Carib Scope

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  • Pointe Ronde facility poised for top world athletics certification

    Pointe Ronde facility poised for top world athletics certification

    The Caribbean island nation of Dominica is marking a major milestone in its sports development journey, as its new multi-purpose sporting complex under construction in Pointe Ronde, Portsmouth is positioned to earn the highest tier of certification from global governing body World Athletics.

    The confirmation came from Michael Tovar, Track and Field Director for Mondo USA and the Caribbean, who shared the update after a recent on-site technical assessment of the ongoing project. Per Tovar’s analysis, the complex’s running track is on track to meet all requirements for World Athletics’ coveted Class One certification upon the completion of construction work.

    This prestigious certification opens a new chapter for Dominica’s athletic sector: it will qualify the island to host top-tier international track and field competitions, a transformative shift from its previous hosting capacity for smaller regional events. There is one key limitation, however: the facility cannot accommodate Olympic Games due to its planned seating capacity falling short of the International Olympic Committee’s requirements.

    Beyond hosting major international tournaments, the certification delivers long-lasting benefits for Dominica’s homegrown athletes. Any results clocked during officially sanctioned events held on the Class One track will automatically qualify for formal ratification by World Athletics, a critical step that allows local athletes to earn world rankings, qualify for global championships, and secure international competitive opportunities that were previously out of reach.

    Tovar emphasized that the impact of the new complex stretches far beyond traditional track and field competitions. He noted that the facility is designed to serve as a regional athletic hub, hosting a wide range of activities including elite training camps, specialized skill development clinics, sports rehabilitation programs, and international coaching exchange initiatives. Complementing this, Dominica’s warm year-round tropical climate makes the Pointe Ronde location particularly appealing to overseas athletic teams seeking a mild winter training base to escape cold weather in their home countries.

    According to the Government of Dominica, the multi-million-dollar development is being delivered in staggered phases to keep construction on schedule. The first phase currently underway focuses on completing the Class One synthetic running track and all core supporting infrastructure required for operations. Subsequent phases of the project will add an Olympic-sized swimming pool, purpose-built athlete accommodation, and dedicated administrative office facilities to expand the complex’s capabilities.

    Fenella Wainham-Sheppard, Parliamentary Representative for the Portsmouth constituency where the complex is located, framed the project as a transformative investment for both the local community and the island’s broader sports economy. She highlighted that the upgraded infrastructure will not only strengthen Dominica’s national sports capacity but also create new economic opportunities by drawing international teams, clubs, and athletes to the island, while providing a platform to showcase Dominica’s stunning natural environment and consistent favorable climate to a global audience.

  • SVG participate in sub region tennis tournament

    SVG participate in sub region tennis tournament

    A young eight-player tennis delegation from St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) recently made history on the regional sports stage, competing in the annual COTECC Sub Region-4 Under-12 Team Championship hosted in neighboring Trinidad and Tobago.

    For this year’s tournament, SVG entered both male and female national squads, with three emerging junior athletes and one player-coach captain assigned to each team. The boys’ roster featured rising talents Zion Byfield-Grant, Keyondré Gaymes, and Nathaniel Sheen, led by coach-captain Sebastian Cyrus. On the girls’ side, juniors Amaia Waterstone, Nakayda Cain, and Amina Lucas competed under the guidance of coach-captain Roxann Williams.

    The annual COTECC Sub Region-4 competition brings together young tennis prospects from across the Lesser Antilles, with all 19 member nations eligible to field teams. In 2024, the boys’ draw attracted 10 teams from nine competing jurisdictions: Aruba, Barbados, Curaçao, Grenada, Guyana, St. Kitts and Nevis, SVG, Suriname, and host nation Trinidad and Tobago. The girls’ draw saw eight teams from seven participating countries, as Barbados and Curaçao opted not to enter a female squad this year.

