At the OAS Symposium, Advisor Smith AUGUSTIN Calls for Urgent International Mobilization in Face of Haitian Crisis
By Gedeon Delva · Port-au-Prince
· 2 min read · Updated 24 April 2026
Translated from French — AI-assisted and reviewed by the editorial team. The French version is authoritative. Read the original · About our translation policy
Advisor-President Smith AUGUSTIN participated on Wednesday, May 22, 2025, in Washington, at the Symposium of the Organization of American States (OAS). From the outset, CP Augustin painted an alarming picture of the situation in Haiti. While denouncing the severity of the security crisis, the RED-EDE representative on the presidential council called for urgent international mobilization in the face of the multinational crisis facing Haiti.
The diplomat specified that approximately 85% of the metropolitan area of Port-au-Prince is controlled by armed gangs who continue to extend their power over other regions such as Artibonite and Centre. “Haitian society is deeply wounded with traumatized citizens, displaced families, a youth deprived of a future, and a state apparatus incapable of fulfilling its sovereign functions,” declared CP Augustin, denouncing a crisis rooted in centuries of exclusion and domination, which force alone cannot resolve. “We need international mobilization from the entire region to resolve the crisis,” he insisted.
The Haitian crisis has a transnational dimension, Mr. Augustin noted. “Haiti manufactures neither weapons nor ammunition,” he recalled, calling for strengthened regional cooperation to stop the flow of arms fueling armed groups.
Furthermore, the diplomat presented the efforts of the Transitional Government, notably the increase in the security budget, the strengthening of law enforcement, and the fight against complicity within the state apparatus itself. He insisted, however, that no solution can be solely military. To rebuild Haiti, he believes it is necessary to address the root causes, such as injustice, inequalities, and the loss of collective benchmarks.
Finally, Advisor-President Smith AUGUSTIN reaffirmed the Council's commitment to re-establish constitutional order, rebuild institutions, and organize free and inclusive elections. He urged OAS members to move beyond declarations of intent and take concrete actions of solidarity towards Haiti. For the Advisor-President, there is a duty of inter-American solidarity, not charity but co-responsibility.
Gedeon Delva
