A high-level symposium will be held on Thursday, May 22, 2025, at the Organization of American States (OAS) headquarters in Washington, D.C., to identify urgent responses to the security crisis in Haiti. This meeting follows Presidential Advisor Smith Augustin's visit last April to OAS Secretary General Luis Almagro and reflects the shared commitment to regional mobilization in the face of worsening insecurity in the country.

In a context marked by the proliferation of armed gangs and an increase in crime, the symposium will bring together Haitian authorities, representatives of member States, and experts to discuss concrete avenues for supporting security in the country. Particular emphasis will be placed on the impact of organized crime on security and justice institutions, and on ways to address it through regional cooperation mechanisms, particularly those provided for in the Inter-American Convention against Terrorism.

Smith Augustin and Luis Almagro will deliver the opening remarks. Expected speakers include Ms. Barbara Feinstein, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State at the U.S. Department of State, as well as Haitian Ministers Patrick Pélissier (Justice) and Jean Michel Moïse (Defense). Other prominent figures, experts, and influential voices from the inter-American system will also participate in the discussions.

This Symposium aims to demonstrate the root causes of insecurity in Haiti, to expose the various national, transnational, and international dimensions of the problem, and to secure concrete commitments to support the security recovery plan being implemented by the transitional authorities. It will also contribute to greater visibility of Haiti's urgent needs, the establishment of shared priorities with partners, and the deepening of regional dialogue on security.

HL/ HaitiLibre