January 29, 2026
With three months remaining before February 7, 2026—the date marking the scheduled end of the Transitional Presidential Council’s (CPT) mandate—the Organization of American States (OAS) has warned of a potential political vacuum in Haiti. The deteriorating security situation and the continued weakness of public institutions make it extremely uncertain that elections can be held on time.
OAS Secretary General Albert Ramdin emphasized before the Permanent Council the urgent need to establish credible governance structures. According to him, these mechanisms are essential to ensure the continuity of the state and to properly oversee the electoral process, in order to avoid institutional chaos.
Initially planned before the end of the year, an OAS mission tasked with assessing the situation in Port-au-Prince has been postponed to December due to Hurricane Melissa. This mission is expected to provide a detailed assessment and make concrete recommendations to the Haitian authorities.
The international community is calling on local political actors to reach an agreement quickly to prevent a constitutional deadlock. The goal is to maintain national stability and support a credible electoral process capable of legitimizing the next governmental transition.
The OAS stressed that time is running out and that the primary responsibility lies with the Haitian authorities. Without a rapid consensus, the country risks finding itself in an institutional vacuum that could further worsen the ongoing security and social crisis.
