Against the backdrop of the 2026 IMF and World Bank Spring Meetings, a high-stakes strategic meeting unfolded between Haiti’s top planning official and leadership from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), marking a key step forward in the Caribbean nation’s push for coordinated international support amid ongoing stabilization efforts.
On April 16, Sandra Paulemon, Haiti’s Minister of Planning and External Cooperation, sat down with a CDB delegation headed by bank President Daniel Best to outline the Haitian government’s core national priorities and map out pathways to deepen bilateral development cooperation. The gathering underscores Port-au-Prince’s formal commitment to streamlining external assistance delivery and building durable, mission-aligned partnerships that directly advance Haiti’s long-term sustainable development goals.
During the discussions, Minister Paulemon praised the CDB for the impact and relevance of its existing work across Haiti. She outlined the Haitian government’s immediate on-the-ground priorities, noting that authorities are rolling out targeted frameworks and community-focused projects to cut widespread poverty, support the safe return of displaced households, and help vulnerable communities reestablish dignified living conditions. In laying out this work, Paulemon emphasized that meaningful progress depends on robust technical and financial backing from international partner institutions.
Paulemon reaffirmed the three non-negotiable priorities laid out in Haiti’s National Pact for Stability and the Organization of Elections: restoring widespread security across the country, driving inclusive economic and social recovery, and successfully organizing national elections. She stressed that all international development interventions must be closely aligned with these national priorities to deliver meaningful, measurable change for Haitian people.
For the CDB, the delegation presented a full update on its current portfolio in Haiti, which totals nearly $200 million in active projects, including roughly $50 million in newly approved funding commitments. President Best reaffirmed the bank’s long-standing commitment to supporting Haiti’s development, and made clear the institution intends to expand its footprint through high-impact, community-centered projects that address the country’s most pressing needs.
CDB leadership also expressed strong support for the Haitian government’s three priority agenda, noting the bank is ready to scale up assistance to advance these goals. The institution’s overarching aim is to maximize the effectiveness of its support to contribute directly to Haiti’s stabilization and long-term sustainable growth. Moving forward, Best added, the CDB plans to expand its work in building Haiti’s economic, social, and environmental resilience, while also boosting the country’s domestic productive capacities — with a particular focus on the critical agricultural and energy sectors.
Minister Paulemon for her part pushed for a more robust, results-focused partnership between Haiti and the CDB, outlining key priorities including expanded access to low-interest concessional financing and grants, targeted budget support to shore up government operations, investment in institutional capacity building for Haitian public agencies, and the creation of faster, more flexible funding disbursement processes that cut red tape for on-the-ground project delivery.
In a move to build local expertise, the CDB delegation also announced plans to hire dozens of young Haitian professionals across key priority sectors including agriculture, education, and energy, to strengthen national institutional capacity and embed local leadership in the bank’s development work across the country.
By the end of the meeting, both sides reached a consensus to hold a follow-up gathering in May 2026. That upcoming session will include a detailed breakdown of upcoming projects, formal confirmation of priority intervention sectors, and a review of projected funding amounts to be secured for Haiti’s development agenda.