The Ambassador of Canada, François Giroux
Port-au-Prince, le 17 août 2026.- En fin de mission en Haïti, l’ambassadeur du Canada, André François Giroux, affirme quitter le pays avec le « sentiment du devoir accompli « , tout en reconnaissant les difficultés persistantes sur les plans sécuritaire et politique. Invité lundi 17 août 2026 sur Magik 9, il a dressé le bilan de l’engagement canadien, notamment en matière de sécurité, de justice, de développement et de gouvernance.
According to the diplomat, his mandate was notably marked by the implementation of a Canadian commitment of C$100 million to support the Haitian National Police (HNP), in particular for its reconstruction, equipment and technical assistance. He noted that over the past three years, Canadian aid to Haiti, including security support, has reached about half a billion Canadian dollars.
André François Giroux identifies four major pillars of Canadian action: security, justice, development and governance. On the security side, Canada has played an important role in strengthening the HNP, in collaboration with the United States, the United Nations and other international partners.
He also stressed the role of justice in combating insecurity. According to him, impunity is one of the factors that maintain insecurity in Haiti. In this regard, it recalls the Canadian sanctions against Haitian actors and stresses the importance of sharing information with the United States, Europeans and the United Nations in order to enhance the effectiveness of these measures.
Sur le plan sécuritaire, Giroux se montre relativement optimiste quant au déploiement de la nouvelle force internationale de lutte contre les gangs. Il estime que celle-ci dispose désormais de moyens plus importants que la mission précédente et bénéficie d’un mécanisme de financement plus durable. « Le train est bien sur le rail « , affirme-t-il, tout en reconnaissant que le déploiement d’une force internationale de plusieurs milliers de personnes nécessite du temps et une importante mobilisation diplomatique.
On governance, the outgoing Ambassador noted that the Transitional Government had two key priorities: security and the organization of elections. He considered the electoral calendar ambitious, but felt that it was a necessary step to enable the country to emerge from the transition.
At the time of leaving Haiti, André François Giroux said, however, that he felt a deep sadness. He claims to have developed a particular attachment to the country and wishes to be able to return with his family one day. However, it recognizes that the current security conditions make this return difficult in the short term. After several assignments abroad, he considered his departure from Haiti to be the most difficult of his career.
W.A.
