEBLOKE party banner, has not yet received final approval from the CEP. The CEP confirmed that Martelly’s application is currently undergoing in-depth legal review, noting that online registration alone does not equal final validation. All candidate applications are being assessed for compliance with physical and legal documentation requirements, the council added.

The electoral body is on schedule to release its preliminary list of approved candidates on September 29, 2026, with the final official list of qualifying candidates set for publication on October 14. It is at that time that a final decision on Martelly’s candidacy and all other pending applications will be announced.

27 9 月, 2026
Probe into plot to kill Govt minister

During a heated Senate debate on the controversial Special Operations Bill 2026 late Wednesday, former Trinidad and Tobago government minister Foster Cummings has dropped a bombshell revelation: 18 heavily armed police officers executed a search warrant at one of his privately owned properties, as part of an investigation into an alleged conspiracy to assassinate a sitting government minister.

Cummings, who previously served as Minister of Youth Development and National Service under the People’s National Movement administration, told the upper legislative chamber that law enforcement had also compiled a classified file of his personal activities labeled as official intelligence on police letterhead — a document that was later improperly leaked to national media outlets. The former minister stopped short of elaborating further on the document, noting the matter is already under judicial review.

Recounting the day of the raid, Cummings said he was seated inside the Parliament building when he first received an alert on his mobile phone that armed officers had arrived at his property. Moments later, a sitting government legislator across the parliamentary floor confirmed the news to him directly. “I joked that they probably just wanted to stop by for a drink, but my colleague told me they were there for a far more serious reason,” Cummings told the Senate President.

He went on to detail the origins of the police action: A high-ranking government official, who did not qualify for enhanced personal security under existing protocols, pushed claims of a murder conspiracy to prompt the police operation. Acting on the unconfirmed intelligence, officers secured a warrant from a court to search his property as part of the probe into the alleged plot. Without naming the minister making the claim, Cummings questioned why the official remained free to carry out official duties amid the allegations, contrasting the situation with the heavy police presence at his property. The country was previously under a national state of emergency when the original assassination claims first emerged publicly.

The bombshell revelation lines up with an exclusive report published by the *Sunday Express* in July 2026, which detailed allegations that an unnamed ex-government minister offered a self-described gang member $250,000 to assassinate Public Utilities Minister Barry Padarath. According to a sworn statement the detained man gave to Carenage Police Station officers on December 4, 2025 — excerpts of which were obtained by the outlet — the man was seeking high-paying work when he was taken to a club owned by the former minister in McBean in November 2025.

In the statement, the man claimed the ex-minister told him he had “a bigger job” available: $250,000 to “get rid of” Padarath, whom the former minister described as a talkative “slim Indian fella with a hard face” who “hadda go.” The accuser alleged the former minister offered to supply all necessary weapons, vehicles, and target location details, even providing an upfront $3,000 “sweetener” to secure the deal and pushed for the assassination to be carried out as soon as possible. When asked what “get rid of” meant, the man told investigators it was clearly a reference to killing Padarath, noting the former minister had made a throat-slitting gesture to confirm the order.

The man, who was already in custody on an unrelated charge when he gave the statement, told police he had never accepted a murder-for-hire job before, though he admitted to prior acts of assault and intimidation for other associates. He added he came forward with the allegations because he feared for his life if he spoke while at liberty, claiming he did not trust some members of the police force due to alleged corruption and links to the plotters.

Following the July report, Padarath confirmed his security detail had been expanded to include protection from the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service Special Branch. He publicly expressed concern that the former minister implicated in the plot remained at liberty, but emphasized he retained confidence in the national police service and would not alter his daily activities out of fear.

Cummings used his own experience tied to the high-profile murder plot investigation to frame broader objections to the Special Operations Bill, which seeks to expand law enforcement powers across the country. He warned that if a former legislator with access to parliamentary platforms could be subjected to such a sweeping, intelligence-driven search, ordinary citizens with no ability to speak out publicly would be even more vulnerable to overreach. “I have the privilege of standing in this chamber today to tell the country what happened to me. What happens to the average citizen who has no platform to push back when the state acts against them unjustly?” Cummings asked. Despite his objections and revelations, the Special Operations Bill has already secured passage in both the upper and lower houses of parliament.

