Ariel Henry

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His Excellency
Ariel Henry
Ariel Henry conference.jpg
Henry in 2021
President of Haiti
Acting
Assumed office
20 July 2021
Prime MinisterHimself (acting)
Preceded byClaude Joseph (acting)
Prime Minister of Haiti
Acting
Assumed office
20 July 2021
Appointed byJovenel Moïse
PresidentHimself (acting)
Preceded byClaude Joseph (acting)
Minister of Social Affairs and Labor
In office
11 September 2015[1] – 28 March 2016
PresidentMichel Martelly
Jocelerme Privert (acting)
Prime MinisterEvans Paul
Fritz Jean
Preceded byVictor Benoît[1]
Succeeded byJean René Antoine Nicolas[2]
Minister of Interior and Territorial Communities
In office
22 January 2015 – 11 September 2015
PresidentMichel Martelly
Prime MinisterEvans Paul
Preceded byRéginald Delva
Succeeded byArdouin Zéphirin[1]
Personal details
Born (1949-11-06) 6 November 1949 (age 72)
Political partyInite
Other political
affiliations		Democratic Convergence
Spouse(s)Annie Claude Massiau
EducationUniversity of Montpellier
Loma Linda University (Master's degree)
Boston University

Ariel Henry (French pronunciation: ​[aʁjɛl ɑ̃ʁi], born 6 November 1949) is a Haitian politician and neurosurgeon serving as the acting prime minister of Haiti and the acting president of Haiti since 20 July 2021.[3][4][5][6][7] He later became involved in a controversy due to his refusal to cooperate with the authorities over his links with one of the suspects accused of orchestrating former President Jovenel Moïse's assassination.[8]

Education[edit]

Henry served as a resident in neurosurgery with Professor Claude Gros in the French city of Montpellier, from March 1977 to December 1981. He studied neurophysiology and neuropathology at the University of Montpellier's faculty of medicine [fr][9] from 1981 to 1984, and presented his doctoral thesis in January 1982. He also received a certificate in performing electroencephalography from the University of Montpellier in September 1983.[10]

In 1989, he completed his master's degree from the Loma Linda University, in the "international health" field of public health. He also did his postdoctoral studies in "management methods for international health" at Boston University from February to May 1990.[10]

Career[edit]

Medicine[edit]

Henry was a professor at the Private Nursing School of Montpellier from September 1980 to June 1981.[10] From January 1982 to December 1983, he was employed as an assistant in neurosurgery to Professor Claude Gros at the Gui de Chauliac [fr] university hospital in Montpellier. He also served as an assistant to Professor Philippe Frèrebeau at the same hospital from October 1983 to February 1985, and was employed as an assistant professor during his time there.[10][9] He later served as the administrator of the Adventist Hospital of Haiti [fr] from March 1985 to June 1987.[9]

Henry was employed as a neurosurgeon at the State University of Haiti Hospital from 1987 to 1996,[10] while also serving as a professor of neurosurgery at the hospital from October 1985 to February 1995 and professor of psychophysiology at the university's faculty of human sciences from November 1988 to June 1996. He has been a professor of neurology at the university's faculty of medicine since October 1990.[9]

From December 1987 to January 2010, he was a consultant in neurosurgery and neurology at the Saint Vincent Centre for Disabled Children in Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti.[9][10]

Henry was also a tutor at the Loma Linda University's "Master of Public Health" program, which was held off-campus, from 1989 to 1991, and a professor of neurology at the Quisqueya University from October 1999 to January 2010.[9] He served as an advisor to the Minister of Health of Haiti from March 1993 to February 1995, as well as a consultant to the Pan American Health Organization and World Health Organization from 1993 to 1996.[10]

He was the director of the Adventist Development and Relief Agency-Haiti's "Child Survival Project in Urban and Rural Areas" from November 1985 to February 1992, director of "Nutritional Rehabilitation Clinics" program from January 1986 to November 1989, deputy director of its overall programs from 1992 to 1996, and consultant for evaluating its "PL-480" program in 1998. He was also the director of health for the Adventist Church in Haiti, the French West Indies and French Guiana.[10] From 1992 to 1999, he served as the chairman of the board of directors of the Ecumenical Welfare Society.[11]

Henry has served as an associate member of the French Society of Neurosurgery since 1984, a member of the National Committee to Evaluate Polio Eradication in Haiti since it was created in March 1990, and head of the neurosurgery department of the Bernard Mevs Hospital since October 2014.[10] He led the public health response in the aftermath of the 2010 Haiti earthquake and the cholera outbreak in 2012.[12] On 26 March 2020, the President of Haiti Jovenel Moïse chose him as a member of the 17-member scientific council tasked to fight the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.[13]

Politics[edit]

