World Bank Commits to Supporting Haiti as President's Death Exacerbates Political Crisis

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The World Bank has expressed its readiness to continue to support Haiti following President Jovenel Moise's assassination, which reignited the Caribbean nation's socio-economic and political crises.

"The World Bank Group expresses its deepest condolences to the family of President Jovenel Moise, the Government and the Haitian people. We condemn the violent attack that took President Moise's life. We remain strongly committed to support the country as it seeks to improve the lives of its people", the organisation said in a statement.

On Wednesday, the news broke that Moise was killed by a group of unidentified armed men at his private residence in the capital of Port-au-Prince. His wife, Martine, was hospitalised with a gunshot wound. On the same day, the authorities declared 15-day martial law.

FILE PHOTO: Haiti's President Jovenel Moise speaks during an interview with Reuters at the National Palace of Port-au-Prince, Haiti January 11, 2020. REUTERS/Valerie Baeriswyl/File Photo

© REUTERS / Valerie Baeriswyl

Haiti, one of the poorest countries in the world, has been plunged into occasional mass protests since 2018 over a grid of social, political and constitutional crises. Protesters blamed Moise, who came to power in 2017, for targeted killings, widespread corruption and economic collapse.

The Haitian opposition wanted Moise to leave the post in February, as prescribed by the law in cases where the president is considered unable to perform their professional duties, but he refused and insisted on serving for another year to complete the full five-year mandate.