On September 14, 2026, a landmark diplomatic ceremony took place at Haiti’s National Palace, where Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé formally received Alexandre Côté, Canada’s newly appointed ambassador to the Caribbean nation. The high-profile event was attended by key Haitian government officials, including Minister of Foreign Affairs Raina Forbin, National Palace Secretary General Elisabeth Régine Haddad, and a cohort of other diplomatic and political dignitaries.
Beyond the formal credential presentation, the gathering served as a critical diplomatic opportunity for both sides to reaffirm their shared dedication to deepening long-standing bonds of friendship and expanding bilateral collaboration across sectors of mutual interest to Haiti and Canada.
A seasoned diplomat with decades of international experience, Côté brings a robust professional background tailored to his new posting. He earned his bachelor’s degree with a specialization in International Studies from Glendon College at York University in 1995, followed by a master’s degree in Economics focused on Development Administration and Management from the University of Manchester in 2002.
Côté launched his international career in 1990s as an assistant administrator with the United Nations Development Programme, building on-the-ground expertise over a 10-year tenure working alongside UN agencies and civil society groups across seven countries: South Africa, Burkina Faso, Canada, Haiti, Italy, Kenya, and Mauritius. He joined Canada’s Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade in 2008, transitioning into a series of senior diplomatic and trade roles over the subsequent 18 years.
His previous overseas postings include two stints as Regional Trade Commissioner in Mozambique and Senegal, and he previously served in Haiti as both Political Counsellor and Head of Cooperation, giving him firsthand familiarity with the country’s political and social context. At Global Affairs Canada headquarters in Ottawa, Côté held senior leadership roles including Deputy Director for the Americas and Europe at the Stabilization and Reconstruction Task Force, where he oversaw management of the Global Peace and Security Fund. He also served as Deputy Director for South American Relations, managing bilateral political and economic engagement with the Pacific Alliance, Chile, Colombia, and Peru. Most recently, he led the Trade Commissioner Service’s Manitoba and Saskatchewan Regional Office as Director.
Adding to his diplomatic versatility, Côté is proficient in seven languages: French, English, Haitian Creole, Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, and Mauritian Creole, a skill set that will support direct engagement with Haitian stakeholders across all levels of society.