    After several days of intense on-court competition, SVG’s junior squads posted solid debut results. The boys’ team secured 8th place overall, finishing with a total record of two tie wins and three tie losses, broken down into four wins and six losses in singles matches and one win against three losses in doubles play. The girls’ team claimed 7th place in their draw, closing out the tournament with one tie win and four tie losses, earning four singles wins and going winless in four doubles matches.

    Notably, the 2024 outing marked a string of firsts for every SVG player selected. All competitors were making their debut representing a senior national team, and for some young athletes, the trip marked their first time traveling outside of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

    In an official press statement following the tournament, the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Tennis Association (SVGTA) expressed pride in the young delegation regardless of the final rankings. “Despite the results, the SVGTA is proud of our juniors’ showing at this tournament, and thanks them for representing St Vincent & the Grenadines,” the statement read.

    The association emphasized that high-impact developmental opportunities such as this regional competition are invaluable for young athletes’ growth, both in terms of their on-court skill and off-court personal development. “Opportunities like this are crucial for player development both on and off the court. The many fruitful experiences had, and lessons learned will continue to add to their foundation, and the SVGTA is confident in each player’s commitment to improving,” the statement added.

  • Tropical Storm Dolly Forms, Leeward Islands Told to Monitor

    Tropical Storm Dolly Forms, Leeward Islands Told to Monitor

    A new named tropical system, Tropical Storm Dolly, has developed in the central waters of the tropical Atlantic, prompting official warnings for communities across the Leeward Islands to keep close track of the storm’s trajectory as the weekend approaches.

    In its latest official update issued at 11 a.m. Atlantic Standard Time on Thursday, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) confirmed that Dolly is currently positioned roughly 1,555 miles (2,505 kilometers) east of the Leeward Island chain. The storm carries maximum sustained wind speeds of 40 miles per hour (65 kilometers per hour), which meets the threshold for classification as a tropical storm, and is advancing westward at a brisk 24 miles per hour (39 kilometers per hour).

    Per the NHC’s current forecast track, Dolly is on course to approach the Leeward Islands by this weekend. But meteorologists do not anticipate the system to gain much strength over the next two days; instead, they project that Dolly will weaken back into an open tropical wave long before it reaches the island chain.

    As of Thursday’s update, no coastal watches or warnings are active for the region. Even so, the NHC emphasizes that local stakeholders and residents in the Leeward Islands should remain vigilant and continue following updates on the storm’s development.

    While the storm itself is expected to degenerate, the moisture associated with the system is still forecast to bring significant precipitation to the region. Heavy downpours could start impacting parts of the Leeward Islands as early as late Saturday, continuing through Sunday. Neighboring areas including the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and Hispaniola are likely to see periods of intense rain on Sunday and Monday.

    Forecasters warn that this heavy rainfall carries a risk of dangerous flash flooding, especially in higher-elevation areas that are more prone to rapid runoff. Right now, tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 60 miles from Dolly’s central circulation. The NHC plans to release its next full advisory on the storm at 5 p.m. AST Thursday.

  • Defending SPFL champs go top, first points for Central

    Defending SPFL champs go top, first points for Central

    The fourth round of Saint Lucia’s hotly contested Semi-Pro Football League (SPFL) delivered two high-stakes, dramatic matches on Wednesday evening, played at the Francis Baba Lastic Grounds in Gros Islet. When the final whistles blew, relegation-battling Central Castries had secured their first victory of the season, and two-time defending champions La Clery had climbed to a share of first place in the league table.

    The first clash of the night paired Central Castries, who had entered the fixture rooted to the bottom of the standings without a single point to their name, against Anse La Raye, the reigning Tier 2 champions. Delayed arrival at the pitch left Central Castries slow to find their rhythm in the first half, with both sides unable to break the deadlock heading into the break. But the capital-based side entered the second half with unshakeable determination to end their winless drought and hand the west coast Anse La Raye side their second defeat of the campaign.

