US Senate confirms ambassador to Haiti

By Diyar Guldogan

WASHINGTON (AA) - The US Senate confirmed Dennis Hankins as ambassador to Haiti on Thursday as the Caribbean nation struggles through a political transition.

Hankins’s appointment passed in an 89-1 vote, filling the post for the first time since ambassador Michele Sison left the position in October 2021.

A career member of the Senior Foreign Service, Hankins has previously served as ambassador to Mali and Guinea.

Haiti has been struggling with gang violence and political instability for years. The situation dramatically deteriorated in recent months, with kidnappings, killings, armed robberies and other violent crimes becoming commonplace.

The rampant instability has further exacerbated an exodus of migrants from Haiti, and Prime Minister Ariel Henry tendered his resignation Tuesday after fleeing the island nation for Puerto Rico.