Michel Patrick Boisvert

Michel Patrick Boisvert (French pronunciation: [miʃɛl patʁik bwavɛʁ]) is a Haitian civil servant and politician who served as the interim Prime Minister of Haiti from 25 February to 3 June 2024.^[2] The Transitional Presidential Council, inaugurated on 25 April, has the power to replace him, and did so on 3 June 2024 after it appointed Garry Conille as Prime Minister.^[3] Boisvert has served as Minister of Economy and Finance since 2020, initially in the cabinets of Joseph Jouthe, Claude Joseph, and Ariel Henry. Boisvert previously served as director-general of the Ministry of Economy and Finance from 2018 to 2020. Amid the February–March 2024 escalation of the Haitian crisis, Boisvert has served as acting prime minister, overseeing the operations of Henry's government during his absence from the country. Following Henry's formal resignation on 24 April 2024, Boisvert continued to serve as acting prime minister of Haiti.^[4][5][6]

Michel Patrick Boisvert
Boisvert in 2023
Acting Prime Minister of Haiti
In office 25 February 2024[a] – 3 June 2024
President	Transitional Presidential Council[b]
Preceded by	Ariel Henry (acting)
Succeeded by	Garry Conille (acting)
Minister of Economy and Finance
In office 5 March 2020 – 12 June 2024
Appointed by	Jovenel Moïse
Prime Minister	Joseph Jouthe Claude Joseph (acting) Ariel Henry (acting) Himself (acting)
Preceded by	Joseph Jouthe
Succeeded by	Ketleen Florestal[1]
Personal details
Born	Petit-Goâve, Haiti
Alma mater	University of Port-au-Prince State University of Haiti University of Auvergne

Biography

Boisvert was born in Petit-Goâve.^[7] He received an accounting degree from the University of Port-au-Prince, an economics degree from the State University of Haiti, and a master's degree in economic policy management from the University of Auvergne.^[7] He was employed at the Bank of the Republic of Haiti from 1991 to 1995 and as a regional official of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, based in Petit-Goâve, from 1995 to 2010. From 2010 to 2018, Boisvert served within the ministry as the Director of Tax Inspection.^[7]

In 2018, Boisvert was appointed as director-general of the Ministry of Economy and Finance.^[7] On 5 March 2020, he joined the cabinet of Prime Minister Joseph Jouthe as Minister of Economy and Finance and continued in this office under Jouthe's successor Claude Joseph. Boisvert has retained his position in the interim government formed under acting Prime Minister Ariel Henry following the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021.^{[citation needed]}

On 25 February 2024, Boisvert assumed interim leadership of Henry's government while the prime minister traveled to Kenya to negotiate the deployment of Kenyan police forces to Haiti amid the domestic crisis exacerbated by escalating gang violence.^[8] During Henry's absence, a major gang offensive targeted his government, prompting Boisvert to declare a state of emergency on 3 March.^[9] On 7 March, with the crisis ongoing and Henry unable to reenter Haiti, Boisvert extended the state of emergency for one month.^[10] Henry resigned to make way for the Transitional Presidential Council which was sworn-in on 25 April 2024, with his outgoing cabinet naming Boisvert as the interim Prime Minister.^[11] In late-May 2024, because Fritz Bélizaire who was supposed to succeed but withdrawn his nomination, the council extended Boisvert's tenure for a month and chose Garry Conille as his replacement.^[12] Conille was sworn in on 3 June 2024.^[13]

Notes

1. Boisvert had been discharging the function of acting prime minister since 25 February 2024 while Ariel Henry was unable to return to Haiti until Henry’s formal resignation on 24 April 2024. Following Henry’s formal resignation, Boisvert continued to serve as acting prime minister.
2. Since 25 April 2024

References

1. "Haiti's new government ministers sworn into office". Loop News. 12 June 2024. Retrieved 13 June 2024.
2. Coto, Dánica (30 April 2024). "Haiti Transitional Council Names New Prime Minister in Hopes of Quelling Stifling Violence". AP News. Port-au-Prince. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
3. Coto, Dánica (25 April 2024). "With fear and hope, Haiti warily welcomes new governing council as gang-ravaged country seeks peace". AP News. Port-au-Prince. Archived from the original on 25 April 2024.
4. Bio, Demian (25 April 2024). "Ariel Henry resigns as Haitian PM in step toward formation of new government". The Latin Times. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
5. Mérancourt, Widlore; Coletta, Amanda (25 April 2024). "Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry resigns, allowing U.N. force, elections". The Washington Post. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
6. Mendonca, Duarte; Picheta, Rob (25 April 2024). "Haiti's prime minister resigns as council sworn in to lead political transition in violence-ravaged nation". CNN. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
7. "Profile of the Minister". Ministry of Economy and Finance. Government of Haiti.
8. "Haiti - Flash: The PM will go to Nairobi to sign the agreement for the Support Mission to the PNH". Haiti Libre.
9. Meredith, Sam (4 March 2024). "Haiti declares state of emergency after armed gangs storm two of the country's largest prisons". CNBC. Retrieved 5 March 2024.
10. Charles, Jacqueline (7 March 2024). "Armed gangs attack seaport facility; Haiti extends state of emergency, curfew for a month". Miami Herald. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
11. Robenson, Geffrard (25 April 2024). "Les membres du Conseil présidentiel de transition ont prêté serment, tôt jeudi 25 avril 2024, au Palais national". Le Nouvelliste (in French). Retrieved 1 June 2024.
12. Charles, Jacqueline (28 May 2024). "UN expert, former prime minister is named to lead Haiti's transitional government". The Miami Herald. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
13. "New Haitian Prime Minister Sworn In". Barron's. Agence France-Presse. 3 June 2024. Retrieved 4 June 2024.