    The deadlock finally broke in the 66th minute, when Pernal William fired a powerful strike into the back of the net off a well-placed free kick from Bennerero Wellington, putting Central Castries up 1-0. Anse La Raye responded quickly, drawing level seven minutes later after Erick Gabriel converted a penalty to tie the match. Yet just a minute after equalizing, Gabriel found himself under intense defensive pressure from Wellington and accidentally diverted the ball into his own net, gifting Central Castries a 2-1 win and their first three points of the season.

    The upset result lifts Central Castries out of last place, moving them up to ninth in the overall standings. They now sit just above Mabouya Valley, which remains the only club in this year’s tournament yet to secure a victory.

    In the evening’s second feature match, two-time back-to-back title holders La Clery faced off against hosts Gros Islet, delivering a clinical performance to claim a 2-0 win that catapults them to joint first place on the league table.

    Much like the opening fixture, the first half of La Clery’s clash against Gros Islet remained scoreline, as both defenses held firm against repeated attacking pushes. It was not until the 60th minute that La Clery broke through, when Yanic Noel slotted home a shot from just outside the six-yard box. The goal came off a seamless sequence of tight, precise passing between Mervin St Romain and Erickson Magloire, who carved open the Gros Islet defense to set up Noel’s game-opening score.

    Gros Islet threw players forward in the final half-hour, launching repeated attacks in search of an equalizer, but could not bypass La Clery’s star goalkeeper Devone St Prix, the reigning Footballer of the Year, who turned away every attempt on goal. As the match entered fourth-minute stoppage time, Baggio Edward sealed the three points for La Clery with a deft lob over Gros Islet goalkeeper Emmerson Biscette, pushing the final score to 2-0.

    With the loss, Gros Islet remains mired just above the relegation zone. After four matches, the side holds just a single win and three points, sitting ahead of Central Castries only by a slim margin of goal difference.

    Looking ahead, the SPFL’s second-tier Super League is set to continue its slate this coming Friday, returning to the Francis Baba Lastic Grounds for a matchup between Micoud and Choiseul. Over in the top-tier Premier League, fans will see a highly anticipated clash between Dennery and Vieux Fort North, two of the four remaining unbeaten teams in the 2026 tournament.

  • Seifert’s sensational 105 stuns TKR

    Seifert’s sensational 105 stuns TKR

    In a dominant Wednesday night display at Queen’s Park Oval, the Saint Lucia Kings secured their third consecutive seasonal victory over the Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) in the Caribbean Premier League, capping off a historic batting performance and a clinical bowling effort to climb to the top of the league table.

    The fixture marked a key return for local player Keon Gaston, who came back into the squad following an injury layoff, while Sri Lankan batter Charith Asalanka stepped in to replace Johann Jeremiah in the Kings’ adjusted lineup. After TKR won the toss and elected to field first, the Kings got off to a blistering start that would set the tone for the entire match. Opening batters Tim Seifert and Kamil Pooran put together a rapid 60-run opening partnership to kick off the innings. When Pooran departed for a well-crafted 25 runs, the Kings’ momentum showed no signs of slowing. John Campbell stepped up to add aggressive impetus, keeping the required run rate soaring above 10 runs per over through the first half of the 20-over innings.

    Led by Seifert’s red-hot form, the entire Kings batting unit attacked all areas of the ground, with the New Zealand batter delivering a standout match-winning century. Seifert remained unbeaten on 105 runs off just 61 deliveries, hammering eight boundaries and five maximums to post the highest individual score by any Kings batter in the 2024 CPL season. By the end of their innings, the Kings had posted a mammoth total of 211 runs – a new ground record for the franchise at Queen’s Park Oval, breaking the previous benchmark of 167/5 set by the side when it competed as the Saint Lucia Zouks back in 2019.

    Despite the imposing target, the match was not without its own milestones for TKR. Veteran spinner Sunil Narine picked up his 650th career wicket in T20 cricket during the Kings’ innings, making him just the second bowler in the history of the format to reach the elite milestone, following Afghanistan star Rashid Khan.

