标签： Haiti

Haiti’s newly appointed Defense Minister Mario Andrésol brings decades of distinguished security expertise to his role following his official swearing-in ceremony on March 4, 2026. The 65-year-old Port-au-Prince native assumes leadership of Haiti’s defense establishment at a critical juncture in the nation’s development.

Minister Andrésol’s educational foundation began at the Brothers of the Sacred Heart (John XXIII) institution before advancing to Collège Saint Pierre for secondary education. His academic journey continued at the State University of Haiti’s Faculty of Humanities from 1980-1982, after which he pivoted toward military service by enrolling in the Haitian Military Academy as a cadet officer.

The newly installed defense chief possesses exceptional international training credentials. After graduating from the Military Academy’s 1982-1984 class, he immediately traveled to Fort Benning, Georgia, where he completed specialized Infantry Officer training at the U.S. Army facility in 1985. His educational advancement continued with police theory and practice specialization at France’s prestigious Gendarmerie Officer Training School in Melun during 1986.

Andrésol’s professional development demonstrates remarkable intellectual versatility. Following his French internship, he pursued International Relations studies at Haiti’s National Institute of Management and Advanced International Studies (INAGHEI) from 1986-1989 while simultaneously maintaining military duties. During his New York exile from 2001-2005, he earned dual paralegal specialties degrees from the New York Para-Legal School.

His service career commenced in 1986 with assignment to the 39th Company of Haiti’s Armed Forces (FAd’H) Traffic Division as a Second Lieutenant. Subsequent postings included the Anti-Gang Unit (40th Company) where he gained crucial experience combating organized crime from 1989-1990. His promotion to First Lieutenant brought executive responsibility for security at Port-au-Prince International Airport through 1994, followed by district military command positions in Jacmel and Arcahaie.

Following the formal separation of military and police functions in 1995, Andrésol transitioned seamlessly into senior police leadership roles. His distinguished police career included service as Municipal Commissioner of Pétion-ville (1995-1997), Chief Commissioner of Port-au-Prince District (1997-1998), and Director of the Judicial Police Central Directorate (1998-2001). He ultimately ascended to Commander-in-Chief of the Haitian National Police, serving from July 2005 through August 2012.

Throughout his extensive career, Minister Andrésol has demonstrated exceptional integrity, discipline, and administrative rigor. He successfully navigated political transitions under three different administrations—Boniface Alexandre/Latortue (2004-2006), René Préval (2006-2011), and Michel Martelly (2011-2012)—while maintaining institutional independence from political interference. His leadership achievements include significant personnel expansion, organizational restructuring with international support, and establishing professional integrity standards within the police force.

Notably, Andrésol resisted pressure to reconstitute the Haitian Army during the 2012 remobilization of former FAd’H personnel, demonstrating principled commitment to democratic civilian oversight of security forces. His departure from police leadership occurred without scandal, concluding a exemplary service chapter that now continues with his defense ministerial appointment.

In a landmark development for Haiti’s financial governance, the government has formally presented its National Risk Assessment Report on Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing after an extensive 18-month collaborative effort. The comprehensive evaluation was unveiled this week at the Montana Hotel through a joint initiative led by the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF), the Bank of the Republic of Haiti (BRH), and the Ministry of Justice and Public Security (MJSP).

The assessment process employed a participatory methodology that engaged over 35 multidisciplinary professionals spanning both public and private sectors, with technical guidance provided by the World Bank. This inclusive approach ensured a thorough examination of Haiti’s financial vulnerabilities and institutional capabilities.

Serge Gabriel Collin, Haiti’s newly appointed Minister of Economy and Finance, emphasized that this assessment represents a critical milestone in fortifying the nation’s financial system integrity. The report identifies multiple systemic threats including organized criminal networks, arms trafficking operations, ransom kidnappings, corruption schemes, smuggling activities, and narcotics trafficking. These criminal enterprises exert continuous pressure on Haitian institutions and present substantial barriers to achieving socio-political stability, national security, and sustainable economic development.

Minister Collin outlined that effective implementation of the report’s recommendations requires comprehensive adoption by both public and private entities. Organizations must integrate these guidelines into their operational frameworks and enhance internal compliance mechanisms to properly align resources, controls, and procedures with identified risk exposures.

The ultimate objective of this initiative is twofold: to facilitate Haiti’s removal from the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) increased monitoring list (grey list) and to prevent potential designation as a non-cooperative jurisdiction (blacklist). Success in these efforts would significantly contribute to stabilizing the country’s financial sector, creating conditions favorable for economic revitalization, and accelerating social welfare and protection programs essential for national recovery.

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – In a significant move to enhance governmental efficiency, Minister of Planning and External Cooperation Sandra Paulemon convened a strategic workshop on March 13, 2026, with ministerial Study and Programming Units (UEPs). This gathering focused on developing a revised Public Investment Program (PIP) for the 2025-2026 period, marking a pivotal step in Prime Minister Fils-Aimé’s administration. The initiative underscores the government’s dedication to optimizing state resources and international cooperation funds by channeling them into high-impact, structural projects that deliver tangible public benefits. Minister Paulemon emphasized that the PIP serves as the fundamental mechanism for translating national development policies into actionable, financed initiatives. She directed the UEPs to formulate realistic, meticulously prepared project proposals that are in strict alignment with the administration’s core priorities: enhancing national security, stimulating economic recovery, and establishing the necessary framework for conducting upcoming elections. This electoral preparation is a direct commitment under the National Pact for Stability and the Organization of Elections, a landmark agreement signed on February 21, 2026. Concluding the session, Paulemon issued a call to action for all involved parties, urging heightened commitment and professional rigor to ensure the planning process effectively reinforces public governance and ultimately improves citizen welfare.

In an unprecedented move signaling a new era of collaboration, Haiti’s Ministry of Religious Affairs hosted its first-ever gathering of national religious leaders on March 13, 2026. Minister Raina Forbin, overseeing both Foreign Affairs and Religious Affairs, convened representatives from diverse religious denominations at the ministerial headquarters, marking a transformative approach to governance.

The landmark meeting, characterized by officials as a ‘historic first,’ establishes a formal framework for institutional dialogue between the Haitian government and the nation’s moral and spiritual leadership. Director General of Religious Affairs Joël Turenne emphasized the unprecedented nature of this initiative, highlighting its significance in recognizing religious communities as essential partners in national development.

Minister Forbin articulated the government’s vision of integrating religious communities as vital contributors to addressing Haiti’s pressing security and social challenges. She identified religious leaders as crucial moral guides whose influence extends beyond spiritual matters into the realms of social cohesion and civic values education.

Central to the minister’s address was the assertion that lasting stability requires not only institutional action but also moral commitment from all societal sectors. She positioned religious communities as indispensable partners in consolidating national values of unity, solidarity, and hope during this critical period in Haiti’s development.

The ministry announced plans to convene a National Conference of Religious Leaders, creating a structured platform for ongoing state-religious dialogue. This initiative aims to systematically promote peace culture, strengthen social cohesion, and mobilize consensus around fundamental national values including responsibility and national solidarity.

Religious representatives responded enthusiastically to the announcement, welcoming this new chapter of cooperation as a significant advancement in state-community relations that recognizes their essential role in Haiti’s social fabric.