27 9 月, 2026
PoS Prison set to close its gates for good

After standing as a central institution of Trinidad and Tobago’s correctional system for more than two and a half centuries, the aging Port of Spain Prison located on Frederick Street is poised to close its doors permanently, wrapping up a historic chapter of the country’s penal history. The national government has launched a full decommissioning process for the facility, with inmate transfers already in progress and on track to wrap up by the end of November 2024.

Homeland Security Minister Roger Alexander confirmed the timeline and details of the shutdown in an exclusive interview with the *Sunday Express* on Saturday, noting that the multi-phase transfer operation first kicked off on September 21. The decommissioning project is structured in three distinct phases, and the first step — relocating high-risk inmates from the historic Port of Spain Prison to the country’s Remand Prison — has already been successfully completed.

The remaining two phases will focus on reconfiguring inmate housing across the country’s correctional facilities to accommodate the full shutdown. Up next, the Remand Prison will absorb inmates currently held at the Extended Remand Facility (ERF), clearing space for death-row inmates from Port of Spain Prison. In the final phase, 150 convicted offenders will be moved from the closing facility to three existing institutions: the Maximum Security Prison, Carrera Convict Prison, and Golden Grove Prison.

To accommodate the additional inmate population at the receiving facilities, upgrades and adjustments are already underway. At the Remand Prison, which currently has a maximum capacity of 750 inmates, crews are installing new beds and refurbishing cell locks to meet updated safety and security protocols, alongside other critical infrastructure improvements. Alexander confirmed that project leaders have advised the decommissioning will stay on schedule so long as all critical upgrades are addressed as planned.

According to Alexander, the push to close the outdated facility came directly from Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, who directed the government to move forward with the shutdown in a timely manner. “All is well and going smoothly. We look forward to a new beginning for that place. As I said before…the Prime Minister…could not see the continuation of that place. She instructed us to make sure that this happens, and we were trying to do it in a timely manner,” Alexander stated.

The Prime Minister and her cabinet will lead decisions on the future redevelopment of the prime Frederick Street site once decommissioning is complete. The closure of the old Port of Spain Prison is a core component of the government’s broader correctional system revitalization plan, which also includes constructing a new state-of-the-art correctional facility outside of Port of Spain, an initiative Alexander said he fully supports.

When asked about widespread public concern that transferring inmates to existing facilities would exacerbate longstanding issues of prison overcrowding, Alexander noted that targeted mitigation measures are already being implemented to improve conditions across the system. Beyond infrastructure adjustments, he emphasized that the broader goal of the reform is to restore the correctional system’s role as a deterrent to crime, a function he said the outdated, mismanaged Port of Spain Prison had lost.

Acknowledging public conversations about overcrowding, Alexander argued that the most effective long-term solution is discouraging people from committing crimes that lead to incarceration in the first place. “The prison must be a deterrent and the fact is, it is no longer that. The prisons are now like a home, a residential area, where you can do what you want, when you want, how you want, and we are stopping that,” he said.

Discussions about closing the Port of Spain Prison have circulated among policymakers for decades, but Alexander emphasized that the current administration is the first to turn that decades-long talk into tangible action. He framed the facility as an outdated blight on the capital’s central urban core, saying, “This prison is an eyesore. To me, it has become a public nuisance and it is time for it to go. It is time for something new to be developed into the city.”

Beyond the decommissioning plan, Alexander addressed two other pressing correctional sector issues during the interview: a recent high-profile incident involving a prison officer and renewed calls from the Prison Officers’ Association to issue firearms to all serving officers. He commended the actions of a prison officer who fatally shot a home invader while defending his family in a recent attack.

On the question of issuing firearms to correctional officers, Alexander said he supports the idea of granting Firearm User’s Licences to all eligible public safety officers — including firefighters, coast guard members, and prison staff — but added that not all uniformed officers meet the strict integrity requirements for holding a licence. He noted that a small number of officers have abused their positions and access to help criminal actors carry out illegal activity.

Alexander called on the Prison Officers’ Association to encourage all of its members to uphold high standards of ethical conduct in their roles. “If other persons are paying them outside of the service, well, that’s on them. All I ask is for brave men and women to serve with integrity, dignity, and an understanding that they are there to protect and serve persons, not to protect and serve themselves alone,” he said.

