Senior US diplomat visits Haiti, Dominican Republic for security and economic talks

The Story

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau is on a two-day trip that included stops in Haiti and the Dominican Republic, with meetings focused on mutual economic commercial interests and regional priorities including security. In the Dominican Republic, Landau is scheduled to meet with officials on Saturday; the country has become a key U.S. ally, and President Luis Abinader stated last November he would allow U.S. operations inside restricted areas to fight drug trafficking. On Friday, Landau met in Haiti with Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, national police officials, and a U.N.-backed gang suppression force. Landau wrote on X that “Security, stability, and prosperity in Haiti is in both our nations’ interests.” While Landau was in Port-au-Prince, three police officers and a civilian were killed in Haiti’s Artibonite region during an operation to seize back control from gangs. Haiti’s National Police said it sent reinforcements to help officers fighting heavily armed men, and the Gran Grif gang, which is mounting a campaign of terror in the region, is accused of killing dozens of people in the past year.

Key Facts

• U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau is making a two-day official trip to Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
• Talks in the Dominican Republic on Saturday are focused on mutual economic commercial interests and regional priorities including security.
• Dominican President Luis Abinader said last November he would allow U.S. operations inside restricted areas to fight drug trafficking.
• On Friday, Landau met with Haiti’s Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, national police officials, and a U.N.-backed gang suppression force.
• Landau wrote on X: “Security, stability, and prosperity in Haiti is in both our nations’ interests.”
• Three police officers and a civilian were killed in Haiti’s Artibonite region on Friday during an operation against gangs.
• Haiti’s National Police sent reinforcements to Artibonite.
• The Gran Grif gang is accused of killing dozens in the past year.

Conflicting Reports

No conflicting reports identified in the source article.

Still Unclear

No open questions identified in the source article.

Misconceptions

No widespread misconceptions addressed in the source article.

Key Figures

• Christopher Landau, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State
• Luis Abinader, President of the Dominican Republic
• Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, Prime Minister of Haiti

Sources: abcnews.com