(CMR) Haiti Prime Minister Joseph Jouthe resigned Wednesday in the wake of a spike in killings and kidnappings as the country continues to deal with a political crisis. His resignation comes after only a year on the job.
“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. Minister Claude Joseph has been appointed PM,” President Jovenel Moise said.
Jouthe's resignation comes after the abduction of seven members of the Catholic clergy recently in Croix-des-Bouquets, a town northeast of the capital Port-au-Prince. Those abducted include five Haitian members of the clergy and two French citizens, a priest, and a nun.
Jouthe had previously tried to submit his resignation, but President Jovenel Moise had rejected it at the time.
Foreign Minister Claude Joseph will replace Jouthe as acting prime minister, the president announced.
Haiti, the poorest country in the Americas, has been plagued by poverty, insecurity, natural disaster, and the coronavirus pandemic. Over the past months, the country has been dealing with major political unrest, with gangs taking over many areas.
Haiti has had a high turnover of prime ministers, with eight appointed to the position since 2015.
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