On Friday, March 7, 2025, at the Villa d’Accueil, the installation ceremony of Fritz Alphonse Jean [Montana Agreement choice] as the new President pro tempore of the Transitional Council was held. He succeeds Leslie Voltaire and will lead the Council until August 7, 2025, in accordance with the resolution of October 4th, 2024 concerning the rotating presidency.

The handover ceremony was held in the presence of Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, members of the Government, members of the Transitional Council, the Commander-in-Chief of the Haitian Armed Forces, Derby Guerrier, the Director General of the Haitian National Police, Rameau Normil, as well as the Head of the Multinational Mission for Security Support (MMSS), Godfrey Otunge, and diplomats accredited to Haiti and state dignitaries.

Taking the floor, the new President Jean, unveiled his roadmap with conviction: restore security, give the people a voice through a referendum, and guarantee irreproachable elections to rebuild Haiti.

He pledged to continue efforts to restore security and stabilize the country. He praised the work of his predecessor and insisted on the need to activate the decree creating the National Intelligence Agency (ANI), to mobilize state resources against insecurity. He notably announced a reinforcement of military and police personnel with the recruitment of 3,000 new agents by the end of 2025...

It should be noted that only 5 local media including the National Television of Haiti and two foreign journalists were invited to cover the event.

Who is Fritz Alphonse Jean ?

Economist, Fritz Alphonse Jean Former Governor of the Bank of the Republic of Haiti, President of the Montana Accord, was practically the first to be assured of a position on the Presidential Transitional Council.

Former President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Northeast, he had been chosen by civil society organizations as a candidate for the post of Prime Minister of Jocelerme Privert in 2016. His general policy statement was rejected by the Chamber of Deputies.

Appointed to the Council by the Montana Accord, Fritz Alphonse Jean holds a B.S. in Mathematics and Economics (1981, Fordham University, New York), a Master's degree in Economics, specialization : "International Trade" (1983, Long Island University). He studied for a doctorate, completed courses, oral and written exams with honors, specialization: "Money and Banking and International Trade" (1987, New School For Social Research, New York) Thesis : "Interest rate Formation in Backward Agriculture" (not defended).

"Fritz Jean is an activist for the cause of democracy, very young he was imprisoned in 1977 for more than 7 months under the Duvalier dictatorship for his opposition to the regime. He has always supported the Haitian democratic movement and took an active part in the major demonstrations to counter the excesses of the Martelly-Jovenel regimes", according to his biography.

SL/ HaitiLibre