September 10, 2024
The General Secretariat of the Organization of American States (OAS) today continued its work to assist Haiti in developing the enabling legal framework for its next general elections, in collaboration with the European Commission for Democracy through Law (the Venice Commission). In a virtual meeting convened by the OAS Department of Electoral Cooperation and Observation of the Secretariat for Strengthening Democracy, and facilitated by the Special Representative of the OAS Secretary General in Haiti, a delegation of the Venice Commission met with the Chair and members of Haiti’s Transitional Presidential Council, for discussions on topics related to the Commission’s “Interim Opinion on Possible Constitutional and Legislative Solutions to Conduct Future Electoral Processes” in Haiti.
The Interim Opinion, which was issued in June 2024, followed an invitation by OAS Secretary General Luis Almagro to the Venice Commission, in March 2024, to analyze the legislative framework for Haiti’s elections, along with the relevant recommendations of past OAS Electoral Observation Missions, in order to identify the abovementioned solutions in preparation for future elections. The Opinion was issued as an Interim document, pending discussions between the Venice Commission and the authorities of Haiti.
Participating in the meeting were Edgard Leblanc Fils, Chairman of the Transitional Presidential Council and other members of the Council; Gandy Thomas, Interim Representative of Haiti to the OAS; the delegation of the Venice Commission (Michael Frendo (Malta), former Vice-President of the Venice Commission, Rapporteur; François Seners (France), Rapporteur; Eirik Holmøyvik (Norway), Rapporteur; Simona Granata-Menghini, Director, Secretary of the Venice Commission; Pierre Garonne, Head of Division, Elections and Political Parties); Gerardo de Icaza, Director of the Department of Electoral Cooperation and Observation; and Cristobal Dupouy, Special Representative of the OAS Secretary General in Haiti.
The Venice Commission is the Council of Europe’s advisory body on constitutional matters. It provides legal advice to its member states and, in particular, assists states wishing to bring their legal and institutional structures into line with European standards and international experience in the fields of democracy, human rights and the rule of law. It also helps to ensure the dissemination and consolidation of a common constitutional heritage, playing a unique role in conflict management, and provides “emergency constitutional aid” to states in transition.
In keeping with the Commission’s policy and in line with the commitment of OAS Secretary General Almagro, the work of the Venice Commission is being conducted in close collaboration with the Haitian state and proceeds from the basis that all solutions to the current crisis must be Haitian-led and Haitian-approved.