Taiwan's new envoy to Haiti assumes post: MOFA

Taipei, Sept. 24 (CNA) Taiwan's new ambassador to Haiti assumed his post in the embattled Caribbean ally earlier this month, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) announced Tuesday.

Ambassador Hu Cheng-hao (胡正浩), who previously held the same post from May 2017 to August 2019, arrived in Haiti on Sept. 12, Francisco Chang (張自信), deputy head of MOFA's Department of Latin American and Caribbean Affairs, said during a MOFA briefing.

Upon arriving, Hu presented a copy of his letter of credentials to then-acting Foreign Minister Carlos Hercule on Sept. 13 and then presented the original letter to Haitian Transitional Presidential Council Coordinator Edgard Leblanc Fils on Sept. 19, Chang said.

Only after completing these procedures is a new ambassador recognized as the representative of his or her country, according to diplomatic protocol.

According to Chang, while meeting Leblanc, Hu relayed President Lai Ching-te's (賴清德) greetings to the head of the Transitional Presidential Council in Haiti. Hu also reiterated Taiwan's affirmation of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

Leblanc thanked the envoy for the "fruitful results of bilateral cooperation programs between both countries" and said they have helped the Transitional Presidential Council continue to push for Haiti's democratization, Chang said.

Hu's predecessor Ku Wen-jiann (古文劍), who had served as ambassador to Haiti since August 2020, has returned to Taiwan after being posted overseas for seven years, according to Chang.

Haiti has been rocked by gang violence and social unrest since former Haitian President Jovenel Moïse was assassinated at his private home in July 2021.

But conditions worsened dramatically at the end of February when armed groups launched coordinated attacks in Port-au-Prince, saying they wanted to overthrow then-Prime Minister Ariel Henry.

Chang said Tuesday that the political and social turmoil in Haiti had stabilized since the arrival of Kenyan police forces in June.

Since 2022, Taiwan has donated 808 bulletproof vests to Haitian national police to help them combat rampant gang violence, he said.

Taiwan, officially named the Republic of China (ROC), formed diplomatic relations with Haiti in 1956.

Haiti is one of 12 countries around the world that still have formal diplomatic relations with the ROC (Taiwan).