Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs Brian A. Nichols on the Secretary’s Upcoming Travel to Haiti and the Dominican Republic

MODERATOR: Thank you for joining us today. This is an on-the-record press briefing with Assistant Secretary Brian Nichols about Secretary Blinken’s forthcoming travel. This briefing is embargoed until the travel is publicly announced by the department, which is expected to occur later this afternoon. If you would like to ask a question, please use the raise your hand function, and we’ll get to as many as we can. Assistant Secretary, I’ll turn it to you for any remarks you want to make at the top before we get to questions.

ASSISTANT SECRETARY NICHOLS: Great. Thank you, and being here today to preview Secretary Blinken travel to Haiti and the Dominican Republic. During this trip, the Secretary will meet with Haitian and Dominican partners to discuss a range of priorities. On September 5th, the Secretary will travel to Port-au-Prince to meet with Haitian Prime Minister Garry Conille and the Transitional Presidential Council. The Secretary will reaffirm the United States commitment to supporting the Haitian people and fostering a secure and peaceful Haiti. The Secretary, Prime Minister Conille, and the Transitional Presidential Council will also discuss Haiti’s return to a democratic path and the urgent need for elections so the Haitian people can determine their own future.

We have seen Haiti take important steps forward in the last few months. In addition to the Transitional Presidential Council’s appointment of the prime minister and designation of ministers of his cabinet, we have seen tangible signs of progress on the ground, including the opening of the airport and resumption of commercial flights, increased economic activity and movement in pockets of Port-au-Prince, and the deployment of the UN-authorized, Kenyan-led Multinational Security Support mission, which is working in close partnership with the Haitian National Police. With increased international support for both the MSS and the Haitian National Police, we are seeing a dramatic increase in patrols and operations designed to restore security and a sense of normalcy in Haiti. While in Haiti, Secretary Blinken will meet with the head of the MSS and the Haitian National Police and underscore the United States continued commitment to their success. We will also discuss Haiti’s broader stabilization, development, and humanitarian needs.

Following his visit to Haiti, the Secretary will travel to the Dominican Republic. He will meet with President Luis Abinader to reaffirm our strong, multidimensional partnership and discuss three main priorities: strengthening our economic ties, including through the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity; advancing our shared values of freedom, democracy, and respect for human and labor rights; and promoting increased security in the region, particularly in Haiti. The Secretary and President Abinader will also discuss The 2025 Summit of the Americas, which the Dominican Republic will host. We look forward to meeting with Prime Minister Conille and President Abinader in the coming days to discuss these critical issues.

In Haiti, our goal is to recognize the positive progress made towards improving security and encourage efforts to appoint the provisional electoral council so Haiti can move toward elections. In the Dominican Republic, we will reinforce our shared priorities, such as promoting democratic governance, supporting free and fair elections in the region, and fighting corruption.

Thanks very much, and happy to take any questions.

MODERATOR: Thank you very much. Again, if you would like to ask a question, please use the raise your hand function. Our first question is going to be from Jennifer Hensler with CNN.

QUESTION: Hi. Thanks so much for doing this, Brian. I just wanted to get a better sense of why the Secretary felt it was important to take this trip now, and if you could give any specific details on anything he plans to announce. And then secondly, can you confirm reports that the U.S. is looking into transferring the MSS to a traditional UN peacekeeping force under those auspices? Thank you.

ASSISTANT SECRETARY NICHOLS: So this is a crucial moment in Haiti, and I think – when we had the opportunity to go to Haiti with Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield to see sort of the beginning of the deployment of the MSS, to see the equipment that’s on the ground, to see that base. and now that more than 30 MRAPs have been delivered, other equipment, the increased rhythm of operations, we’re seeing that forward movement on the security side that we’ve long waited for. But we also need to see progress on the political side, and engaging the Transitional Presidential Council, the prime minister, and Haiti’s political parties is a priority for the Secretary to make sure that progress towards elections moves forward.

