Haiti's interim prime minister is stepping down and the man the assassinated president named as his successor is taking over

• Haiti's interim Prime Minister Claude Joseph is stepping down from his role.
• The move allows his successor, who President Jovenel Moïse named just days before his assassination earlier this month, to take over.
• His successor was one of two men who claimed the official title and gave disputing interviews to the press.

Haiti's interim Prime Minister Claude Joseph is stepping down from his role so his successor, who President Jovenel Moïse named just days before his assassination earlier this month, can take over, the nation's minister for elections told The New York Times.

Minister of Elections Mathias Pierre told The Times that Joseph is stepping down "in favor of Ariel Henry."

Henry was scheduled to replace Joseph, but was not sworn in before Moïse was killed.

Following Moïse's death, however, both Joseph and Henry claimed the official title of Prime Minister and gave disputing interviews to the press.

Joseph told The Washington Post that he and Henry had met privately and that he was opting to step down "for the good of the nation."

"Everyone who knows me knows that I am not interested in this battle, or in any kind of power grab," Joseph said. "The president was a friend to me. I am just interested in seeing justice for him."