When Prime Minister Didier Fils-Aimé took control of the executive branch on February 7, everything was clear in his mind. He committed himself to creating the conditions necessary for holding elections in order to hand power over to legitimate authorities. Nearly four months later, the country remains at square one. The same problems that prevented elections from being held under previous administrations remain unresolved. To this day, the revised electoral decree has not been published. It is this document that will reveal whether or not the government truly intends to organize elections during the current year, as the Prime Minister claims. Insecurity is not the only obstacle on the road to elections.

While questions remain about whether the Prime Minister’s statements regarding the electoral process should be taken at face value, law enforcement agencies are becoming increasingly active in the fight against gangs. Across the country, the Haitian National Police is reporting progress in its operations against criminal groups. Can internally displaced persons in the metropolitan area continue to hope that they will soon be able to return home? Even if the authorities cannot guarantee that outcome, they can commit to protecting neighborhoods that are still inhabited in order to prevent an increase in the number of internally displaced persons in Port-au-Prince and in provincial cities. It is also important to ensure the continued operation of private businesses, hospitals, schools, and other institutions that are resisting the crisis. The government will be judged not only on its ability to reclaim neighborhoods that have fallen under gang control, but also on its ability to protect those that remain outside their grip.