Taiwanese ambassador attends Haiti government swearing-in ceremonies

Taipei, Nov. 19 (CNA) Taiwan's ambassador to Haiti attended the swearing-in ceremonies of new Haitian Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé and his Cabinet and has good relations with the new government, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said Tuesday.

Cheng Li-cheng (鄭力城), head of MOFA's Latin American and Caribbean Affairs Department, said Fils-Aimé was announced by the transitional presidential council as the new prime minister and sworn-in on Nov. 11.

On Nov. 16, Ambassador Hu Cheng-hao (胡正浩) was invited to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Fils-Aimé's new Cabinet, Cheng added.

On the sideline of that ceremony, Hu reiterated the Taiwan government's stance to the incoming Haitian leaders that it would continue to enhance cooperation with the Caribbean ally under the new government, Cheng said.

According to Cheng, Taiwan has maintained good relations with both Fils-Aimé and the new foreign minister, Jean Harvel Victor Jean-Baptiste. Fils-Aimé, a businessman, has visited Taiwan twice as member of the Haitian Chamber of Commerce, he said.

Meanwhile, Haiti ambassador to Taiwan Roudy Stanley Penn left his post in Taipei in October to return to Haiti to serve in the transitional government.

Haiti has not yet announced the successor to Penn, who assumed his position in July 2021. The embassy is currently headed by Chargé d'Affaires Francilien Victorin, according to MOFA.

Fils-Aimé's predecessor Garry Conille was dismissed by the transitional presidential council.

The council was formed in April to select new political leaders and organize general elections by February 2026 in the Caribbean nation, which has been ravaged by gang violence and large-scale unrest since former President Jovenel Moïse was assassinated in July 2021.

The move by the transitional council was criticized by some in Haiti, according to the Associated Press in a report that spoke of turmoil within the council.

It cited former Justice Minister Bernard Gousse as saying that Conille's dismissal was "illegal" because the council exceeded its authority and because of corruption allegations levered against members of the council.

Fils-Aimé is the former president of Haiti's Chamber of Commerce and Industry and ran an unsuccessful campaign for Senate in 2015.

He studied at Boston University and was considered a private-sector candidate for the position before Conille took the seat, according to the AP report.

Taiwan, officially named the Republic of China (ROC), formed diplomatic relations with Haiti in 1956. Haiti is one of only 12 countries around the world that officially recognizes the ROC.