Dominican Republic President Says Haiti On Brink Of Civil War

Asserting that the deteriorating situation in Haiti has not attracted the speed and urgency it requires, Dominican Republic President Luis Rodolfo Abinader Corona has warned that the country is on the edge of a civil war. The Dominican Republic and Haiti are neighbours, sharing the Caribbean island of Hispaniola. The Dominican Republic’s President expressed his concern about the Haiti crisis at the United Nations. In remarks translated from Spanish into English, Abinader noted that criminal gangs control a large part of Haiti. He also said paramilitary groups and politicians who present themselves as redeemers in a country longing for security and peace add to the destabilisation. He recalled that Kenya President William Ruto had reiterated his country’s decision to lead a United Nations-approved security mission to Haiti. Other countries have agreed to contribute troops. However, a Nairobi court blocked the planned dispatch of 1,000 Kenyan police officers at the end of January, a setback the Kenyan government plans to contest. Nevertheless, the Dominican Republic President asserted that money was one of the security mission’s main obstacles. In this regard, he urged the international community to deliver on frequent promises of funding immediately. Abinader said his country was providing Haiti with...