27 9 月, 2026
Geoffrey Hanley at UNGA81: St. Kitts and Nevis says there can be no hierarchy of human suffering – WIC News

At the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly held on September 25, 2026, Acting Prime Minister Dr. Geoffrey Hanley of St. Kitts and Nevis delivered a bold, principle-driven address centered on equity for small nations, consistent application of global rules, and urgent action on longstanding injustices and regional crises.

Hanley opened by framing Caribbean nations’ approach to global challenges as rooted in unwavering respect for core foundational values: national sovereignty, territorial integrity, consistent international law, and diplomatic dialogue. Reaffirming the regional bloc CARICOM’s longstanding position on ongoing border disputes in the Western Hemisphere, he made clear that the organization endorses the International Court of Justice as the legitimate, peaceful pathway to resolve the ongoing border dispute between Guyana and Venezuela, as well as the existing judicial process addressing territorial differences between Belize and Guatemala.

Beyond regional territorial disputes, Hanley called for the uniform application of international law across all active global conflicts, including Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan, Yemen, Chad, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. For small island states like St. Kitts and Nevis, he argued, inconsistent application of global rules creates a dangerous precedent where might overrides right, leaving vulnerable nations at constant risk. “Civilians continue to bear an unconscionable burden” in all these conflicts, Hanley stated, emphasizing that the global community must uphold a single, universal standard for international law, applied consistently rather than selectively, and extend moral conscience evenly rather than for political convenience. “There can be no hierarchy of human suffering,” he stressed.

On the matter of global leadership representation, Hanley announced that St. Kitts and Nevis joins the full CARICOM bloc in endorsing Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett of Guyana for the position of United Nations Secretary-General. He framed her candidacy as a landmark step for equitable global representation: as a woman and a leader from a small developing nation, Hanley noted, her candidacy demonstrates that global leadership is defined by vision and integrity, not the geographic or economic size of a candidate’s home country.

Hanley also highlighted a historic milestone in reparatory justice cooperation between African and Caribbean nations. In March 2026, the African Union’s reparations mechanism and the Caribbean Reparations Commission held their first official meeting, building on the framework of the Addis Ababa Declaration signed during the second Africa-Caribbean summit. Hanley argued that collaboration between the two regions must move beyond shared historical sympathy to tangible action across investment, trade, technology exchange, knowledge sharing, cultural cooperation, and coordinated global diplomacy. He referenced General Assembly Resolution 80/25/250, which formally classified the trafficking and racialized chattel enslavement of African peoples as the gravest crime against humanity, and called for the global movement for reparatory justice to transition from formal recognition of harm to concrete remediation. “Reparatory justice must move from recognition to remedy, and from words to action,” he said.

Turning to the ongoing humanitarian and security crisis in Haiti, Hanley drew global attention to the deteriorating conditions ahead of the country’s first round of presidential and legislative elections: approximately 1.47 million Haitians remain internally displaced, and nearly half of the national population faces acute food insecurity. He called for the rapid deployment of the UN-authorized multinational gang suppression force, timely renewal of the mission’s mandate, and coordinated international support for Haitian-led recovery and governance efforts.

Addressing other regional and global priorities, Hanley shared that St. Kitts and Nevis has delivered humanitarian relief to the Cuban people and to St. Kitts and Nevis nationals studying in Cuba, and urged constructive diplomatic dialogue between the governments of Cuba and the United States to resolve longstanding tensions. He also reaffirmed St. Kitts and Nevis’ support for Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international bodies including the World Health Organization and the International Civil Aviation Organization, and called for cross-strait differences to be resolved exclusively through peaceful means.

Closing his address, Hanley emphasized that trust between nations is built through delivered action, not empty promises. “Let this assembly be remembered not for what was said here but for what was done after,” he concluded.

27 9 月, 2026
VN: Han Zheng legt nadruk op ontwikkeling, multilateralisme en internationale samenwerking

Against the backdrop of rising global geopolitical divisions and strained multilateral cooperation, Chinese Vice President Han Zheng delivered a key address on behalf of China during the general debate of the 81st United Nations General Assembly at UN Headquarters in New York on Saturday, one day after Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit to the U.S. and his meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump.

