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Vice-Chancellor's Forum : The Multidimensional Crisis in Haiti

For Release Upon Receipt - May 3, 2024

UWI


The UWI Regional Headquarters, Jamaica. Friday, May 3, 2024—On Monday, May 6, 2024, The University of the West Indies (The UWI) will host a Vice-Chancellor's Forum themed, "The Multidimensional Crisis in Haiti: Recent Diplomatic Developments and the Way Forward".

The virtual event, accessible on UWItv's website, www.uwitv.global, starts at 9:30 a.m.

Presented by the Office of the Vice-Chancellor in collaboration with the Institute of International Relations' Diplomatic Academy of the Caribbean, it will feature perspectives from a distinguished panel of International Relations experts and scholars of Haitian studies:

Dr. Renata Segura, Program Director, Latin America and Caribbean, International Crisis Group.

Ambassador Frederick D. Barton, Lecturer, School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University (the first U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Conflict and Stabilization Operations).

H.E. Stefano Gatto, Ambassadeur Extraordinaire et Plenipotentiaire / Chef de Délégation de l’Union Europénne auprès de la République d’Haiti.

Dr. Jemima Pierre, Professor of Global Race - Institute of Race, Gender, Sexuality and Social Justice (GRSJ) at the University of British Columbia. 

Dr. Regine O. Jackson, Dean of the Humanities, Social Sciences, Media & Arts Division and Professor of Sociology, Morehouse College. (Discussant).

Vice-Chancellor of The UWI, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, will deliver opening remarks at the event, and Dr Nand C. Bardouille, Manager of The Diplomatic Academy of the Caribbean, will serve as Chair of the proceedings and moderator of the panel discussion.

Shortly following its installation on April 25, 2024, Haiti's transitional council selected the country's prime minister, Fritz Bélizaire. Prime Minister Bélizaire takes over from Michel Patrick Boisvert, who served as interim prime minister in Haiti's transitional government. "These developments are a salient enough occurrence for a country on the edge of a political precipice and in the vice-grip of a multidimensional crisis," said Dr Bardouille. 

Dr Bardouille continued, "For one thing, the appointment of Mr. Bélizaire as the country's prime minister—against the backdrop of the advent of the transitional council—provides a much-needed sign of better times to come." He further noted: "For another, it is a nod to the Caribbean Community—among others—which pulled out all the stops to come to Haiti's aid in this precarious moment. Haitians residing in-country have endured years of political instability and hellish lived conditions, a combination of factors which weigh heavily on their everyday milieu." 

Dr Bardouille concluded: "In a context where the transition to democracy in Haiti has been fragile, recent political developments in Port-au-Prince show rare progress in the realm of Haitian political change. As those in authority put things in place for a transition to electoral democracy in the face of manifold challenges, this is an opportune time for a wider debate in the Community on the multidimensional crisis in Haiti—in retrospective and prospective terms. This Vice-Chancellor's Forum is one such opportunity to do just that."

The views and opinions expressed in this forum are not necessarily those of UWItv Global, The University of the West Indies, or its affiliates. 

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About The UWI Vice-Chancellor's Forums

In 2016, Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles initiated a series of public discussions, titled “Vice-Chancellor's Forums". The ongoing series seeks to bring together regional academics and experts to discuss and offer informed analysis, perspective and context to important political, social and economic developments in the region.

About The University of the West Indies

The UWI has been and continues to be a pivotal force in every aspect of Caribbean development, residing at the center of all efforts to improve the well-being of people across the region for over 75 years.

From a university college of London in Jamaica with 33 medical students in 1948, The UWI is today an internationally respected, global university with nearly 50,000 students and five campuses: Mona in Jamaica, St. Augustine in Trinidad and Tobago, Cave Hill in Barbados, Five Islands in Antigua and Barbuda and its Global Campus, and global centres in partnership with universities in North America, Latin America, Asia, Africa, and Europe. 

The UWI offers over 1000 certificate, diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate degree options in Culture, Creative and Performing Arts, Food and Agriculture, Engineering, Humanities and Education, Law, Medical Sciences, Science and Technology, Social Sciences, and Sport. As the Caribbean’s leading university, it possesses the largest pool of Caribbean intellect and expertise committed to confronting the critical issues of our region and the wider world. 

The UWI has been consistently ranked among the best in the world by the most reputable ranking agency, Times Higher Education (THE). Since The UWI’s 2018 debut in THE’s rankings, it has performed well in multiple schemes—among them including World University Rankings, Golden Age University Rankings (between 50 and 80 years old), Latin America Rankings, and the Impact Rankings for its response to the world’s biggest concerns, outlined in the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including Good Health and Well-being; Gender Equality and Climate Action.

Learn more at www.uwi.edu

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