    TKR’s run chase got off to a similarly explosive start, with Narine joining opener Colin Munro to put on a 70-run opening stand inside the first seven powerplay overs. But the Kings turned the tide immediately after the powerplay, when skipper Roston Chase delivered back-to-back breakthroughs to derail TKR’s momentum. After claiming the second wicket of the innings, Chase dismissed TKR captain Nicholas Pooran just one ball after he walked to the crease, leaving the chase disjointed.

    TKR struggled to rebuild their momentum until former captain Kieron Pollard – the leading run-scorer in T20 history – launched a late counterattack. Pollard smashed a rapid 65 runs off only 26 deliveries, including six fives and five sixes, to drag TKR back into contention. But once Pollard fell to Kings leading wicket-taker Matthew Forde, TKR’s hopes of a comeback were effectively ended. The Saint Lucia Kings eventually sealed a 36-run victory, their largest winning margin by runs this CPL season.

    Named Man of the Match for his historic century, Seifert highlighted the importance of the win over one of the league’s strongest sides in post-match comments. “It probably wasn’t the best start for us in the first five games, but we said to ourselves to forget about that and focus on the next five. Now we’re two for two. So yeah, it’s a great night, and to come here and win gives huge confidence to the boys,” Seifert said. With the third straight win over TKR, the Saint Lucia Kings now sit atop the CPL table as the tournament enters its next phase.

  • Green Energy : Strategic Exchange Between the Ministry of Public Works and Huawei

    Green Energy : Strategic Exchange Between the Ministry of Public Works and Huawei

    Against a backdrop of persistent national energy challenges and a growing global push for low-carbon development, Haitian government officials held high-stakes strategic discussions with Chinese technology giant Huawei on August 26, 2026, centered on unlocking new green energy solutions for the Caribbean nation.

    Hosted by Haiti’s Ministry of Public Works, the meeting brought together Minister of Public Works Engineer Joseph Almathe Pierre Louis and a delegation of Huawei’s regional leadership and technical specialists, as part of Haiti’s broader national agenda to upgrade critical infrastructure and speed up its transition to renewable energy.

    During the session, Huawei’s team delivered a comprehensive overview of the company’s latest innovations and long-term strategic vision through its Digital Power division. They outlined Huawei’s global leadership in green technology development, carbon neutrality roadmap, and cutting-edge deployments of integrated smart photovoltaic systems paired with grid-forming energy storage systems and microgrid solutions. These solutions are designed to deliver stable, sustainable power even in areas with underdeveloped existing infrastructure.

    The delegation also shared empirical data on the performance of Huawei’s signature “4T” technologies, which span four core domains: Bit (digital connectivity), Watt (power generation), Heat (thermal management), and Battery (energy storage). The data demonstrated that these integrated clean energy systems deliver reliable power for dense urban centers, large industrial operations, and remote, off-grid rural communities alike, a versatility that aligns with Haiti’s uneven energy access landscape.

    Core talks between Minister Pierre Louis and the Huawei team centered on identifying tangible partnership opportunities moving forward. Both sides emphasized the unique potential of smart solar microgrids to boost the overall resilience of Haiti’s national electricity grid, which has long faced chronic instability and widespread outages. They also explored the benefits of rolling out Huawei’s advanced DigiPower Management energy platforms, which use digital tools to optimize energy consumption, cut waste, and reduce the country’s overall carbon footprint.

    Closing the meeting, Minister Pierre Louis praised Huawei for its ongoing technological innovation and its commitment to supporting sustainable development across emerging economies. He reaffirmed that Haiti’s Ministry of Public Works and national government remain fully dedicated to advancing locally adapted sustainable energy technologies to address the country’s long-standing energy crises.

    This strategic exchange has laid the foundational groundwork for follow-up negotiations, which will focus on formalizing pilot green energy projects that aim to build a lower-carbon, more connected energy future for all Haitians.