With regard to the nature of the mission in Haiti, our goal is to have a mission that is effective, strong, able to deliver the kind of security progress that the Haitian people deserve – and we’re working with our international partners to do that – and setting up a structure that ensures a reliable source of financing and staffing for that mission is a priority. A formal PKO is one of the ways that we could accomplish that, but we’re looking at multiple ways to do that.

MODERATOR: Wonderful. Our next question is from Daphne from Reuters.

QUESTION: Are you able to hear me?

MODERATOR: Yes, we can hear you now.

QUESTION: Okay, sorry. Not sure what happened. Thank you for doing this. I wanted to ask about the 360 million that’s been promised for the MSS. How much of that has been disbursed so far, and who has it been paid to?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY NICHOLS: So the United States has provided over – through the Department of Defense – over $200 million for the construction and operation of the logistics support area, the base where the MSS is. And that has – that has been provided to the contractors who constructed and operate the base. And through the Department of State, we have provided over $50 million, I think, in equipment and support for the operations of the MSS in different ways on the ground. The assistance that we’re providing also includes over $60 million in drawdown authority for support to the MSS. So drawdown authority is the ability to take things out of government stocks and provide them to the MSS, and we’ve provided all sorts of things – radios, tents, computers, night vision devices. So all those things are – UAVs, all sorts of things that are in process of delivery; some have already been delivered, and others are still pending. So that’s broadly where that money has gone.

MODERATOR: Our next question is from Nick Schifrin from PBS.

QUESTION: Hi, Brian. Thanks very much. You paint a pretty positive picture of some improvements that you’ve seen, especially in Port-au-Prince, but Garry Conille gave an interview yesterday in which he says, “The situation is the worst I’ve seen in my… lifetime.” He talks about delays in manpower and funding that you’ll know very well – only 400 Kenyan troops, most of the 600 million hasn’t arrived yet, and he’s seeking Blinken’s help to rally more aid. I’m wondering if you agree with his overall characterization of the situation.

And we saw a high-profile announcement yesterday of corruption charges against some high-ranking officials for illicit enrichment, abuse of office, et cetera. I’m wondering if you could react to that announcement, please. Thanks.

ASSISTANT SECRETARY NICHOLS: Well, I think if you look at the situation over the course of 2024, let’s remember how difficult things were. I mean, we had a situation where the airport was closed and under fire. Former Prime Minister Ariel Henry couldn’t return to the country because security was so bad. We were wondering if at one point Guy Philippe was announcing his march into Port-au-Prince to take over the government.

So we have come a long way since those very dark moments. The fact that we have joint operations by the MSS, the Haitian National Police, and the Haitian Army in neighborhoods like Bel Air, Fort National, Delmas, going after gangs and their leaders in a way that hasn’t happened in years, from a security standpoint that is a major step forward. The – both the Haitian National Police and the MSS have recently received armored vehicles and equipment that’ll allow them to more aggressively prosecute these operations, and that’s an important step forward.

The United States, Canada, and a few other donors have made important contributions to the MSS UN trust fund to support these efforts. Nonetheless, we need the rest of the international community to step forward with much more significant financial contributions so that the force can continue to operate, and that additional nations can deploy their units as part of the MSS. The prime minister is rightly concerned about the future, but I think we have come quite a long way since the beginning of the year.

With regard to the corruption allegations involving – I think you’re referring to the ones involving members of the Transitional Presidential Council, we certainly believe that Haitian authorities should investigate those and determine the substance of what happened and take appropriate actions to hold anyone who’s responsible for corrupt acts accountable. The Haitian people deserve transparency and good governance, and the international community, which provides so much assistance, also needs to see that to have the confidence that funds that flow through the Haitian Government are used appropriately and transparently.

MODERATOR: Thank you. Our next question is from Nike Ching from VOA.