Henry entered politics as a leader of the Democratic Convergence movement which sought to topple President Jean-Bertrand Aristide,[12] who was accused of rigging the 2000 Haitian parliamentary election. He and Micha Gaillard led the opposition against the President at international forums.[14] After the 2004 Haitian coup d'état that ousted Aristide, Henry called for a transition government based on consensus and new elections. He later became a part of the "council of sages", consisting of seven members. The council was backed by the United States and elected members of the transitional government.[14]

He supported René Préval after he was elected as the President and was appointed as the director general of the Ministry of Health in June 2006. He remained in the position till September 2008, when he was appointed as the ministry's chief of staff from September 2008 to October 2011.[12][15] During his tenure, he dealt with the strikes at the General Hospital in Port-au-Prince, worked alongside the United States in managing the public health response after the 2010 earthquake, and streamlined the ministry's finances, enabling direct American funding of its programs.[14]

Henry is a member of Inite.[16] He was selected as the Minister of Interior and Territorial Communities in 2015 by President Michel Martelly, after the latter reached a deal with the opposition parties following anti-government protests, many of them led by followers of Aristide.[14] Henry served in the post from 22 January 2015 to 11 September 2015,[1][16] when he was appointed as the Minister of Social Affairs and Labor by Prime Minister Evans Paul and replaced by Ardouin Zéphirin.[1][14] He remained in the position till 28 March 2016.[2][10]

On 5 July 2021, he was selected as the next prime minister of Haiti by President Jovenel Moïse, but two days later, Moïse was assassinated, stalling the transfer of power.[17][18][19] At the time, incumbent Prime Minister Claude Joseph took control of the government, with the backing of the military, and was acknowledged by the United States as the rightful prime minister.[20] A group of prominent diplomats to Haiti called the "Core Group", which is made up of ambassadors to Haiti from Brazil, the European Union, France, Germany, Spain and the United States, in addition to representatives to Haiti from the Organization of American States and the United Nations, called on Henry to take charge as the head of the government on 17 July.[21] On 19 July, Joseph announced that he will stand down as prime minister in favor of Henry.[20]

Prime Minister of Haiti[edit]

Henry was sworn-in as the prime minister on 20 July. During the ceremony, he called for unity and stated that he will prioritize reassuring people about restoring order and security in the country.[22][23] He stated on 28 July that he planned to hold the long-delayed elections as soon as possible, and the government would hold dialogue with the civil society on what to do further for Haiti's progress.[24]

After an earthquake struck Haiti on 14 August, Henry declared a state of emergency for one month in the country and stated that all resources will be mobilized to help people affected by the quake.[25] During an address to the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States on 20 August, he vowed to hold elections as soon as possible to restore democracy in the country, despite the country reeling from instability following the recent earthquake and Moïse's assassination.[26]

On 6 September, Henry described reducing crime in Haiti as a primary concern of his government.[27] He introduced the draft of a proposed new constitution on 8 September. Among its provisions, the President is given further powers while the position of Prime Minister is abolished to allow government policies to be passed more easily. Government officials, ministers and presidents can also be tried before courts once they leave their office.[28]

Henry was invited by Haiti's chief prosecutor Bedford Claude on 10 September for an interview regarding Moïse's assassination. Claude stated that Henry had been in contact with a main suspect on the day of the assassination.[29] Henry however rejected giving permission on the next day, calling it a "diversionary tactic".[30]

Henry signed an agreement for a consensual transitional government with opposition political parties on 11 September. Under the agreement, a new Provisional Electoral Council will be formed which will include members of Haitian diaspora in its functioning. Meanwhile, the government also agreed to hold a trial for the PetroCaribe scandal; in addition to conducting investigations into the massacres that occurred in La Saline, Bel Air and Delmas 32. The agreement contains provisions for the establishment of a two-headed executive of Haiti, while the country will be governed by the Council of Ministers under the leadership of Henry.[31] It allows the elections to be delayed to late 2022.[32] Over 169 political and civil organizations had signed the agreement till 12 September according to Henry, however he has sought support of more organizations.[33]

Renan Hédouville, the head of the Office of Citizen Protection [fr], demanded Henry's resignation on 13 September, and also called on him to cooperate with the investigation.[34] Claude on 14 September requested the judge investigating the assassination to charge Henry and told the immigration authority to ban him from leaving the country.[35][36] Henry meanwhile fired him, but a source told the BBC that he had no authority to take such an action.[37]

Renald Lubérice, the secretary general of the Council of Ministers, resigned on 15 September due to the allegations against Henry and accused him of trying to obstruct justice. Henry meanwhile fired the Minister of Justice Rockefeller Vincent, who had ordered increased security for Bedford Claude citing threats to him.[8] Henry's office addressed the allegations against him on 16 September, stating that he had received calls from numerous people inquiring about his safety after Moïse's assassination, and it could not identify every caller. It also dismissed suspicions against Henry, stating that contact with a suspect cannot be used to implicate someone in a case.[38]

