The Organization of American States (OAS) today hosted a delegation of the European Commission for Democracy through Law (the Venice Commission) in Washington D.C., following the invitation of the OAS Secretary General, Luis Almagro, that the Commission "analyze the legislative framework for Haiti's elections, along with the relevant recommendations of past OAS Electoral Observation Missions and help identify legislative solutions that could serve as a basis for conducting the next and future electoral processes in Haiti."
The delegation was received by OAS Assistant Secretary General Nestor Mendez before starting meetings with a range of stakeholders, including Permanent Representatives to the OAS, current and former Haitian officials, including former electoral officials, members of Haitian civil society, Haitian and non-Haitian experts, and senior officials of the organization.
The delegation, which will be in Washington D.C. from May 13 – 15, 2024, include Michael Frendo of Malta; Janine Otálora Malassis of Mexico; François Seners of France; Simona Granata-Menghini, Director/Secretary of the Venice Commission; and Pierre Garrone, Head of Division – Elections and Political Parties. Eirik Holmøyvik of Norway, who is also a member of the delegation, is following the discussions remotely.
The Venice Commission is the Council of Europe's advisory body on constitutional matters. It provides legal advice to its member states and, in particular, assists states wishing to bring their legal and institutional structures into line with European standards and international experience in the fields of democracy, human rights and the rule of law. It also helps to ensure the dissemination and consolidation of a common constitutional heritage, playing a unique role in conflict management, and provides "emergency constitutional aid" to states in transition.
In keeping with the Commission's policy and in line with the commitment of the OAS Secretary General, the work of the Venice Commission, and any proposals developed for Haiti, will be done in close collaboration with the Haitian state and will proceed from the basis that all solutions to the current crisis must be Haitian-led and Haitian-approved.
Reference: E-032/24