QUESTION: Good morning, Brian. Thank you very much for this phone briefing. First question: This is Secretary Blinken’s first trip to both Caribbean countries as Secretary of State, correct? And then secondly, just to follow up with Nick’s question, with about one month remaining in the mandate of MSS, how concerned is the U.S. about the slow deployment and some of the unfulfilled pledges, especially as the U.S. is the top funder of the MSS?

And then finally, regarding the Open Skies Agreement between the United States and the Dominican Republic signed on August 2nd, will the Open Skies Agreement come into effect during Secretary Blinken’s visit to the country to exchange the diplomatic notes? Thank you very much.

ASSISTANT SECRETARY NICHOLS: So Secretary Blinken has traveled to the Caribbean previously. He went to Port of Spain and he also traveled to Georgetown, Guyana. The Secretary has met with Caribbean – oh, and Jamaica earlier this year. So he’s made several trips to the region and he’s met with Caribbean leaders in Washington as well as on the margins of the OAS General Assembly in Peru. So he’s had a number of engagements with Caribbean leaders as well as meeting leaders and foreign ministers here in Washington during their visits, and our relations with the Caribbean are a big priority for the Secretary as well as the rest of our government from President Biden on down.

The – with regard to the Open Skies Agreement, I will have to get back to you on when that will enter into force, but it’s – we know it’s a big step forward and we hope that it will provide more reliable and more economical travel between the United States and the Dominican Republic going forward.

QUESTION: How about the concerns about the MSS slow deployment and some of the pledges?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY NICHOLS: Well, the – the MSS is – just in the course of the last few days has begun much more active operations, and we hope that the deployment of additional MSS force members from a number of other countries will take place in the very near future. But in order for the operation to succeed, we need to ensure the international community provides the financial resources in addition to the manpower and equipment that the force needs to deploy, and we have been tireless in pressing others in the international community to make significant contributions to the UN MSS trust fund or to contribute people or materiel to the force, and we will continue to press for that. The one-year anniversary of the mission is October 2nd, and we’re going to work to ensure that it is poised for success and a renewal of its mandate in whatever form that takes going forward.

MODERATOR: Our next question is from Jacqueline Charles with the Miami Herald. Jacqueline?

QUESTION: Yes, I’m here. Can you hear me?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY NICHOLS: We hear you.

QUESTION: Good morning. Fine. Thanks for doing this. A couple of questions for you. The bribery scandal – just yesterday the members of the CPT tried to take measures against the three who were accused, but because it comes down to 4-3, they couldn’t do it. So everyone is wondering whether or not Secretary Blinken will raise this issue to try and get some – some sort of decision or progress on this since we know that investigations in Haiti take a long time. Secondly, humanitarian corridor – the Secretary will be using the humanitarian corridor as he travels between Haiti and the Dominican Republic. The skies have been shut down to Haitians for several months now, and we’re wondering whether or not he will be raising this issue with the Dominican Republic in terms of the fact that there’s no commercial traffic between the two.

And then third, I just came back. The Kenyan force commander says that they have been in this sort of deployment phase, but Haitians are frustrated because they haven’t seen any big gang leaders arrested or killed. And what we’ve seen is that communities on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince have suffered increased attacks. So we’re just wondering whether or not this push for a UN peacekeeping mission you think would be more successful in addressing the long-term security issues.

ASSISTANT SECRETARY NICHOLS: Well, thanks. That’s a lot there. I think certainly the Secretary will raise the importance of transparency, rule of law in dealing with the corruption allegations in – that have come to light in the BNC case. We believe that Haitian officials should investigate this and hold those responsible to account, and I’m sure that the Secretary will raise this issue while he’s there.

The – with regard to the progress thus far, this week we’ve seen the arrival of the – of the last of the MRAPS that are coming in this tranche, which provides the force with sufficient vehicles, heavily armored vehicles, that they can carry out operations. Similarly, the provisions for the Haitian National Police have really now postured those forces to be able to carry out significant operations safely. And we want to make sure that every element that the force needs, they have, to be able to do their job safely and effectively to bring those responsible for crimes to justice while safeguarding the general population, respecting human rights, and strengthening broader Haitian institutions. Those were all important steps.

