TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry has said he will resign after months of escalating violence and a breakdown of law and order in the Taiwan-allied Caribbean country.

Multiple news outlets reported Henry’s resignation on Tuesday (March 12), after he released a video calling for calm. "The government that I am leading will resign immediately after the installation of [a transition] council," Henry said, per the BBC.

Taiwan’s foreign ministry provided a statement to Taiwan News that said it learned Henry's resignation had occurred at around midday on Tuesday Taiwan time. The foreign ministry said it understood the intergovernmental agency the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) would coordinate the appointment of seven Haitian leaders, who would appoint a transitional prime minister.

Reuters reported that CARICOM has not yet said when it will appoint the council of leaders, though it would wait for security to be restored. Members of the council will exercise presidential powers by majority vote and are expected to be chosen to represent a range of groups throughout Haitian society

The foreign ministry said that when this process is complete, Henry’s official resignation will take place. In response to the spiraling violence in Haiti, the ministry said it calls on all parties to accelerate consultations and restore peace as soon as possible.

A screenshot shows Ariel Henry addressing the Haitian people, at an unidentified location on a date given as March 11. (X, Prime Minister of the Republic of Haiti image)

Haiti is one of the 12 remaining countries that maintains formal diplomatic relations with the Republic of China (Taiwan) instead of the People’s Republic of China. Taiwan News contacted the Haitian Embassy in Taipei for comment on the resignation, but did not receive a response by the time of publication.

On Monday, Taiwan’s foreign ministry said all of its diplomatic staff and other Taiwan nationals in Haiti were safe. It said there were no plans to evacuate citizens or diplomatic staff.

In October, a UN security force received approval to enter the country and restore law and order after Haiti’s government effectively lost control to gangs. Henry’s resignation followed him to Kenya, the country set to lead the force, to negotiate its deployment.

While trying to return to Haiti from the negotiations, Henry became stuck in Puerto Rico as gangs attacked Haiti’s international airport. The prime minister announced his resignation in Puerto Rico, where he remains stranded.

Reuters also reported that a U.S. official said Henry is free to remain in Puerto Rico, which is a U.S. territory. The official said Henry has expressed a desire to return to Haiti, though he will wait until the security situation improves.