Garry Conille (French pronunciation: [ɡaʁi kɔnij]; born 26 February 1966) is a Haitian academic, development worker, author, and the current acting prime minister of Haiti since 3 June 2024. He previously served as the Prime Minister from 2011 to 2012, submitting his resignation on 24 February 2012, and being officially succeeded by Laurent Lamothe on 16 May 2012.[1]
Garry Conille | |
---|---|
![]() Conille in 2024 | |
15th Prime Minister of Haiti | |
Assumed office 3 June 2024 | |
Appointed by | Transitional Presidential Council |
Preceded by | Michel Patrick Boisvert (acting) |
In office 18 October 2011 – 16 May 2012 | |
President | Michel Martelly |
Preceded by | Jean-Max Bellerive |
Succeeded by | Laurent Lamothe |
Minister of Interior and Territorial Communities | |
Assumed office 12 June 2024 | |
Prime Minister | Himself (acting) |
Preceded by | Ariel Henry (acting) |
Acting Minister of Justice | |
In office 22 November 2011 – 12 December 2011 | |
President | Michel Martelly |
Preceded by | Josué Pierre-Louis |
Succeeded by | Michel Brunache |
Personal details | |
Born | 26 February 1966 |
Political party | Independent |
Alma mater | |
On 28 May 2024, Haiti's transition council tapped Conille to return to the role as the Caribbean nation works to restore stability and take back control from violent gangs.[2]
Early life
editGarry Conille is the second of a family of four brothers (Serge, Pierre and Jean Conille). He is the son of Marie Antoinette Darbouze and Dr. Serge Conille, former Minister of Sports and Youth in the Duvalier government. He is married to Betty Rousseau, the step daughter of Marc Bazin, a former prime minister of Haiti and has twin girls, Soraya and Gaelle. Betty and her twin sister Kathy are Bazin's daughters from his wife Marie Yolène's (née Sam) first marriage.
Medical career
editAfter graduating from Collège Canado-Haïtien and the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy of University of Haiti, Garry Conille obtained an MA in Political and Health Administration, as a fellow of the Fulbright Scholar Program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Afterwards, he received a certificate of specialty in Gynecology and Obstetrics at Isaïe Jeanty maternity and a Ph.D. in Medicine at the University of Haiti.[3]
Between July 1994 and June 1998, at the Haitian Association for the National Development, he developed and implemented a primary care system that provided basic health care in poor areas of Haiti. In August 1999, as an evaluation consultant, Garry Conille was responsible for the impact assessment of the Albert Schweitzer Hospital, an NGO in the field of community development, providing community care to over 260,000 people in Artibonite. Between the years 2000 to 2004, he created and hosted at Radio Vision 2000, the first national interactive program, focused on issues related to reproductive and sexual health.[4]
United Nations career
editGarry Conille began his career with the United Nations in 1999, as project officer (October 1999 - April 2001), then programme officer (April 2001 - October 2002) at United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Haiti. Between October 2002 and May 2004, he was technical advisor at Population Services International (PSI) Haiti.
In May 2004, he became an international official inside the United Nations system. Until January 2006, he was technical advisor of countries, then sub-regional technical advisor for UNFPA, Division Africa/Ethiopia. In this capacity, he was responsible for providing technical assistance and for ensuring capacity building in key areas of population and health reproduction.
In January - December 2006, he worked in a different field of the UN, as Technical Advisor for the Project Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) of the United Nations. In January 2007, Conille returned to UNFPA as Chief Technical Advisor for the Africa region and Global Program Coordinator for the security of inputs into reproductive health (UNFPA).
From September 2008 until his special assignment in Haiti, Garry Conille worked as team leader of the MDG Unit (part of the Office of Development Policy, UNDP). Here he organized jointly with UNDESA the process of preparing the report of the Secretary General on the MDGs, presented at the 2010 G8 Summit and then, with the International Monetary Fund, the preparation of Gleneagles scenarios in more than a dozen African countries.
In the wake of Haiti's 2010 earthquake, he was requested by the Administrator of UNDP and the UN Secretary General to assume the duties of head office of the Special Envoy of the Secretary General of the United Nations for Haiti. Conille worked with the Haitian government, the representation of the United Nations in Haiti and the main donors to develop and implement a strategic plan for the reconstruction of Haiti. He was also involved in coordinating the humanitarian response and in the establishment of the Interim Haiti Recovery Commission, the central structure of the reconstruction.
