PORT-AU-PRINCE (Reuters) — Vice President Kamala Harris said more than $100 million in new assistance for the Caribbean is available, including the establishment of two U.S. embassies.
Over $50 million will be spent on humanitarian aid for Haiti, a senior U.S. administration official said.
Harris became the highest-ranking U.S. official to visit the Bahamas since its independence in 1973 in June, and Bahamas Prime Minister Philip Davis hosted Caribbean leaders in Nassau that month.
They discussed topics including security and firearms trafficking to the region and U.S.-Caribbean efforts to respond to climate change.
The official said the embassies would be in the eastern Caribbean but did not disclose specific locations as of yet.
The assistance for Haiti will total $53.7 million and will be disbursed via the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), which will focus on food and health aid as a gang-related humanitarian crisis continues to unfold.
Haiti’s Prime Minister Ariel Henry was among leaders from the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) regional bloc meeting with Harris.
A senior administration official said the U.S. is increasing its support for the Haitian National Police and stressed Washington’s support for an international security force in Haiti.
“We continue to make clear that we believe the security and the humanitarian situation in Haiti is worsening and the situation on the ground will not improve without armed security assistance from international partners,” the official said.