Haiti’s New Interim Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé.
Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, Haiti’s newly appointed interim Prime Minister, officially took office on Monday. His inauguration comes as Port-au-Prince faces escalating violence, with a surge of gang-related incidents putting citizens and international travel at risk. Just after Fils-Aimé’s swearing-in ceremony, gang gunfire disrupted operations at Toussaint Louverture International Airport. The targeted assault impacted a commercial flight from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, resulting in minor injuries to a flight attendant onboard. Following the incident, the plane was rerouted to the Dominican Republic. As a consequence, several airlines have decided to temporarily suspend their flights to Haiti, citing heightened security risks.
During his inauguration, Fils-Aimé prioritized the need to restore security, emphasizing that the success of the transition will depend on achieving stability for citizens, infrastructure, food security, and freedom of movement nationwide. He stated, “The first essential task that will determine the success of the transition is to re-establish the security of people, property, infrastructure, food security, and freedom of movement throughout the country.”
Fils-Aimé, a well-known businessman and former head of Haiti’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry, steps into leadership at a particularly turbulent period for Haiti. His extensive experience includes a Senate campaign in 2015 and education at Boston University. His previous candidacy for the role of interim prime minister underscores his connection with the private sector, succeeding Garry Conille in this role.
The transitional council in Haiti, which is meant to facilitate the country’s return to democratic governance, has recently been marred by corruption allegations involving three of its members. This has further complicated the efforts to rebuild stability and government accountability. The council, along with Fils-Aimé’s administration, faces the dual challenge of managing both political reforms and immediate security threats affecting the nation’s stability.
Source: AP
