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ELECTIONS IN HAITI CONSTITUTE A “FIRST STEP” IN STRENGTHENING DEMOCRACY, OAS PERMANENT COUNCIL SAYS

The Permanent Council of the Organization of American States (OAS) today congratulated the Haitian people for the civic spirit they showed in the presidential and legislative elections held last Tuesday, and called on “all political actors, civil society, and the citizenry in general to respect the outcome of the elections.”

In a statement approved by acclamation late this afternoon, the Permanent Council urged the international community “to work with the new government on a long-term plan for economic, social, and political development of the country. The international community, at the request of the democratically elected government of Haiti, must be ready to maintain its presence in Haiti as long as that government considers it necessary,” the text says.

The document also states: “The Permanent Council understands that free and fair elections are but a first step towards strengthening democracy and the rule of law and promoting economic development in Haiti.”

At the beginning of the meeting, OAS Secretary General José Miguel Insulza offered a thorough report on last Tuesday’s elections, which were followed on the ground by an OAS delegation led by Insulza and OAS Assistant Secretary General Albert Ramdin. They traveled to Port-au-Prince to join and supervise efforts being carried out by the OAS Special Mission and the Electoral Technical Assistance Program’s professional team, in support of Haiti’s Provisional Electoral Council (CEP).

In his report to the OAS Permanent Council, Insulza emphasized the peaceful, normal atmosphere that prevailed on the day of the elections, as well as the high level of citizen participation. Noting that the vote count is still underway in Haiti, he said the electronic tabulation system designed by OAS technical experts is working well. Unlike in other elections, in which the OAS has participated as an observer, this time its support centered on building the voter registry, producing voter identification cards and designing the vote tabulation system. OAS technical experts worked directly with the country’s electoral authorities to train Haitian professionals and to provide modern technology that contributed to the transparency and integrity of the elections.

Insulza stressed the importance that the international community not lose interest in Haiti once the entire electoral process has been completed. “We need to be available, as an Organization and as an inter-American community, to support the democratically elected government of Haiti in everything it asks of us,” he said.

After hearing the Secretary General’s report, Ambassador Duly Brutus of Haiti underscored the success of the peaceful elections carried out on Tuesday and thanked the OAS for its support in this process. Several of the 34 delegations represented in the Permanent Council stressed the need to look toward the future in Haiti. “This is a good starting point for not only strengthening the relationship with all the countries of the hemisphere, but also for advancing the best interests of the Haitian people,” said Saint Lucian Ambassador Sonia Johnny, who chairs the Permanent Council.

In its statement, the Council recognized the efforts undertaken by the Interim Government of Haiti and the Provisional Electoral Council in overcoming obstacles so that citizens could exercise their right to vote. The Council also thanked the OAS General Secretariat and the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) for their support of the electoral process. It urged the OAS General Secretariat to continue providing specialized technical assistance to Haiti’s electoral authorities to help correct the problems that surfaced during the first round of voting.

Reference: E-024/06