In June 2011, he resumed his work at UNDP as Resident Representative and Humanitarian Coordinator in Niger.[5][6]
Prime Minister
editBy the end of August 2011, unofficial comments of Haitian politicians indicated that Garry Conille might be the next nomination for the post of Prime Minister.[3][7] On 5 September, he received the official designation for this office from the President Michel Martelly.[8][9] This would be the third nomination after Jean-Max Bellerive's resignation on 15 May 2011, and the subsequent rejections by the Senate of the nominees Daniel Rouzier and Bernard Gousse.[10]
Conille's nomination faces questions regarding his recent residency, as to whether he fulfills the requirement, prescribed in the Constitution of Haiti, of having resided in the country for five consecutive years prior to ratification. The president countered this argument by saying that Conille was exempt from the residency requirement because he had been working for the United Nations, paying taxes to the United Nations for Haiti.[11][12]
The review and ratification process of his nomination began on 8 September 2011.[13] The Chamber of Deputies approved his appointment on 16 September in a unanimous vote. On 5 October 2011, the Haitian Parliament confirmed Garry Conille's appointment as Prime Minister,[14] making him the 16th and the youngest Prime Minister under the current 1987 Constitution of the country.[15]
Resignation
editConille resigned on 24 February 2012, following a loss of confidence in him from his ministers.[16] He had clashed with ministers and Martelly over several issues,[16] most recently a parliamentary investigation into government officials who hold dual nationality, which is illegal in Haiti.[17] Martelly refused to comply with the investigation, stating the executive branch did not have to comply with the investigation. Some ministers cooperated with the investigation, but others refused. When Conille called a meeting with ministers to discuss the matter, none appeared. That incident demonstrated their lack of confidence and triggered the resignation.[16] Conille remained prime minister until his successor was appointed, according to Article 165 of the constitution. He was succeeded by Laurent Lamothe,[16] who was voted through by both parliamentary legislative chambers, with formal appointment in May 2012.
Second term
editOn 28 May 2024, Conille was elected as the interim prime minister by six out of seven members of the Transitional Presidential Council of Haiti with voting rights, following a nomination procedure that received domestic criticism for its slow progress since the resignation of Ariel Henry on 24 April 2024 and amidst the ongoing turmoil in Haiti.[18][19] He was sworn in on 3 June 2024.[20] Shortly afterwards, Conille was hospitalised on 8 June for undisclosed reasons, with sources from within the government stating to media that his condition was caused by an asthma attack.[21][22] He was released after a night of treatment.[23] Conille's cabinet was sworn in on 12 June,[24] with him being appointed as the Minister of Interior and Territorial Communities.[25]
Conille's government appointed Rameau Normil, the former acting director-general of the Haitian National Police who served under former President Jovenel Moïse for 15 months before being dismissed by him, back to his post in order to handle the worsening security situation, replacing Frantz Elbé on 21 June.[26][27] The first contingent of the Multinational Security Support Mission in Haiti was deployed to Haiti on 25 June under Conille's premiership.[28] His first official trip after assuming the premiership was to the United States, in order to ask for additional assistance for Haiti.[29][30]
Conille was attacked by gang members on 29 July at the General Hospital in Port-au-Prince during his interview with CNN, however he managed to escape unharmed.[31]
Publications
edit- Recommendations to support Haiti’s economic development (2006), with Professor Jeffrey Sachs and Ambassador Gert Rosenthal (online)
- ICT for Education and Development - Challenges of meeting the MDG 5 in Africa (2006) (online)
- 2004-2007 report of the Commission for Social Affairs: African Union ( 2007)
- Cancer of the Cervix at Maternity Isaïe Jeanty (May 1992)
- Sustainable financing of Health Care Reform in developing Countries ( May 1999)
- Gender Poverty and health care reform (May 2001)
- Social Franchising of reproductive health service in developing countries
References
edit- ^ "Topic Galleries". Chicago Tribune.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Isaac, Harold (29 May 2024). "Haiti transition council taps former PM Conille to again lead country". Reuters. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
- ^ a b "Dr Garry Conille: le troisième premier ministre désigné de Martelly?". 29 August 2011. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 16 September 2011.
- ^ "Haiti - Politic : CV of Garry Conille, MD, MPH". 1 September 2011. Retrieved 16 September 2011.
