Haitian politicians inked a last-minute agreement to install a transitional government Saturday, just hours before President Michel Martelly was scheduled to step down with no replacement in line.
The agreement, signed by the presidents of both chambers of the National Assembly, keeps the country from plunging into an immediate power vacuum on Martelly's exit, after an election to choose his replacement was postponed over fears of violence.
"It wasn't easy, but like I said, I wasn't going to leave this country on uncertain terms come February 7, so we worked non-stop these past three weeks," Martelly said during an official ceremony to sign the document.
In light of the annulled vote, which would have occurred on January 24 and given the country time to put a new leader in power, Parliament will elect an interim president, with a term of up to 120 days, the four-page agreement said.
The January vote, a runoff between Martelly's favored candidate, Jovenel Moise, and opposition flag-bearer Jude Celestin, was called off following violence and opposition protests by demonstrators alleging that foul play had helped the government candidate take the first round.
"On Sunday morning, we will hold a joint (legislative) session ... to note the end of President Martelly's term and to ask the prime minister and government to remain in office to settle current affairs," Senate President Jocelerme Privert told AFP.
"The election of the interim president will take place later."
The country's runoff election is now scheduled for April 24, with the new, permanent leader to take power on May 14, but Privert stressed those were only proposed dates.
"We are pleased that the stakeholders have all committed themselves to democracy, peace and stability, amid a constitutional vacuum created by the absence of an elected president to replace Mr Martelly," said Ronald Sanders, head of the special Haiti mission of the Organization of American States.
While consensus was reached in a "brotherly atmosphere," Martelly stressed that this did not mean the political crisis had been resolved.
"We must remain vigilant... I am asking for all those responsible to help maintain stability in Haiti," the president said hours before the end of his mandate.
"I ask the various actors, especially those who resort to violence, to understand that each time there is violence, Haiti takes a step backward."
On Friday, a man was killed during clashes in Port-au-Prince between hundreds of opponents of those in power and former soldiers and youths seeking to restore the army, which was dismantled in the 1990s.
Since 1986, when president-for-life Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier fled a revolt, the Caribbean island nation has struggled repeatedly to hold credible elections.
Haiti is also wracked by poverty and the aftereffects of a devastating 2010 earthquake.
Haitian politicians inked a last-minute agreement to install a transitional government Saturday, just hours before President Michel Martelly was scheduled to step down with no replacement in line.
The agreement, signed by the presidents of both chambers of the National Assembly, keeps the country from plunging into an immediate power vacuum on Martelly’s exit, after an election to choose his replacement was postponed over fears of violence.
“It wasn’t easy, but like I said, I wasn’t going to leave this country on uncertain terms come February 7, so we worked non-stop these past three weeks,” Martelly said during an official ceremony to sign the document.
In light of the annulled vote, which would have occurred on January 24 and given the country time to put a new leader in power, Parliament will elect an interim president, with a term of up to 120 days, the four-page agreement said.
The January vote, a runoff between Martelly’s favored candidate, Jovenel Moise, and opposition flag-bearer Jude Celestin, was called off following violence and opposition protests by demonstrators alleging that foul play had helped the government candidate take the first round.
“On Sunday morning, we will hold a joint (legislative) session … to note the end of President Martelly’s term and to ask the prime minister and government to remain in office to settle current affairs,” Senate President Jocelerme Privert told AFP.
“The election of the interim president will take place later.”
The country’s runoff election is now scheduled for April 24, with the new, permanent leader to take power on May 14, but Privert stressed those were only proposed dates.
“We are pleased that the stakeholders have all committed themselves to democracy, peace and stability, amid a constitutional vacuum created by the absence of an elected president to replace Mr Martelly,” said Ronald Sanders, head of the special Haiti mission of the Organization of American States.
While consensus was reached in a “brotherly atmosphere,” Martelly stressed that this did not mean the political crisis had been resolved.
“We must remain vigilant… I am asking for all those responsible to help maintain stability in Haiti,” the president said hours before the end of his mandate.
“I ask the various actors, especially those who resort to violence, to understand that each time there is violence, Haiti takes a step backward.”
On Friday, a man was killed during clashes in Port-au-Prince between hundreds of opponents of those in power and former soldiers and youths seeking to restore the army, which was dismantled in the 1990s.
Since 1986, when president-for-life Jean-Claude “Baby Doc” Duvalier fled a revolt, the Caribbean island nation has struggled repeatedly to hold credible elections.
Haiti is also wracked by poverty and the aftereffects of a devastating 2010 earthquake.