I think you’ve seen – you’ve been on the ground. I hope you got a chance to see all of the equipment that’s there, the work that’s being done. It’s quite impressive. The – sort of the final point I think you raised on air travel and movement between the Dominican Republic and Haiti, we certainly hope to see more normal relations between the Dominican Republic and Haiti. The countries are inexorably linked. And we certainly will have those conversations with leaders on both sides of the border, and we’re very cognizant of the fact that the Dominican Republic is providing significant assistance to Haiti and to the MSS, and that we more broadly hope to see the ties between the two countries operated in a normal fashion in the future. But obviously, those are sovereign decisions for both governments. And to the extent that we can facilitate those conversations, we will.

MODERATOR: Our next question is with Anton La Guardia from The Economist.

QUESTION: Thank you very much. Can you hear me?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY NICHOLS: Yes. Hear you loud and clear.

QUESTION: Thank you very much, Brian, for making the time. Can I just ask you to clarify a couple of points. How many MSS personnel are deployed? Just picking up the question about the slow pace of deployment right now. I’ve seen a figure of 400, which is way below the 2,500 number that was supposed to be there. And also, are you able to confirm reports that the Kenyan police have not been paid for two months? And third, you spoke about the need to investigate and prosecute corruption and bribery and so on, but as I understand it, many of the prisons have been destroyed. So are there – is there a problem with the general administration of justice question? How do you resolve that?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY NICHOLS: So keep in mind that while Kenya is the lead nation for the force, we expect other countries to make contributions and ensuring that all the equipment, training, human rights vetting is in place before some of the other countries deploy is something we’ve been focused on. There are a number of other countries that are in the process of preparing for deployment, including Caribbean countries, South American countries, Central American countries that are – will make different contributions to the force.

But yeah, right now there are approximately 400 Kenyans who are deployed there – a little bit less than 400. The – and we expect those deployments ideally to take place in the very near future. The – you note the overall ceiling. Yes, the ceiling is higher, but we want to make sure that the force is effective and grows in a sustainable way and that all of the things that they need to succeed are in place before we grow above the force numbers that we’re seeing now.

The – and then just in terms of our longer-term approach, we want to make sure that this operation is sustainable to get Haiti through an electoral process and for the Haitian National Police to grow to the level that it’s able to take responsibility for Haiti’s security, and that’s going to take some time.

MODERATOR: Thank you very much. Danica Coto with the AP. Danica?

QUESTION: Good morning. Can you hear me?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY NICHOLS: Yes.

QUESTION: Great. Well, thank you for hosting this. What would a PKO provide that the current mission doesn’t, and how likely is it that such an operation would happen? And aside from the PKO, what other options are there?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY NICHOLS: So you – a key challenge is a sustainable funding and infrastructure – administrative infrastructure to support the deployment. And a PKO means that you have an assessed contribution to fund the deployment. Right now, the deployment depends on voluntary contributions. The United States and then Canada have made the largest contributions to the force. The – both direct contributions as well as in-kind, as well as equipment, and then contributions to the trust fund that does things like provide the – some other day-to-day costs for the force.

The – there are different varieties of assessed missions. So there could be an assessed mission where the funding is secured, but the actual operation of this mission is very, very similar to what it is now or there’s a more traditional peacekeeping operation of the types that we’ve seen in many different countries around the world, including Haiti. But our challenge going forward is to make sure that there’s a reliable, sustainable source of funding for the MSS to take it through stabilization, elections, and the growth of the Haitian National Police. We’ll be working and coordinating with our partners around the world, and particularly in the Security Council and in the region, to figure out how we best address that going forward.

MODERATOR: Thank you very much. That is all the time we have for questions today. We appreciate you joining this call. As a final reminder, this briefing is embargoed until the travel is publicly announced by the department, which is expected later this afternoon. Thank you very much.