At the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly on 25 September, Henry spoke about the recent expulsion of Haitian migrants by the United States from its border with Mexico and stated that while he did not wish to challenge its right to expel illegal migrants, migration would continue till wealth inequality existed in the world. He urged wealthy countries to help less-developed ones improve their living standards more quickly to prevent it, and criticized the United States Border Patrol agents for their conduct while stopping the Haitian migrants. Henry also stated that his government was trying to apprehend Moïse's killers and asked for "mutual legal assistance" before the assembly, while promising to restore democractic governance in Haiti quickly.[39]

Henry dismissed all members of the Provisional Electoral Council, seen by many in the country as politically biased, on 27 September.[40] The elections were postponed indefinitely and he promised to appoint a new election council.[41] The next day, Henry told the Associated Press that he planned to hold the constitutional referendum in February 2022, and hoped to hold the elections in early-2022. He also stated that the Haitian migrants recently expelled from the Mexico–United States border would be assisted by the government in setting up small businesses, and criticized the treatment meted out to them by the United States. Asked about his calls with a suspect in Moïse's assassination, he stated that he did not remember them.[42]

Personal life[edit]

Ariel Henry is the son of Elie S. Henry, who was a pastor and an elder of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.[14] Ariel's father died on 20 December 2015. He is married to Annie Claude Massiau and his siblings are named Monique Henry, Edlyne Henry Richard, Elie Henry and Elvire Henry.[43] His brother Elie is also a pastor and is the president of the Inter-American Division of Seventh-day Adventists.[14]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e "Évans Paul installe trois nouveaux ministres et un secrétaire d'État". Le Nouvelliste (in French). 2015-09-11. Retrieved 2021-07-20.
  2. ^ a b "Haïti - FLASH : Le Gouvernement est installé". HaitiLibre.com (in French). 2016-03-28. Retrieved 2021-07-20.
  3. ^ "Haiti PM vows to work to hold elections 'as quickly as possible'". Al-Jazeera. 28 July 2021. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
  4. ^ Kurmanaev, Anatoly (4 August 2021). "Assassination Mastermind May Still Be at Large, Haiti's Caretaker Leader Says". The New York Times. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
  5. ^ Wilentz, Amy (23 July 2021). "The Best Haitians Can Expect From Prime Minister Ariel Henry". The Nation. Retrieved 25 July 2021.
  6. ^ "With Ariel Henry installed as Prime Minister, tensions in Haiti continue to simmer". Global Americans. 23 July 2021. Retrieved 25 July 2021.
  7. ^ Reimann, Nicholas (23 July 2021). "Gunfire Erupts At Funeral Of Slain Haitian President Jovenel Moïse, Report Says". Forbes. Retrieved 25 July 2021.
  8. ^ a b Coto, Dánica; Sanon, Evens (15 September 2021). "Haiti faces fresh instability as PM comes under scrutiny". Associated Press. Retrieved 16 September 2021.
  9. ^ a b c d e f "Qui est Ariel Henry, le nouveau premier ministre de Jovenel Moïse?". Le Nouvelliste (in French). 2015-09-05. Retrieved 2021-07-21.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Haiti - Politic: Who is Ariel Henry?". HaitiLibre.com. 2021-07-20. Retrieved 2021-07-20.
  11. ^ "Quién es Ariel Henry, el experimentado médico que se hará cargo del gobierno en Haití". Télam (in Spanish). 2015-09-20. Retrieved 2021-07-21.
  12. ^ a b c "Quién es Ariel Henry, el neurocirujano nombrado primer ministro de Haití tras el asesinato del presidente Moïse". BBC Mundo (in Spanish). 2021-07-20. Retrieved 2021-07-21.
  13. ^ "Le gouvernement crée une cellule scientifique pour lutter contre le coronavirus". Le Nouvelliste (in French). 2020-03-27. Retrieved 2021-07-21.
  14. ^ a b c d e f g Charles, Jacqueline (2021-07-05). "A neurosurgeon with a public health portfolio is Haiti's newest prime minister". Miami Herald. Retrieved 2021-07-21.
  15. ^ Perry, Kedeisha (2021-07-20). "New Haiti PM says elections top priority". Jamaica Observer. Retrieved 2021-07-21.
  16. ^ a b "Haiti - Politic : Installation of Ariel Henry (INITE), new Minister of the Interior - HaitiLibre.com : Haiti news 7/7". www.haitilibre.com. Retrieved 2021-07-07.
  17. ^ "Ariel Henry Appointed Haiti's New Prime Minister". adiojamaicanewsonline.com. Retrieved 2021-07-07.
  18. ^ News, Latin America (2021-07-06). "Haitian president appoints new prime minister". The Rio Times. Retrieved 2021-07-07.