Prior to the address, Beijing had confirmed that Han would lay out China’s official positions on global and regional affairs, as well as the country’s vision for the role of the United Nations. Diplomatic sources emphasized that sending Han to represent China at the assembly does not signal a reduced commitment to the UN — the body remains a core platform for multilateral cooperation for Beijing, and Han is far from the first senior Chinese official to stand in for the Chinese president during UN General Assembly week.

The central theme of Han’s speech was global development. He framed economic and social progress as a fundamental precondition for lasting international peace and stability, and highlighted the priority needs of developing countries in this area. Han pointed to China’s own experience, citing what the Chinese government describes as two domestic “miracles”: decades of rapid economic expansion paired with long-term social stability, as an example of what sustained, targeted development can achieve. This framing is a longstanding core element of China’s official diplomatic narrative, and not an independent assessment by the UN.

Two of China’s signature global development efforts took center stage in the address: the Global Development Initiative (GDI), launched five years ago to strengthen international development cooperation with a specific focus on the Global South, and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), through which Beijing says it now partners with dozens of countries around the world. The BRI has long drawn debate: while Beijing frames it as a vehicle for infrastructure growth and shared development, critics argue the projects also expand China’s economic and geopolitical influence, a tension that remains central to broader discussions of China’s role in the developing world.

On economic policy, Han issued a clear warning against protectionism, in a nod to the long-running trade frictions that have shaped China-U.S. relations in recent years. “Protectionism produces no winners,” he stated, arguing that no country can achieve robust development in a closed, fragmented international economic environment. The statement aligns with China’s longstanding position opposing trade barriers and unilateral economic measures, and reflects Beijing’s consistent support for the multilateral trading system centered on the World Trade Organization. The timing of the message was notable, coming just days after Xi and Trump’s Washington meeting, where trade and bilateral economic tensions were top agenda items as the two countries work to manage their economic disputes through negotiation.

Han reaffirmed China’s commitment to multilateralism as the foundation of a rules-based international order anchored in the UN Charter. He called on all nations to resolve disputes through dialogue and diplomacy, and pushed back against unilateral military actions that bypass UN Security Council approval or violate the terms of the UN Charter. This is a core principle of China’s longstanding foreign policy, which holds that international disputes must be addressed through multilateral frameworks with full respect for national sovereignty. The message comes at a moment when the UN is grappling with multiple protracted conflicts and growing geopolitical rifts, echoing a warning issued by UN Secretary-General António Guterres at the opening of this year’s assembly, who highlighted rising global division and growing pressure on international cooperation and international law.

On tensions involving Iran and the broader Middle East, Han took a measured tone, stating that China insists on full respect for the sovereignty and security of all regional states, including Gulf countries. He called for preserving the post-war international order and warned against Cold War-era mentalities and bloc confrontation. The address did not offer an extended breakdown of China’s position on the ongoing regional conflict, consistent with Beijing’s longstanding approach of framing itself as a neutral supporter of negotiated political solutions to international disputes.

A notable absence from the speech was any direct reference to Taiwan, a core issue in China’s foreign policy that regularly features in Beijing’s diplomatic statements, particularly in the context of its relations with the United States. While the omission is clear, analysts note its meaning remains ambiguous: without additional official comment from Beijing, it cannot be interpreted as a shift in China’s longstanding Taiwan policy.

Han also touched on global technological governance, including the fast evolution of artificial intelligence, a top priority for this year’s UN General Assembly, where global regulation of AI has been a central topic of debate. China has pushed for greater multilateral cooperation on AI governance in recent years, and has called for increased representation for developing countries in the process of setting international technological rules. This emphasis aligns with the broader agenda of this year’s assembly, where Guterres has named the rapid advancement of AI as one of the key global challenges that requires coordinated cross-border collaboration.

Overall, Han’s address offered few departures from China’s existing foreign policy framework, with core priorities of development, multilateralism, respect for national sovereignty, opposition to protectionism, and rejection of unilateral military action that have been consistent in Beijing’s public statements for years. The dual diplomatic events of the past week — Xi’s meeting with Trump in Washington and Han’s address at the UN — underscore Beijing’s parallel diplomatic tracks: active engagement in multilateral institutions alongside direct high-level negotiation with the United States. For China, the UN General Assembly address served primarily as a platform to reaffirm its broader global vision: that lasting international stability can only be built through inclusive economic development, widespread multilateral cooperation, and deliberate efforts to avoid conflict escalation. Whether this approach will deliver concrete progress on ongoing disputes from trade and AI governance to Middle East tensions and U.S.-China rivalry will ultimately depend on the willingness of all involved parties to translate shared stated principles into actionable policy.

