Washington, D.C. – Today, Representative Gregory W. Meeks, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued the following statement regarding the resignation of Special Envoy for Haiti, Ambassador Daniel Foote: 

“I am deeply disappointed and saddened to learn of the resignation of Ambassador Daniel Foote as Special Envoy for Haiti. Last April, I led 68 members of Congress in a letter to the Biden Administration calling on the immediate appointment of a special envoy for Haiti, and was pleased to see the appointment of Ambassador Foote two months ago to that position. Ambassador Foote is a career diplomat with a proven track record of speaking out against injustices around the world, and I was hopeful that a fresh perspective would help the United States reassess its policies towards Haiti. It is unfortunate that Ambassador Foote’s role is coming to an end so quickly and I join him in echoing his significant concerns regarding the U.S.’s policy approach towards Haiti. 

“As we are seeing first-hand this week, the United States must come to terms with its past and current misguided policies towards Haiti. The crisis we are witnessing in Del Rio is a result of centuries of U.S. foreign policy blunders. We have a long road ahead, but I continue to have faith that the Biden Administration – working in close conjunction with Congress and, most importantly, the Haitian people – can get this right. Ambassador Foote’s resignation brings up many difficult truths that we must learn to accept if we want what is best for the Haitian people. Moving forward, I remain committed to doing everything I can to help the Haitian people find a Haitian-led solution to the crises they face. I will continue to call on both the U.S. and Haitian governments to give a voice and credence to Haitian civil society that will lead to measurable action. Finally, I will formally invite Ambassador Foote for a public briefing in front of the House Foreign Affairs Committee where he can share his assessments and recommendations on U.S. policy towards Haiti.”