  19. ^ AFP. "Haiti President Jovenel Moise assassinated, wife injured in gun attack". www.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved 2021-07-07.
  20. ^ a b Caitlin Hu, Natalie Gallón, Matt Rivers and Etant Dupain. "Haiti's acting prime minister to step down amid power struggle after president's assassination". CNN. Retrieved 2021-07-19.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  21. ^ Coto, Dánica (17 July 2021). "Key diplomats, including from Canada, support Haiti's designated PM, snub interim leader". Associated Press. CBC News. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
  22. ^ "Haiti's acting prime minister to step down amid power struggle after president's assassination". France 24. 2021-07-20. Retrieved 2021-07-20.
  23. ^ "Strife-torn Haiti gets new prime minister". BBC News. 2021-07-21. Retrieved 2021-07-21.
  24. ^ Paultre, Andre; Graham, Dave (28 July 2021). Jorgic, Drazen; McCool, Grant (eds.). "Haiti premier says he plans elections as quickly as possible". Reuters. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
  25. ^ "More than 300 dead after magnitude 7.2 earthquake strikes Haiti". Al Jazeera. 14 July 2021. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
  26. ^ "Quake-hit Haiti's PM vows elections 'soon as possible'". Agence France-Presse. France 24. 21 August 2021. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
  27. ^ Sanon, Evens; Coto, Dánica (6 September 2021). "Haiti pledges to crack down on gangs, fight rise in crime". Associated Press. Retrieved 16 September 2021.
  28. ^ "Haitian Government Unveils Draft of New Constitution". Agence France-Presse. Voice of America. 8 September 2021. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
  29. ^ Paultre, Andre; Marsh, Sarah (11 September 2021). Wallis, Daniel (ed.). "Haitian prosecutors seek to interview PM over presidential killing". Reuters. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
  30. ^ "Haiti PM rejects 'diversionary tactics' in Moise killing probe". Al Jazeera. 11 September 2021. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
  31. ^ Geffrard, Robenson (2021-09-11). "Ariel Henry et des organisations politiques de l'opposition signent un accord pour une « gouvernance apaisée et efficace »" [Ariel Henry and opposition political organizations sign agreement for "peaceful and effective governance"]. Le Nouvelliste (in French). Retrieved 2021-09-16.
  32. ^ de Cordobá, José; Luhnow, David; Saint-Pre, Patrick (14 September 2021). "Haiti Prosecutor Seeks Charges Against Prime Minister in President's Assassination". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
  33. ^ Geffrard, Robenson (2021-09-17). "Ariel Henry tente difficilement de se rapprocher de la CRSHC et de « N ap mache pou lavi »" [Ariel Henry tries hard to get closer to CRSHC and "N ap mache pou lavi"]. Le Nouvelliste (in French). Retrieved 2021-09-18.
  34. ^ Sanon, Evens; Coto, Dánica (13 September 2021). "Haiti ombudsman demands PM resignation amid slaying probe". Associated Press. Retrieved 13 September 2021.
  35. ^ Hu, Caitlin; Dupain, Etant (14 September 2021). "Haiti Prime Minister orders firing of top prosecutor in presidential assassination case". CNN. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
  36. ^ "Haiti prosecutor seeks charges against PM in president's killing". Al Jazeera. 14 September 2021. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
  37. ^ "Haiti PM Ariel Henry banned from leaving country amid murder inquiry". BBC News. 14 September 2021. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
  38. ^ Sanon, Evens; Coto, Dánica (17 September 2021). "Haiti PM, under fire, addresses evidence in leader's slaying". Associated Press. Retrieved 17 September 2021.
  39. ^ Peltz, Jennifer (26 September 2021). "Haiti's leader: Migration won't end unless inequality does". Associated Press. Retrieved 30 September 2021.
  40. ^ Thomas, Gessika; Marsh, Sarah (28 September 2021). O'Brien, Rosalba (ed.). "Haiti's elections postponed after electoral council dismissed". Reuters. Retrieved 30 September 2021.
  41. ^ "Haiti polls postponed after electoral body is dissolved". BBC News. 28 September 2021. Retrieved 30 September 2021.
  42. ^ Coto, Dánica; Goodman, Joshua; Luxama, Richard (29 September 2021). "The AP Interview: Haiti PM plans to hold elections next year". Associated Press. Retrieved 30 September 2021.
  43. ^ "Décès du Pasteur Elie S. Henry". Le Nouvelliste (in French). Retrieved 2021-07-21.
Political offices
Preceded by President of Haiti
Acting
2021–present 		Incumbent
Preceded by Prime Minister of Haiti
Acting
2021–present
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