Haiti, a Caribbean country, is joining the African Union

[islandhopping]

To be fair and honest

I am pleased to see a constructive statement is this forum. "I am merely suggesting that we all be the best neighbors that we can be. " thanks greydread.

I usually do not interject frequently on a topic I introduce. It is the hope experience and/or informed people will provide me more of an education and less of entertainment.

Drawing a comparison, the EU has grown and Incorporated other countries. NAFTA and other trade pacts are springing up every few years. Countries are seeking easier access to markets and resources. Haiti joining the AU, who possess stronger cultural ties than some other islands countries, is logical.

If we are not trying to make Haiti the butt of a joke and seriously view the larger picture. Greece, Italy, Iceland have required or on the verge requiring a bailout. Turkey, Venezuela and others are in fiscal chaos for different reasons.

Summary point, joining the AU is more of an improvement than it will be a detriment. There is only a handful of EU or European countries which are models places to follow. The current/former colonial empires are among the list. The DR is typically open to foreigners. Excluding revoking citizenship of people retroactively, The DR is a model for the EU to follow, because you see the reaction when austere is a reality. I hope Haiti is taking better notes from the correct examples.

 

[Conchman]

and Turkey is joining the EU!

Sorry didnt bother to read all posts maybe somebody beat me to it. I am trying to kill this thread.

 

[islandhopping]

and Turkey is joining the EU!

Sorry didnt bother to read all posts maybe somebody beat me to it. I am trying to kill this thread.

Turkey aspires to join the EU. Just as Haiti aspires to join the AU. Turkey and Haiti have internal instability.

Joining a regional organization does not assure progress.

 

[greydread]

The AU has 54 member states, all on the continent. I don't really know how Haiti could make a successful case for associate membership when it comes up again in a few years. Their member observer status is shared with Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Palestine, Serbia, Turkey and Ukraine. The only African Nation which is not a member of the AU is Morocco and that's only because of a dispute over the AU recognition of SADR which would kind of be like the UN recognizing the Confederate States of America.

There will be no "magic pill" for what ails Haiti. Haiti will need to rebuild from the ground up, slowly and carefully as the Haitian people decide what kind of nation they want. They'll of course need other nations to work with them to establish equitable trade practices, etc. and the expansion of tourism would be a good place to start and that could be a platform to regrow their large scale agriculture and service sectors. Right now, remittances account for over 20% of Haiti's GDP and is the largest single source of foreign exchange and that has to change if there is to be any progress.

As for the African Union, their core objectives don't really align with Haiti's needs outside of being partners in overcoming similar threats to their populations:

The objectives of the AU are:

To achieve greater unity and solidarity between the African countries and Africans.
To defend the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of its Member States.
To accelerate the political and social-economic integration of the continent.
To promote and defend African common positions on issues of interest to the continent and its peoples.
To encourage international cooperation, taking due account of the Charter of the United Nations and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
To promote peace, security, and stability on the continent.
To promote democratic principles and institutions, popular participation and good governance.
To promote and protect human and peoples' rights in accordance with the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights and other relevant human rights instruments.
To establish the necessary conditions which enable the continent to play its rightful role in the global economy and in international negotiations.
To promote sustainable development at the economic, social and cultural levels as well as the integration of African economies.
To promote co-operation in all fields of human activity to raise the living standards of African peoples.
To coordinate and harmonize the policies between the existing and future Regional Economic Communities for the gradual attainment of the objectives of the Union.
To advance the development of the continent by promoting research in all fields, in particular in science and technology.
To work with relevant international partners in the eradication of preventable diseases and the promotion of good health on the continent.