27 9 月, 2026
Trump Moves to Cancel $810 Million in Funding for Refugee, Immigrant Programs

WASHINGTON – In a controversial move to slash federal spending that has reignited a decades-long debate over the separation of powers between the executive and legislative branches, the Trump administration has launched an effort to revoke $810 million in congressionally approved spending, with a large share of the cuts targeting programs that support refugees, immigrants and marginalized communities.

The White House made the announcement public on Friday, confirming that President Donald Trump is leveraging a little-used procedural tool called a “pocket rescission” to eliminate funding the administration has labeled as unnecessary and wasteful. Among all the proposed cuts, the single largest reduction targets $567 million allocated to Department of Health and Human Services programs that provide critical services to refugees, asylum seekers, unaccompanied migrant minors and other non-citizen groups. Additional cuts will extend to a range of other initiatives, from other immigration-related programs to public education, affordable housing, support for minority-owned small businesses and more.

In defending the policy shift, administration officials argue that the immigration-focused funding is no longer required, pointing to a sharp recent drop in illegal border crossings as the core justification for the cuts. However, the action has drawn sharp bipartisan and inter-branch criticism, with legal and constitutional scholars, as well as key congressional lawmakers, questioning whether the president has the authority to unilaterally cancel spending that has already been formally approved by Congress without explicit consent from elected lawmakers.

Senator Susan Collins, a Republican from Maine who serves as chair of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee, has emerged as one of the most prominent critics of the move. Collins slammed the action as a direct violation of Congress’ constitutionally granted authority over federal spending, noting that legislative branch received the full $810 million rescission package with no advance consultation from the White House.

The core of the current dispute stems from the timing of the administration’s use of the pocket rescission mechanism. The proposal comes just weeks before the end of the current federal fiscal year, a timeline that leaves Congress with almost no time to review, debate or reject the proposed cuts before the existing funding is set to expire. This is not the first time questions have been raised about the legality of this approach: the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office, Congress’ official independent oversight body, has previously ruled that this type of unilateral rescission is not permitted under the 1974 Impoundment Control Act, the federal law that governs how executive branch can handle unspent congressionally allocated funds.

26 9 月, 2026
Former top public servant Erskine Griffith dies

Following the passing of Erskine Griffith, one of Barbados’ most decorated long-serving public figures, Prime Minister Mia Mottley has honored his decades of dedicated national service with a formal announcement of a state official funeral, in recognition of his extraordinary legacy of commitment to the country. In a public statement released Saturday, Mottley reflected on Griffith’s remarkable life trajectory, which began in humble origins and grew into a decades-long career marked by unwavering integrity, excellence, and consistent devotion to public duty across Barbados’ post-independence era. “Erskine Griffith’s life journey is a powerful testament to what every Barbadian can achieve when they commit themselves fully to serving their community and nation,” Mottley noted in her tribute. “In every post he held over his career, he brought the full breadth of his talent, professional training, and strong personal character to advance Barbados’ national interests.” Griffith’s career spanned nearly half a century of public service, holding a series of senior roles that shaped the country’s economic and governance trajectory. Before his 2000 retirement as Head of the Public Service, he served as Director of Finance and Economic Affairs, and prior to that appointment, he held the position of Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance. In that role, he supported six different Ministers of Finance across multiple administrations: Prime Ministers Tom Adams, Sir Harold St John, Errol Barrow, Sir Lloyd Sandford, and Owen Arthur, as well as senior politician Sir Richard Haynes. Prime Minister Mottley emphasized that Griffith consistently demonstrated profound professionalism and cross-partisan loyalty throughout his tenure, serving both the Barbados Labour Party and Democratic Labour Party administrations with equal commitment and always putting national interests ahead of partisan political concerns. Beyond his domestic governance roles, Griffith also made his mark on the global stage as Barbados’ first ever ambassador to the World Trade Organization, based in Geneva. After completing his diplomatic posting, he returned to Barbados to continue his public service as a government-appointed senator and later as Minister of Agriculture. Mottley highlighted that Griffith’s consistent willingness to step forward and serve the nation “time and again” revealed the depth of his personal commitment to public good. “His decades of service leave an enduring example of the integrity, humility, and unwavering commitment that all of us in public life should strive to emulate, and the high standard that the public deserves from its public servants,” Mottley added. Final arrangements for the official funeral are still being coordinated, with the Cabinet Office set to release full details after concluding consultations with Griffith’s family to honor their preferences for the service.

