Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, Brian A. Nichols, will lead an interagency delegation to Port-au-Prince, Haiti October 12-13. The Assistant Secretary will be joined by Lieutenant General Andrew Croft, Military Deputy Commander of SOUTHCOM, as well as senior advisors and personnel from the White House, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Joint Staff, and the Department of State's Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs. The delegation will meet with Prime Minister Ariel Henry, the Montana Group, private sector leaders, and broader civil society groups. Taking into account the Government of Haiti's request for international assistance to facilitate a response to the burgeoning cholera epidemic, and the actions by criminal actors that are impeding this support, the delegation will assess how the U.S. government can continue to provide various forms of assistance and promote accountability for those responsible for criminal acts. The delegation will urge political actors to rise above their differences and chart a Haitian vision for improved security and a return to democratic order.
As an additional sign of resolve and support for the people of Haiti, the U.S. Coast Guard will also deploy one of its major cutters to patrol offshore Port-au-Prince, Haiti at the request of the Government of Haiti and in close coordination with the Department of State.
