Port-au-Prince - The Haitian government on Monday issued a new passport to former president Jean-Bertrand Aristide, enabling him to end his exile in South Africa and return to Haiti, a government official said.
“The passport was issued on Monday. All the formalities have been completed,” the official said, asking to remain anonymous, adding the document had been handed over to one of Aristide's lawyers, Ira Kurzban.
Kurzban, who is based in Miami, arrived in recent days in Haiti to take possession of the passport, the official added.
Aristide has been living in South Africa since being ousted in 2004, and in recent months has repeatedly requested to be allowed to return home to the Caribbean nation.
Haiti's first democratically elected leader was forced to flee amid a popular revolt after two stints as president. He has said he wants to return to help his countrymen.
Haiti has been in turmoil since the January 2010 earthquake devastated the impoverished country, killing 250 000 people and leaving 1.3 million homeless.
Presidential elections are also adding to tensions, with a long-delayed second round run-off due to be held on March 20.
Last month, former dictator Jean-Claude “Baby Doc” Duvalier returned from some two decades in exile also fuelling tensions in a nation which has known years of political upheaval and bloodshed. - Sapa-AFP