News on Haiti

Haitian President Rene Preval emphasized that Haitian-Dominican relations must remain positive, during his nine-hour visit to the Presidential Palace yesterday. "We are going to try to see the world in a positive way. Destiny has it that Leonel and I govern in the same periods," he told the press during a lunch in his honor at the Presidential Palace. Preval highlighted the coincidence that himself and President Fernandez were meeting again in their second terms. This was Preval's third official visit to the DR since he took office. President Leonel Fernandez said that he considers Preval's visit a success and said that relations between the two nations are destined to be one of brothers regardless of the differences of the past. Fernandez described the visit as "exceptional" and a good start for forthcoming important initiatives that will strengthen the ties between both countries.
Fernandez said that the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the birth of Haitian writer and thinker Jacques Roumain was an opportunity to strengthen ties between the two nations. Fernandez described Roumain as the Juan Bosch of Haiti.

13 July 2007 - DR1 Daily News

Haitian President Rene Preval is scheduled to visit tomorrow from 11 am on an official state visit. He will have lunch with President Leonel Fernandez and will attend an event at Funglode, the President's think tank. Funglode tomorrow will celebrate the 100th birthday of Haitian author, Jacques Roumain with the presentation of a documentary on his life and a conference on his works. The events are programmed for 7 pm and admission is free and open to the general public. Preval will be arriving with Jaques Edouard Alexis, the Haitian foreign relations minister, and a delegation of high-ranking government officials.

10 July 2007 - DR1 Daily News

The Dominican Republic and Haiti have signed a cross-border environmental project with the aim of protecting, valuing and making use of the biodiversity of the areas surrounding the Enriquillo and Azuei lakes in the south west of the DR, on the border with Haiti. The three-year project involves a total investment of EUR2.5million. The European Union is providing the funds and of the total amount, EUR1,362,400 will go to the Haitian side and EUR1,137,600 will be for the Dominican side. The project also seeks to educate people living in the surrounding areas, provide better training for the authorities and develop a wind power system, among other things. The agreement was signed by Dominican Environment Minister Max Puig and his Haitian counterpart Jean Marie Claude Germaine in the southwestern border town of Jimani.

31 May 2007 - DR1 Daily News

The international community appears to be paying more attention to the case the Dominican Republic has been making about Haiti. Last Friday, during the closing session of the XIII Summit of Minister of the Rio Group and the European Community, an investment of EUR233 million in Haiti was announced. The five-year plan is designed at improving governance in the neighboring country. The assistance could be increased by 25% or another EUR58 million. Summit members also promised to give economic assistance to the Mixed Bilateral Commission that deals with Dominican-Haitian issues.

23 April 2007 - DR1 Daily News

Finding ways for Haiti to benefit from the DR-CAFTA is one of the ways the DR will try to contribute with Haiti during the administration of President-elect Rene Preval, according to a report by Diario Libre. Other ways would be to help the Haitian government in the creation of jobs, free zones being the main initiative in this area as they produce jobs in a short period of time. Fostering tourism, a sector of economy with greatest growth in the Caribbean region, is another. Foreign Relations Minister Carlos Morales Troncoso and Preval discussed these issues yesterday during the latter's visit to the DR yesterday. Preval will return to Haiti this afternoon.

3 March 2006 - DR1 Daily News