26 9 月, 2026
Antigua and Barbuda Stands by Espinosa’s Bid for U.N. Secretary-General, Browne Says

The race for the next United Nations Secretary-General has developed a notable regional split in the Caribbean, as Antigua and Barbuda’s Prime Minister Gaston Browne has publicly reaffirmed his government’s unwavering support for Ecuadorian candidate María Fernanda Espinosa, rejecting widespread calls to switch backing to the Caribbean Community’s preferred nominee Carolyn Rodrigues Birkett of Guyana.

Speaking during an appearance on Pointe FM’s *Browne and Browne Show* Saturday, Browne laid out his administration’s steady stance on the contest, revealing that Antigua and Barbuda recently hosted a high-profile reception for Espinosa during her visit to New York and is actively courting additional pledges of support from other U.N. member states. Despite growing pressure from across the region to pull its endorsement of Espinosa and align with most Caribbean governments that back Rodrigues Birkett, Browne said his small island nation has refused to back down.

“Under no circumstances,” Browne stated, recalling his blunt response to requests that Antigua and Barbuda withdraw its nomination. “We stand by our candidate.”

Antigua and Barbuda first formally put Espinosa, a former president of the U.N. General Assembly, forward as a candidate back in May. Rodrigues Birkett, Guyana’s experienced former foreign minister and current permanent representative to the United Nations, joined the race a month later in June. Both candidates are officially recognized and listed on the United Nations’ official register of contenders for the top post.

Browne also made a significant unconfirmed claim during the interview: he alleged that Washington has already decided it will veto Rodrigues Birkett’s candidacy if she advances through the selection process. If accurate, he argued, this veto intention would clear a path and boost Espinosa’s chances of securing the role. To date, however, there has been no independent verification of Browne’s claim about a potential U.S. veto.

The Antiguan prime minister acknowledged that even with his country’s backing, Espinosa still needs the support of the Security Council’s five permanent members to move forward in the selection process. He framed Espinosa as a uniquely skilled consensus-builder, capable of forging collaborative connections between nations with divergent interests, adding that her long-standing working relationship with Antigua and Barbuda was the core reason the country chose to nominate her. Browne also noted that representatives from multiple unspecified governments attended the recent reception for Espinosa and offered informal pledges of support, though he declined to name the countries or detail the exact nature of their commitments.

The U.N. Secretary-General selection process follows a clear established framework: the Security Council is tasked with recommending a single nominee to the full General Assembly, which then votes on the appointment. While Antigua and Barbuda’s continued endorsement keeps Espinosa active in the contest, it does not guarantee she will be the candidate put forward by the Security Council for the final General Assembly vote.

26 9 月, 2026
China en Verenigde Staten bereiken acht afspraken tijdens bezoek Xi Jinping

In a high-stakes diplomatic milestone that has reshaped the trajectory of bilateral relations, Chinese President Xi Jinping touched down at Joint Base Andrews on September 23, 2026, to begin a three-day state visit to the United States, hosted by U.S. President Donald Trump, who personally greeted the Chinese leader on arrival. Over the course of consultations held from September 23 to 25, the two top leaders concluded negotiations that produced eight concrete, actionable agreements spanning economic cooperation, artificial intelligence governance, counternarcotics, military coordination and multilateral engagement, marking one of the most significant breakthroughs in China-U.S. ties in recent years.

A core guiding principle anchored all discussions: both nations reaffirmed their shared commitment to building a “constructive China-U.S. relationship of strategic stability” rooted in the foundational values of mutual respect, fair dealing and reciprocal benefit. This overarching framework set the tone for all substantive talks on key policy areas.

