Haiti’s government resigns, new prime minister appointed___ president

Haiti’s government has resigned and a new prime minister has been appointed, President Jovenel Moise announced on Wednesday, saying the change was aimed at tackling insecurity in the country, which is grappling with a rise in violence and ongoing political crisis.

“The resignation of the government, which I accepted, will make it possible to address the glaring problem of insecurity and continue discussions with a view to reaching the consensus necessary for the political and institutional stability of our country,” Moise tweeted.

The new prime minister is Claude Joseph, currently, the minister for foreign affairs, the president stated.

Haiti, the poorest country in the Americas, is plagued by poverty, insecurity and natural disaster.

Moise, who is facing popular anger and demands has resigned amid the government’s failure to reign in criminal violence, is on his sixth prime minister in four years of governance.

Kidnappings for ransom have surged in recent months in Port-au-Prince and other provinces, reflecting the growing influence of armed gangs in the Caribbean nation.

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Anger has been piqued by the abductions on Sunday of 10 people in Croix-des-Bouquets, a town northeast of the capital Port-au-Prince.

They include seven Catholic clergies — five of them Haitian, as well as two French citizens, a priest and a nun. A million-dollar ransom has been demanded, and none of the victims has yet been released.