- ^ "Qui est Garry Conille ?" (in French). Le Nouvelliste. 1 September 2011. Archived from the original on 27 January 2013. Retrieved 16 September 2011.
- ^ "CV of Garry Conille, MD, MPH". 1 September 2011.
- ^ Trenton Daniel (31 August 2011). "Bill Clinton aide named as Haiti's 3rd pick for PM". Associated Press. Retrieved 16 September 2011.[dead link]
- ^ "Garry Conille désigné officiellement". 5 September 2011. Archived from the original on 25 March 2012. Retrieved 16 September 2011.
- ^ "Dr. Garry Conille Designated to be Next Prime Minister of Haiti". 6 September 2011. Archived from the original on 12 October 2011. Retrieved 16 September 2011.
- ^ Joseph Chanoine Charles (11 September 2011). "Garry Conille: la nouvelle mission". Retrieved 16 September 2011.
- ^ "Former Bill Clinton aide nominated for post of Haiti PM". 3 September 2011. Archived from the original on 15 October 2013. Retrieved 16 September 2011.
- ^ "Martelly Admits Prime Minister Pick Has Not Resided in Haiti for Past 5 Years". 8 September 2011. Archived from the original on 5 October 2012. Retrieved 16 September 2011.
- ^ Jean Pharès Jérôme (9 September 2011). "Prime Minister-designate Garry Conille Files Documents with Parliament". Archived from the original on 22 March 2012. Retrieved 16 September 2011.
- ^ "Haiti senate appoints Clinton aide as prime minister". BBC News. 5 September 2011. Retrieved 5 September 2011.
- ^ Yves Cajuste (8 September 2011). "Le premier ministre désigné Garry Conille a fait le dépot de son dossier de candidature à la Chambre basse ce jeudi". Archived from the original on 2 April 2012. Retrieved 16 September 2011.
- ^ a b c d Archibold, Randal C. (26 February 2012). "Haitian Premier Says Loss Of Support Led Him to Quit". The New York Times. p. A10.
- ^ "Haiti's prime minister quits after just a few months". CNN. 25 February 2012. Retrieved 25 February 2012.
- ^ Coto, Danica (29 May 2024). "Transitional council in Haiti selects new prime minister for a country under siege by gangs". Associated Press. Retrieved 29 May 2024.
- ^ Isaac, Harold (29 May 2024). "Haiti transition council taps former PM Conille to again lead country". Reuters. Retrieved 4 June 2024.
- ^ "New Haitian Prime Minister Sworn In". Barron's. Agence France-Presse. 3 June 2024. Retrieved 4 June 2024.
- ^ "Haiti's new prime minister hospitalized days after being selected to lead country, official says". Associated Press News. 9 June 2024. Retrieved 9 June 2024.
- ^ "New Haiti PM Hospitalized After Asthma Attack, Condition Stable". Barron's. 8 June 2024. Retrieved 9 June 2024.
- ^ "Newly chosen Haitian prime minister discharged from a hospital after spending a night in treatment". AP News. 9 June 2024. Retrieved 9 June 2024.
- ^ "Haiti's new government ministers sworn into office". Loop News. 12 June 2024. Retrieved 13 June 2024.
- ^ "International support crucial for new Haitian Government to resolve crisis". Dominican Today. 12 June 2024. Retrieved 13 June 2024.
- ^ Charles, Jacqueline (20 June 2024). "Once ousted as Haiti's police chief for failing to control gangs, he's now back in top job". Miami Herald. Retrieved 21 June 2024.
- ^ "Haiti PM Conille touts new police chief in fight against violent gangs". France 24. 21 June 2024. Retrieved 21 June 2024.
- ^ Phillips, Tom; Côté-Paluck, Etienne (25 June 2024). "Haitians wary as Kenyan police arrive on latest US-backed mission". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
- ^ "Garry Conille Embarks on His First Official Trip". Le Nouvelliste. 28 June 2024. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
- ^ Jimison, Robert (2 July 2024). "New Haitian Leader Visits Washington Seeking Additional Support". The New York Times. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
- ^ Larry Madowo; Caitlin Stephen Hu; Jessie Yeung (29 July 2024). "Security forces protecting Haitian leader provide 'cover' fire after he leaves interview with CNN". CNN. Retrieved 30 July 2024.