Haiti’s transitional council appointed a new cabinet on June 11, marking the final step in rebuilding the government that will lead a country under siege by gangs.
Haiti struggles with gangs that control at least 80 percent of the capital of Port-au-Prince. It is preparing for the UN-backed deployment of a police force from Kenya expected in the coming weeks. Weeks of coordinated attacks by gangs forced former prime minister Ariel Henry to resign in April, and his cabinet was dissolved. Gunmen took control of police stations, opened fire on the main international airport that remained closed for nearly three months, and stormed Haiti’s two biggest prisons.
The new cabinet has four women. Critics note that Haiti’s government barely has female representation. One woman with non-voting powers sits on the transitional council, and no women were interviewed for the post of prime minister.
“It is an insult to the 6 million women and girls in Haiti whose participation is necessary for the transition’s success,” said Pascale Solages of Nègès Mawon, a Haitian feminist organization.
The cabinet is tasked with appointing a provisional electoral commission, a requirement before general elections can take place. The council’s non-renewable mandate expires February 7, 2026, when a new president is scheduled to be sworn in.
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