On September 23, following Ambassador Foote’s resignation as Special Envoy for Haiti, State/D Sherman did a damage control interview. When asked who will replace Daniel Foote, she responded:
“I don’t know that we need a replacement. In part we had named a special envoy after the assassination of the president of Haiti in the aftermath of the horrible storms and earthquakes and all of the other plights that the Haitian people have had to face – the ongoing confrontation of poverty. But we have an excellent ambassador in Haiti, Michele Sison, who is a nominee for a future post here in the United States. We have tremendous faith in her and in her leadership.”
So less than a month after that interview, Ambassador Sison has apparently left Haiti. Secretary Blinken has also announced the former Ambassador to Haiti Kenneth Merten as Chargé d’Affaires at US Embassy Port-au-Prince:
MR PRICE: I am happy to reiterate what the Secretary said. We are grateful that Ken Merten, an experienced department hand, will be going to serve in Port-au-Prince as our chargé d’affaires. As you know, Ambassador Sison is – has been nominated for an important post here. She has returned to the United States. And we’re grateful that Ken Merten has accepted the ask that he go serve in this important role.
QUESTION: So does that mean that she’s, like, left?
MR PRICE: That’s right. That’s right.
QUESTION: So she’s back here?
MR PRICE: That’s correct.
Hookay. So who’s going to assume post as the Bureau of Global Talent Management where Ambassador Merten has been posted as “Senior Bureau Official”? His state.gov bio says he was appointed Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of Global Talent Management in January 2021. He became Senior Bureau Official after DGHR Carol Perez was elevated as Acting M.
Last week Daniel Foote criticized US policy in Haiti, saying we had basically chosen the country's last two presidents. He said it was time for a change. This week, State announces the return of a diplomat involved in both those events. https://t.co/OFPEn1eeg3
— Jake Johnston (@JakobJohnston) October 12, 2021
Some in Haiti who have weathered its many storms are questioning the appointment of Ken Merten, U.S. envoy during the Port-au-Prince earthquake, as chargé d’affaires, at a time when Biden's team insists it is crafting policy learning lessons from 2010. https://t.co/JlXKIxn3Ur
— Michael Wilner (@mawilner) October 12, 2021
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Haiti, Canada, and the Caribbean Kenneth Merten and Ambassador Michele Sison met with President Jovenel Moïse yesterday at the National Palace. pic.twitter.com/j6IG0VDhAI
— U.S. Embassy Haiti (@USEmbassyHaiti) December 7, 2018
Amb. Merten says #Haitians who have been deported have been able to reintegrate back into #Haiti. #TPS https://t.co/eBePap1odd
— Jacqueline Charles (@Jacquiecharles) September 15, 2017
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