  • CHOGM 2026 Outreach Reaches More Than 300 People in Two Days

    CHOGM 2026 Outreach Reaches More Than 300 People in Two Days

    As the countdown to the 2026 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) continues, Antigua and Barbuda’s national preparatory efforts have entered a new phase of public engagement. The CHOGM 2026 Outreach Committee has expanded its nationwide public education drive by launching a targeted Government Office Outreach Tour, which connected with more than 300 stakeholders across multiple workplaces in just its first two days of operation.

    This grassroots initiative was developed with one core goal: to ensure that residents of Antigua and Barbuda from all sectors and backgrounds gain clear, accessible information about the upcoming summit, understand the far-reaching significance of the small island nation serving as host, and know the concrete steps they can take to contribute to a successful, globally impactful event.

    The outreach tour kicked off with an informative session at the Directorate of Gender Affairs, before moving on to a collaborative engagement with energy firm PDV Caribe. During both sessions, organizers shared key details about the 2026 summit, its strategic and economic value to Antigua and Barbuda, and the diverse roles that individual citizens and local organizations can play in welcoming visiting heads of government, official delegates, and international guests from across the 56-nation Commonwealth bloc.
    Briana Anthony, who serves as both Public Relations Officer and Outreach Lead for CHOGM 2026, emphasized that the committee’s top priority is centering public inclusion and transparency in all preparatory activities. “CHOGM 2026 is not just a high-level conference for global leaders—it is a landmark national moment for Antigua and Barbuda,” Anthony explained in an interview during the tour. “We want our people to grasp just how meaningful this opportunity is, and more importantly, to understand that every citizen has a part to play. This on-the-ground outreach brings the conversation directly to people where they work and live, framing CHOGM as a shared national opportunity that everyone can contribute to.”
    Anthony added that the early public response to the tour has reinforced the value of the committee’s grassroots approach. “The feedback and enthusiasm we’ve received so far have been really encouraging, and it confirms why this targeted outreach is so necessary,” she said. “As we get closer to the summit, we are fully committed to expanding these engagements and reaching people across every sector of our economy and society. The more informed our citizens are, the better prepared our entire country will be to welcome the Commonwealth with open arms.”
    Jeressa Jeremy, Communications Officer at the Directorate of Gender Affairs, echoed that sentiment, noting that equipping staff with accurate information was a key part of the agency’s contribution to national preparations. “It was critical for our whole team to be up to date on CHOGM 2026 and understand what it means for Antigua and Barbuda to host this major international gathering,” Jeremy said. “We were thrilled to collaborate with the Outreach Committee to bring this important information directly to our staff, and support the national push for broad public engagement.”
    For PDV Caribe, the collaboration brought a special focus on including older members of the organization that might otherwise be overlooked in national outreach. Jellette Ralph, General Manager of PDV Caribe, explained that the firm prioritized ensuring its retired pensioners had full access to information about the summit. “We made a deliberate effort to include our pensioners in this awareness drive, because hosting CHOGM is a moment that touches all generations of Antiguans and Barbudans,” Ralph said. “We were happy to partner with the Outreach Committee to make sure our pensioners stay connected to this major national event, and understand that they also have a role to play in its success.”
    The cross-sector collaboration behind the outreach tour has extended beyond public and private sector institutions, with small local businesses also stepping up to support the national effort. Three local female-owned beauty and wellness businesses—Hair by Amie, owned by Amie Cham; Tucker on the Girl, owned by Cecil Joyce; and Her Luxenail Lounge, owned by Michaela Harris—generously donated prizes for lucky attendees at the first two outreach sessions, helping drive engagement and excitement for the summit.
    The Outreach Committee issued a formal statement thanking the three business owners for their generous contribution to the national campaign, noting that grassroots support from local entrepreneurs is a key part of building broad national buy-in for the event.
    Looking ahead, the Government Office Outreach Tour is set to continue expanding across Antigua and Barbuda in the coming weeks. The committee plans to roll out new engagements across additional government offices, private sector companies, primary and secondary schools, local communities, and other key stakeholder groups to ensure no segment of the population is left out of preparatory efforts.
    As the country continues its preparations to host the 2026 CHOGM summit, the Outreach Committee is renewing its call for all citizens and organizations across Antigua and Barbuda to seek out information, get involved in local preparations, and ready themselves to play their part. For the country’s lead organizers, CHOGM 2026 is a shared national milestone—and every member of the Antigua and Barbuda community has a role to play in making it a success.

