Haiti PM commits to elections by 2025, CARICOM to send team

CARICOM said it would send an assessment team to evaluate electoral needs by March 31 of this year to support planning and establishment of the relevant institutions. Henry, who came to power after the assassination of the country's last president Jovenel Moise in 2021, had previously pledged to step down by early February, but later said security must first be re-established in order to ensure free and fair elections. Crowds came to the streets to protest around the previous date, and on Thursday there was fresh violence marked by heavy gunfire in downtown Port-au-Prince as prominent gang leader Jimmy Cherizier called for Henry's government to be toppled.