On economic and trade ties, one of the most high-priority topics on the summit agenda, the two sides expressed full backing for existing consultation mechanisms between their respective economic and trade working groups, and formally endorsed the outcomes of recent bargaining sessions. Key commitments include advancing the establishment and expansion of a joint Board of Trade and additional cooperative dialogue frameworks, as well as implementing a reciprocal tariff reduction package valued at $30 billion. The leaders also agreed to carry forward previous economic and trade agreements reached during earlier talks in Kuala Lumpur, and issued a formal directive to their economic teams to begin full implementation of all new commitments without delay.

In the emerging domain of artificial intelligence governance, the two countries announced the creation of a formal, dedicated China-U.S. AI Dialogue. This platform will enable systematic exchanges of information and perspectives on both the transformative opportunities and growing systemic risks posed by advancing AI technologies. The first formal meeting of the new dialogue is scheduled for November 2026, and the sides also agreed to establish a direct communication channel to manage and de-escalate unplanned incidents involving AI systems.

On military relations, the two nations committed to finalizing a memorandum of understanding on crisis communication and conflict de-escalation as quickly as possible, to reduce the risk of unintended confrontation. They also agreed to continue longstanding cooperative work to recover the remains of U.S. service members listed as missing in action within Chinese territory.

Counternarcotics cooperation emerged as a standout example of practical collaboration between the two powers even amid broader disagreements. Both sides highlighted the tangible progress of joint law enforcement efforts, noting that Chinese and U.S. authorities have jointly dismantled multiple trafficking networks involving new psychoactive substances and precursor chemicals, leading to the arrest of dozens of suspects across both countries.

On regional and global issues, the two leaders aligned on the need for Iran to uphold its longstanding commitments to refrain from developing nuclear weapons. They also addressed freedom of navigation on international waterways, with both sides endorsing the principle that no country or international body has the right to impose unauthorized tolls on transit through these global common spaces. The talks also included a reflection on the shared history of China and the United States as wartime allies during the Second World War.

Looking ahead to multilateral leadership, China and the United States agreed to mutually support each other in hosting upcoming APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting and G20 summit, with both presidents confirming their plans to attend each other’s scheduled events. This commitment underscores the two nations’ push to sustain high-level diplomatic engagement moving forward.

In a symbolic gesture designed to warm public sentiment amid years of strained relations, the summit also produced one widely noted cultural agreement: China will loan two giant pandas to Zoo Atlanta, continuing a decades-long tradition of panda diplomacy that has long served as a barometer of the warmth of bilateral people-to-people ties.

26 9 月, 2026
Antigua and Barbuda Proposes Seven U.S. Deportees Per Quarter Instead of Seven Monthly

As negotiations continue over a highly controversial migration transfer arrangement between Washington and the eastern Caribbean nation of Antigua and Barbuda, the Caribbean country has formally rejected a United States proposal to accept seven third-country deportees each month, and put forward a far less demanding counteroffer of accepting a maximum of seven deportees every three months. \n\nAntigua and Barbuda’s Prime Minister Gaston Browne revealed his government’s updated negotiating position during an appearance Saturday on the *Browne and Browne Show* broadcast by Pointe FM, explaining that the revised offer came out of the most recent round of diplomatic talks with U.S. officials. \n\n“Just over a week ago, we received the U.S. proposal that we take seven persons per month, and we told them directly that this volume is too high for our country to accommodate. We’ve proposed instead that we will accept seven per quarter,” Browne stated publicly during the interview. \n\nIf the counterproposal is accepted by Washington, the maximum annual number of transferred deportees would stand at 28 people, though Browne emphasized that discussions are still ongoing and no final terms have been agreed upon. \n\nThe prime minister confirmed that Antigua and Barbuda has already sent its counterproposal back to the United States, alongside a series of additional safeguards that outline strict criteria for which individuals can be transferred to the Caribbean nation. \n\nBrowne noted that his administration is working to reach a compromise that upholds Antigua and Barbuda’s sovereign national interests while preserving cooperative relations with the United States. “We are cooperating with our partners, but our priority in these negotiations is to secure the best possible outcome for Antigua and Barbuda under the current circumstances,” he said. \n\nThe counterproposal is now awaiting review and consideration by U.S. government officials. In a move to reinforce transparency, Browne also pledged that any finalized agreement reached between the two governments will be submitted to Antigua and Barbuda’s Parliament for formal approval and opened to full public scrutiny.

26 9 月, 2026