Published on: 11/22/2024 – 11:45 a.m.Amended: 22/11/2024 – 11:46

2 minutes

Ambassador Antoine Michon met with Haiti’s foreign minister Thursday over remarks officials called “hostile and inappropriate” Macron on the sidelines of G20 summit in Brazil.

Macron was filmed criticizing the Caribbean country’s decision to oust the prime minister earlier this month.

“Frankly, it was the Haitians who destroyed Haiti by letting drug trafficking in,” he said, speaking to a passerby about the political and humanitarian crisis in Haiti.

“They are completely stupid, they should never have fired him,” he added, calling the former prime minister “brilliant”.

These comments referred to Garry Conille, who was dismissed on November 10 after five months in office amid a worsening situation. gang war. He was replaced by entrepreneur and former Senate candidate Alix Didier Fils-Aimé.

Haiti’s presidential transition council expressed “its indignation at what it considers to be unfriendly and inappropriate remarks which should be rectified” in a statement seen by the French news agency AFP.

The Council said it would lodge an official protest with the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs.

During the meeting, the French ambassador recognized that these comments were “unfortunate”, indicated the Haitian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Speaking later in Chile, Macron appeared to moderate his stance. “France will never turn its face from a crisis… There will never be a double standard in the face of a tragedy, whether in Haiti, Venezuela or at the gates of Europe,” he said. he declared.

More than 700,000 people are displaced in Haiti, according to the UN

Franco-Haitian relations

France has a complex relationship with Haiti, which gained independence in 1804 after a successful slave revolt.

The country then paid France a “debt” for lost property – including slaves – that activists estimate was worth more than $100 billion. Many believe this debt has contributed to Haiti’s ongoing economic and political struggles, and are calling for repairs continues today.

Haiti remains in crisis, with more than 700,000 people displaced by gang violence, according to the UN.

A history of violence: revolution, collapse and descent into anarchy in Haiti

The country’s leaders have been riven by infighting and three members of the presidential transitional council – tasked with restoring security and paving the way for elections – have been accused of corruption. They remain at their post.

France has pledged 4 million euros to a UN fund to finance a critically under-resourced security mission whose mandate is to help restore security in Haiti, as well as to finance French classes and Creole for his troops.

The Haitian Foreign Ministry said Michon assured officials that France would remain committed to helping Haiti improve its security and hold elections.

(with press wires)