Haiti American nurse, daughter become latest kidnapping victims in Haiti

An American nurse and her child, who were abducted in Haiti on July 27th, continue to be unaccounted for, as rising gang-police confrontations prompt the State Department to command U S officials and their families to exit the nation

El Roi Haiti, a Christian humanitarian group, verified in a press announcement that Alex Dorsainvil, a 31-year-old American nurse, and her daughter – both residents of Haiti –were seized from the premises of the nongovernmental organization

“We can confirm that Alix Dorsainvil, the wife of our Director Sandro Dorsainvil, and their child, were kidnapped on Thursday, July 27 in the morning at the NGO site near Port-auPrince,” the statement said

Dorsainvil

The life of Alex Dorsainvil

Jason

He praised her for her persistent dedication to those in pain, tirelessly working to alleviate the suffering of the sick

He portrayed her as a person of profound love and compassion, viewing Haiti as her homeland and the Haitian people as her family and friends

State Department issues a level 4 advisory for Haiti

The day Dorsainvil was abducted coincided with the State Department’s issuance of a Level

4 (Do Not Travel) Advisory for Haiti, citing the reasons as due to “kidnapping, crime, civil unrest, and poor health care infrastructure ”

“US citizens in Haiti should depart Haiti as soon as possible by commercial or other privately available transportation options, in light of the current security situation and infrastructure challenges US citizens wishing to depart Port-au-Prince should monitor local news and only do so when considered safe,” the department advised

It further justified its advisory for U S citizens to exit Haiti, citing the inability to assure protection if they chose to stay

The Associated Press (AP) conveyed that a statement from the U S State Department acknowledged that it was “aware of the kidnapping of two American nationals in Haiti” and “ are in regular contact with the Haitian authorities and we continue to collaborate with them ”

Bahamas to deploy 150 police ofcers to Haiti amid violence

The government of The Bahamas shared on Wednesday its dedication to dispatch 150 officers to aid a multi-national effort in Haiti, a commitment welcomed by the Caribbean Community (Caricom) as well as a police mission led by Kenya

This decision comes in response to the escalating violence in Port au Prince, where clashes between armed gangs and police have instigated a humanitarian disaster that has uprooted tens of thousands of individuals

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in The Bahamas, in a recent statement, shared its readiness to deploy personnel to Haiti as part of the multi-national force, conditional on the approval by the United Nations (UN) Security Council

“We now urge the passing of a UN Security Council Resolution in support of this force,” the statement added Haiti has been increasingly ravaged by gang conflict since the 2021 murder of President Jovenel Moïse, causing many service providers to shut down This has left a mounting number of the country’s 11 45 million inhabitants devoid of access to basic necessities such as healthcare, food, and education

Kenya’s and Bahamas’ joint support

This past weekend, Kenya’s Foreign Minister, Alfred Mutua, confirmed his nation’s commitment to send a cadre of 1,000 police officers to assist and train the Haitian police, with the aim of restoring peace and protecting strategic infrastructures

Anthony Blinken, US Secretary of State, lauded Kenya’s announcement, noting Washington’s eagerness to work in conjunction with Haiti’s allies to expedite this process, including via a UN Security Council Resolution granting permission for a multinational force in Haiti

Echoing this sentiment, The Bahamas conveyed its anticipation to cooperate with Kenya and other partners in Haiti in the pursuit of peace and stability

The Bahamian government acknowledged its alignment with the African Union’s diaspora policy and its commitment to Pan Africanism, as expressed by Minister Mutua, calling for solidarity with people of African descent across the globe, including those in the Caribbean

The Bahamas also expressed its eagerness to collaborate with hemispheric allies, including the United States and Canada

It further emphasized its ongoing support for the Eminent Persons Group, led by Caricom and featuring former Bahamas Prime Minister Perry Christie, Dr Kenny Anthony of St Lucia, and Bruce Golding of Jamaica, as well as the Haiti Working Group chaired by the Organization of American States and Trinidad and Tobago