Against a backdrop of persistent instability and growing security challenges in Haiti, a landmark infrastructure project focused on strengthening the National Police Academy (ENP) located on Road of Frère has reached completion, with an official handover ceremony held on April 22, 2026. The event brought together key stakeholders: Vladimir Paraison, Acting Commander-in-Chief of the Haitian National Police (PNH), Japanese Ambassador to Haiti Kazuhiko Nishiuchi, and Xavier Michon, Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
This critical security upgrade project, made possible through full funding from the Japanese government and implemented on the ground by UNDP, was designed to address long-standing vulnerabilities at the academy, which operates in one of Haiti’s high-risk security zones. The goal of the initiative is to establish sustained protective infrastructure for the ENP’s facilities and guarantee uninterrupted training operations for new police recruits, a core priority for Haiti’s efforts to rebuild its national security capacity.
The completed upgrades encompass a comprehensive range of improvements spanning security, utilities, and healthcare. For perimeter defense, the project delivered 1,350 linear meters of reinforced perimeter wall, topped with 850 meters of new barbed wire to block unauthorized access. The ENP’s lead security post received a full structural renovation, while a complete 360-degree video surveillance system covering the entire academy perimeter was installed, alongside a dedicated centralized surveillance room purpose-built to help security teams detect and respond to external threats proactively. In a sustainable energy upgrade, the outdated diesel-powered campus lighting was replaced with solar-powered streetlights that deliver more reliable, consistent illumination across the academy grounds. The project also included critical support for the on-site infirmary, with a donation of essential medications and new medical equipment including three fully functional X-ray machines. Finally, the ENP’s aging water supply network was fully repaired, eliminating long-standing service interruptions that have disrupted training activities in the past.
Beyond the completed security upgrades, the ceremony brought announcements of upcoming development projects to expand PNH training capacity across the country. Michon confirmed that UNDP will soon break ground on a new facility that will add multiple classrooms and purpose-built dormitory space specifically for future female police recruits, a step designed to boost gender diversity within Haiti’s national police force. Additionally, two new regional PNH training centers are planned, one in northern Haiti and one in the south, to allow new recruits to complete training closer to their home communities, removing barriers to entry for candidates from remote areas.
In his remarks at the ceremony, Ambassador Nishiuchi reaffirmed Japan’s unwavering solidarity with the Haitian people and government as the country works toward long-term political and social stability. He emphasized that Japan’s partnership with Haiti is rooted in a steady, incremental approach, advancing progress “one step at a time” through consistent, collaborative development and security support.
Paraison extended formal gratitude to UNDP for the expert execution of the project and to the government and people of Japan for their critical financial investment, which he described as a powerful demonstration of international solidarity with Haiti’s security efforts. He also used the occasion to outline the PNH’s most pressing unmet needs, including the development of a specialized national trauma center for first responders, the reconstruction of multiple damaged police stations across the country—most notably the station in Miragoâne, which requires rebuilding of a rear dock, the acquisition of 500 new patrol vehicles to ensure sustained police presence in hard-to-reach rural areas, particularly ahead of upcoming national election periods.
Following the formal handover, the delegation conducted an on-site visit to the pre-construction sites for the upcoming new dormitory and classroom facility. To mark the occasion and recognize the enduring cooperative relationship between Haiti and Japan, Paraison presented Ambassador Nishiuchi with an honorary plaque, a symbolic gesture highlighting the fraternal ties between the two nations.