In an interview with Le Nouvelliste, OAS Secretary General Albert Ramdin, during his visit to Port-au-Prince, spoke about the nebulous issue of insecurity. The former foreign minister of Suriname believes that efforts must be intensified to combat the gangs. “I think there is a level of constant stability. That does not mean that things are getting worse, but are they improving? I don’t know. I think the key element is security. And I agree with the Haitian leadership: more needs to be done to fight insecurity and the gangs. These are also the discussions I have had with the United States, with the UN and with other countries. We should not wait until April,” he asserted. (Editor’s note: The first contingents of the FRG are expected in April.)

Asked about the deployment timeline and the role of the OAS in this regard, Albert Ramdin replies that his organization has no mandate to deploy or manage forces on the ground. However, he emphasizes that the OAS provides support in mobilizing assistance at the hemispheric level. “We will continue to mobilize. We will continue to call on the states of the hemisphere and elsewhere — in Africa, in the Francophonie — to see whether countries are willing to provide the necessary forces. For this, an operational plan is needed, and it is being prepared. Funding is also required, and it is not fully defined. Part of it will come from the United Nations Peacekeeping Fund,” he explained.