Former Colombian President Iván Duque has criticized the international community for being hypocritical in its approach to Haiti, lamenting the lack of genuine support for addressing the nation’s structural problems, as reported in El Dia. Duque was President of Colombia from August 2018 to August 2022.
During a discussion with executives and journalists from Grupo de Comunicaciones Corripio, Duque responded to a question about the Dominican Republic’s role in resolving Haiti’s issues. He expressed concern that it is unrealistic to expect the Dominican Republic to shoulder this responsibility. Duque is in Santo Domingo to give a conference promoting the plusses of creative industries, as part of his Latin American tour promoting the Orange Economy.
“There is a significant hypocrisy in the international community when they promote the idea that the Dominican people must solve Haiti’s problems,” Duque stated. “It is a grave error to place that burden on the Dominican Republic.”
Duque emphasized that Haiti’s challenges extend beyond what the Dominican Republic can handle and require serious, sustained international intervention. He called for measures to restore security, long-term investment, and improvements in essential areas like health and education. “For years, the international community has preached a lot but has done little to effectively change conditions in Haiti,” he added.
He also highlighted the Dominican Republic’s ongoing struggle with a significant influx of Haitian immigrants, estimating that nearly 10% of its population consists of Haitian citizens. “There is no longer any way for the Dominican Republic to continue absorbing this pressure, as it is starting to structurally affect the country,” he remarked.
Duque concluded that the solution lies not in demanding more from the Dominican Republic but in urging the international community to shift “from discourse to resources” to effectively address the long-standing issues facing Haiti.
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El Dia
1 October 2024