End of year 2023 Speech by Prime Minister, Dr Ariel Henry, to representatives of the Diplomatic Corps, the private business sector, international organizations and the media.
Message from Haiti’s Prime Minister, Dr. Ariel Henry:
“My dear fellow citizens, my dear fellow citizens,
Ladies and gentlemen,
I have chosen to welcome you today, a few days before the end of the year 2023, on the Prime Minister’s site still under construction, to symbolically signify to everyone that the coming year 2024 must be the year of rebuilding our institutions.
This beautiful building, which housed the Prime Minister’s office before the earthquake of January 12, 2010, will once again welcome the various services of this institution during the month of January. This first step will be followed by many others.
The world is currently experiencing unprecedented geopolitical upheavals, humanitarian crises and environmental challenges. As a nation, we cannot remain indifferent to these realities which affect every human being, every community, and which of course have an impact on our daily lives here in Haiti.
Armed conflicts, migration crises and political tensions persist in different parts of the globe. In these difficult times, we must maintain a commitment to peace and dialogue.
Haiti will continue to advocate on the international stage for peaceful solutions to global conflicts and to support efforts to establish a more stable and equitable world order.
Ladies and Gentlemen, representatives of the Diplomatic Corps and International Organizations
On behalf of the Government and people of Haiti, I would like to extend a warm thank you to your respective countries and organizations for the invaluable support we have received from the international community during these difficult times.
I would like to salute your commitment to strengthening international cooperation. Your tireless efforts have contributed to promoting mutual understanding, bilateral cooperation and international solidarity.
Haiti is going through difficult times. We are faced with complex challenges, whether political, economic, social, security or environmental. These difficult times have severely tested our resilience as a people.
We know that we can count on friendly countries in the international community which continue to provide us with significant support in our quest for stability and well-being for our fellow citizens.
I ask you to convey to the leaders of the countries and organizations that you represent our thanks for keeping your embassies, consulates and offices open, despite the challenges posed by insecurity and the vagaries of daily life.
We are convinced that we will soon overcome the specter of insecurity with the help of the Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS) of which our sister country Kenya has agreed to take the lead.
We renew our gratitude to President William Ruto and the people of Kenya. We also thank the United Nations, in particular the Secretary-General, the Honorable Antonio Guterres, as well as BINUH, for their unfailing support.
We cannot ignore the continued commitment of CARICOM, which has remained mobilized alongside us in the search for a lasting solution to the multifaceted crisis affecting our country. I would like to particularly salute the Group of Eminent Personalities (GPE), who spared no effort to reach a political agreement.
For six months they have done everything possible without managing for the moment to convince all stakeholders of the urgent need for Haitians to agree to find a sufficient consensus with a view to leading the country towards a return to a normal functioning of institutions.
I renewed our appreciation and assured them on behalf of the government that we will continue to speak to everyone, even to those who seem the most irreducible.
From Jamaica I made commitments to involve as many sectors as possible in the management of the interim period. I will keep this promise by involving those who wish to do so, at all levels.
It is essential to bring together as many compatriots as possible around the idea that it is essential to hand over the management of the country’s affairs to elected officials as soon as possible.
We spent two long years trying to convince all stakeholders of this. Now we must move forward and create the conditions to give voice back to the sovereign who will have the last word in the choice of his future leaders.
As we turn the page to welcome a new year, I would like, on behalf of my Government, to reaffirm our commitment to peace, stability and progress.
We are aware that our future depends on our ability to work together, nationally and internationally, to meet the challenges that arise. And we are counting even more on your support and accompaniment during 2024.
Ladies and Gentlemen, representatives of the Private Business Sector,
I recognize that the year that is coming to an end has been filled with obstacles and trials. I know that most of you are facing situations that could have shaken your ability to withstand the vagaries of an unstable political situation, fueled by rampant insecurity.
Despite these difficulties, you, entrepreneurs, business leaders and actors in the formal and informal private sector, have demonstrated a determination to continue providing services to the population and contributing to economic growth. You are the key to this growth, the job creators and key partners in building a strong economy.
Thanks to your collaboration and your civic sense that we have been seeing for some time, customs revenues have increased, which, despite the crisis, has allowed the population to benefit from more services.
“I would therefore like to congratulate each entrepreneur, each business, large or small, which has contributed, in any way, to supporting our economy. As we look to the future, I remain confident that the partnership between government and the private sector will continue to play a key role in the development of our nation,” Dr. Ariel Henry.
In this new year ahead, we must continue to work together to strengthen the economy you drive, improve governance and promote stability.
The government is determined to implement structural reforms that will promote a climate favorable to investments, job creation and prosperity for all.
In 2024, we must still struggle to overcome the challenges that remain. Together we can build a better future for all.
Ladies and gentlemen, media leaders,
I want to take a moment to send you my warmest wishes. You are the guardians of information, therefore, of democracy. You are the citizens’ spokespersons.
At this time when we are preparing to end a year and welcome a new one, I want to emphasize the importance of your mission.
Since, obviously, the media play a fundamental role in building an enlightened and informed society. And as society’s scouts, the media are bound by a duty of transparency, truth and ethics.
I firmly believe that, through your professionalism and commitment to the common good, we can overcome the obstacles that stand before us.
“The media has the ability to unite people, but also to divide them. They also have the capacity to promote tolerance, raise public awareness of the crucial issues that shape their collective future and promote constructive dialogue within our society which faces a problem of mistrust between citizens. The power of the press is immense. So, I encourage you to continue to be agents of positive change,” Dr. Ariel Henry.
The proliferation of participants in the dissemination of information thanks to the availability of social networks poses some problems which we will need to discuss.
The possibilities offered by artificial intelligence, if we are not careful, risk calling into question the credibility of all the information disseminated because the citizen will never have the capacity to verify everything that everyone posts on social networks. But we’ll talk about that another time.
I want to emphasize, in passing, the need to make the leap to digital. I know this topic is a bit problematic for a number of you.
But Haiti cannot continue to lag behind in every area. We will continue discussions together, in particular through the Commission which was created for this purpose, to be able to arrive at a modus operandi.
During this season of festivities, I encourage you to reflect on our collective accomplishments and look forward to the year ahead with optimism and determination.
During our last meeting, you told me about the difficult conditions in which your press companies operate. I understood and took note. I renew my government’s commitment to fostering an environment favorable to the practice of the profession.
Together, we will be able to build a reassuring future for tomorrow’s generations, guided by the principles of justice, solidarity and patriotism.
The country will need you to disseminate the basic civic principles that will convince our compatriots to participate massively in the next elections and to make good choices during the next elections. The future of our democracy is at stake.
May this new year be synonymous with success, growth and prosperity for the entire Haitian population. May you continue to be vigilant guardians of democracy, lighting the path to a more just and balanced future for all Haitians.
Ladies and gentlemen,
My dear compatriots,
May our joint efforts contribute to the advent of a fairer, more peaceful and more tolerant society. Renewing my most sincere wishes, on behalf of the government and on my own behalf, I wish you and your loved ones a peaceful and perhaps joyful end to the year, as well as, in a few days, a start to the year full of achievements and hope. May we together write the pages of a bright future for our country.
God bless Haiti!
Best wishes once again
Thank you.”
See Relevant:
Caricom Eminent Persons Visit to Haiti
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