A nine-member council in charge of overseeing Haiti’s political transition has named politician Garry Conille as the Caribbean nation’s next prime minister.
Tuesday’s decision comes amid a period of turmoil for the country, which has seen gangs seize control over much of the capital, Port-au-Prince.
Conille is a familiar face in the role of prime minister. He served for four months, from October 2011 to February 2012, and resigned after clashing with then-President Michel Martelly.
He now takes over for interim Prime Minister Michel Patrick Boisvert, who was appointed to the role after the previous prime minister, Ariel Henry, formally resigned in late April.
The process of selecting a new prime minister was rocky, complete with false starts and controversial.
Since the assassination of then-President Jovenel Moise in July 2021, Haiti has not held a federal election.
Henry, an unelected official chosen days before the assassination, served as acting president in Moise’s stead after his shooting death.
In the meantime, the country’s gangs sought to fill the power vacuum, asserting power over upwards of 80 percent of Port-au-Prince, including roadways in and out of the city.
The United Nations estimates that more than 362,000 Haitians have been displaced by the ensuing bloodshed. During the first three months of 2024 alone, gang violence has killed more than 1,500 people and injured hundreds more.
In March, Henry announced his decision to step down as prime minister, amid international and domestic pressure to do so.
In the aftermath, a regional cooperation bloc known as the Caribbean Community or CARICOM negotiated the creation of a transitional council to restore Haiti’s democracy.
Nine members were chosen, seven of whom would have voting powers. The council is set to be dissolved in 2026 after a new presidential election is held.
Conille’s appointment as prime minister came as the result of a six-to-one vote. Since 2023, he has served as a Latin America regional director for UNICEF, a UN agency that offers humanitarian aid to children.
However, confusion has accompanied the process of choosing a new prime minister. Gang leaders have warned they will not necessarily accept the transitional council or its choices.