Haiti’s new Prime Minister, Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, recently called for a “fraternal dialogue” with the Dominican Republic during the inauguration of Haiti’s new Foreign Minister, Harvel Jean Baptiste, on 19 November 2024. President Luis Abinader never held a formal meeting with the previous Presidential Transition Council prime minister, Gary Conille. Former Haitian Foreign Minister Dominique Dupuy spent most of her term blaming the Dominican Republic and calling for historic restitution to Haiti.
The new Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aime emphasized that “Haitian diplomacy must be a tool capable of protecting Haitians living abroad.”
“Our diplomacy must move beyond the conventional paths; it must be more ambitious,” Fils-Aimé declared.
As part of this vision, the Haitian Prime Minister proposed the initiation of a “fraternal dialogue” between the two countries’ authorities to address the situation of Haitian migrants in the Dominican Republic. “This exchange should be conducted with the utmost respect for international treaties and conventions that safeguard both fundamental and migrant rights,” he stated.
The Dominican government has urged that Haiti make available citizenship documents to its people. The main snag to legalizing the status of Haitians in the Dominican Republic is at the Haitian lend for lack of documentation from the Haitian government.
The statement by the new Haitian prime minister would be followed by the decision of the United Nations Security Council, motivated by the rejection of China and Russia, to send a UN force to Haiti to combat the gang violence.
Dominican Ambassador Jose Blanco would speak of the threat the violence in Haiti is to the Dominican Republic and neighboring countries.
Meanwhile, it is reported that the United Nations Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) has resolved regulatory issues and will resume flights on Wednesday, 20 November 2024. UNHAS provides passenger and light cargo transportation in Haiti for the entire humanitarian community, including local and international NGOs and UN entities.
Haiti Libre also reported that Sunrise Airways, a Haitian company, has resumed its flights from Cap Haitien to Miami three times a week. The company offers flights to Point-a-Pitre in Guadeloupe Sint Maarten, Panama City, Providenciales in Turks & Caicos from the Cap Haitien international airport.
Haiti Libre reports that Dominican exports to Haiti significantly increased in September and October as the crisis worsened in that country. In the last two months, the Dominican Republic has exported US$162.7 million to Haiti, an increase of 230% compared to the same period in 2023.
Haiti Libre reports:
“The worsening of the institutional, insecurity and socio-economic crisis in Haiti has not had a negative impact on local exports to this country. On the contrary, in the last two months, there has been a rebound in sales of national products to the neighboring country.
“Statistics from the Dominican Republic Export and Investment Center (ProDominicana) reveal that between January and October 2024, the country exported US$747 million worth of products to Haiti (743.2 million for the same period in 2023), however, until August 2024, exports were lower than in 2023.
“The ProDominicana report indicates that in September 2023, exports to Haiti totaled US$37.8 million compared to US$75.3 million (+99.2%) in September 2024. In October 2023, exports totaled US$32.7 million compared to US$87.4 million (+167.2%) in October 2024.
“ProDominicana estimates that demand is likely to continue during November, as the crisis in Haiti has worsened, with greater isolation in terms of international transport in the world, consequently Haiti increases its demand with the Dominican Republic, its closest neighbor.”
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Diario Libre
Diario Libre
El Dia
21 November 2024