In a significant diplomatic development, Haitian and Dominican authorities have convened high-level talks to address migration procedures and deportation protocols between the two neighboring nations. The meeting featured a Haitian delegation led by Minister Counselor Ralph Giraldo Raphaël from the Haitian Embassy in the Dominican Republic, accompanied by key officials including Hipólito Dolis, Head of Legal and Migration Affairs, Stephen Junior Cherefant (Consul General in Santiago de los Caballeros), along with consular officers Fito Zephieren and Marie Danielle Monday.
The Dominican delegation was headed by Vice-Admiral Luis Rafael Lee Ballester, Director General of Migration (DGM), who was supported by military representatives including General Juan Carlos Vicente Pérez of the Dominican Air Force and Colonel Manuel de Jesús Carrasco Guerrero of the Dominican Army, responsible for national integrity and sovereignty protection.
Central to the discussions was a comprehensive review of existing protocols governing the apprehension, detention, and deportation of Haitian migrants in irregular situations. Officials examined multiple regulatory frameworks including the December 2, 1999 Repatriation Mechanisms Protocol, the 1978 San José Convention, and other normative instruments related to migration operations.
Vice-Admiral Ballester provided assurances that all procedures are implemented in strict accordance with General Migration Law No. 285-04 and its implementing regulations. He emphasized that the institution, its personnel, and supporting military and police forces conduct operations with respect for human rights protections for migrants in irregular situations.
The Migration Director reaffirmed that the DGM will continue to execute control and interception operations across national territory as part of a comprehensive immigration control strategy. Significantly, he expressed the DGM’s willingness to maintain ongoing dialogue and cooperation with Haitian authorities on matters within its jurisdiction.
Both parties demonstrated a mutual commitment to enhancing institutional coordination and established plans to implement more fluid communication channels to facilitate improved support mechanisms. The delegations agreed to institute periodic working meetings to maintain this renewed collaborative framework.