Dire Situation in Haiti and New Constitution: The December 21st Agreement Speaks Out

Port-au-Prince, June 15, 2025 — In a note sent to our editorial office, the signatories of the December 21st political agreement, all factions combined—also co-signatories of the April 3, 2024 agreement which led to the establishment of the transitional presidential council and the current government—are sounding the alarm about the country's situation. Security crisis, economic collapse, institutional deadlock: the group paints a grim picture of the ongoing transition. A Failed Transition According to the document, fourteen months after the signing of the April 3 agreement, the national situation has worsened at all levels. The members of the political group believe that the initial commitments have been largely ignored, and that the transition is now « dysfunctional ». The Transitional Presidential Council (CPT) is directly implicated. The signatories accuse its members of prioritizing their personal interests to the detriment of national cohesion and the country's recovery. 1.3 Million Internally Displaced Persons and a Stifled Economy The humanitarian crisis is considered particularly alarming. The latest IOM figures report more than 1.3 million internally displaced persons, fleeing the violence of armed gangs, particularly those linked to the 'Viv Ansanm' criminal coalition network. The Centre department is now affected, with approximately 147,000 people forced to flee areas such as Mirebalais and Saut d’Eau. Economically, the situation is just as critical. Inflation has reached 26.8%, growth remains negative (-2.5% in the first quarter of 2025), and private investments have fallen by 36.3%, according to IHSI data in the document. The signatories speak of « economic asphyxiation », a direct consequence of widespread insecurity. New Constitution: A Contested Process Regarding the draft New Constitution, the December 21st agreement acknowledges the efforts of the Steering Committee but criticizes a process deemed too closed. The consultations are reportedly neither inclusive nor representative. The group calls for the establishment of an environment conducive to broad national consultations, so that the text can be understood, debated, and accepted by the majority. Doubt About Organizing Elections Before February 2026 and a Call for Collective Action Despite the creation of the CEP and the availability of sensitive materials, the December 21st members state that it is unrealistic to organize a referendum and elections before February 7, 2026, due to a lack of adequate security conditions. Finally, the signatories advocate for an urgent resumption of discussions between political actors, primarily other stakeholders, under international mediation, to redefine the contours of the final stage of the transition. They call for « patriotic courage » to avoid the total collapse of the process initiated in April 2024. Furthermore, this position comes as calls for dialogue have already been launched by CARICOM for the recovery of the current situation in Haiti. And on the horizon, not so far away, another transition seems to be taking shape. SW