  • Dodental vloedramp Nepal en Tibet naar 359, honderden vermist

    Dodental vloedramp Nepal en Tibet naar 359, honderden vermist

    A catastrophic glacial flooding disaster across the Himalayan region has claimed at least 359 lives, according to the latest official updates from Nepalese authorities, with more than 1,000 people still unaccounted for as rescue operations continue through challenging terrain. Among the missing are 517 foreign nationals, including dozens of pilgrims who had recently traveled to the sacred Mount Kailash in Tibet, a site of profound religious significance for communities across South Asia and the world. Officials and disaster response experts warn that the final death toll is expected to rise, with ongoing risks of additional catastrophic flood surges in the coming days.

    The disaster unfolded when a massive surge of water, ice, mud, and rock suddenly cascaded down from high-altitude Tibetan regions toward northern Nepal’s border areas, the zone hardest hit by the event. Entire homes, paved roadways, and critical bridge infrastructure were swept away in the rush of debris, cutting off dozens of small mountain communities from outside aid and communication. Growing evidence points to the collapse of a large section of a glacial ice formation or a massive ice avalanche as the trigger for the destructive flood wave. Satellite imagery analyzed by glaciologists confirms that a large segment of a Himalayan glacier has broken off, though researchers are still conducting investigations to pinpoint the exact underlying causes of the collapse.

    The disaster zone lies along the primary pilgrimage route to Mount Kailash and adjacent Lake Manasarovar, two sites that draw thousands of religious travelers annually. Mount Kailash is considered a holy site for Hindu, Tibetan Buddhist, Jain, and Bon religious communities, attracting pilgrims from across the globe every year. Indian spiritual leader Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev has confirmed that his organization, the Isha Foundation, has lost contact with 80 participants and volunteers from a Kailash pilgrimage it organized. When the flood struck, 77 of the group were staying in Gyirong on the Tibetan side of the border, while three were in Timure on the Nepalese side, and there has been no confirmation of their status as of Tuesday morning.

    The missing foreign nationals represent a wide range of nationalities, including citizens of the United States, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, and one Dutch national who was part of the Isha Foundation pilgrimage group.

    Rescue teams from Nepal, China, and international disaster response organizations have been working around the clock to locate survivors and recover bodies, but their operations have been severely hampered by the widespread destruction of transport infrastructure. Widespread landslides triggered by the initial flood event and the collapse of communication networks have also slowed search efforts. Key public infrastructure, including hydropower facilities and electrical transmission lines, has also been damaged in the disaster, leaving many local communities without power or clean drinking water.

    Authorities have stressed that the danger is not yet over. Unstable glacial ice formations, residual standing water, and loose rock at high elevations create a continued risk of additional flood surges that could downstream impact rescue teams and already affected communities. With hundreds of people still missing, disaster response officials are bracing for a significant increase in the confirmed death toll as search operations progress and access to remote areas improves. Beyond affecting local communities in Nepal and the Tibetan Autonomous Region of China, the disaster has taken on an international dimension due to the large number of foreign travelers and pilgrims impacted in the event.

  • New fish processing facility set to boost fishing industry in Soufriere-Scotts Head area

    New fish processing facility set to boost fishing industry in Soufriere-Scotts Head area

    Dominica’s coastal communities of Soufriere and Scotts Head, long renowned for their deep-rooted fishing heritage, are set to gain a transformative new economic infrastructure project: a purpose-built village fish processing facility. The announcement was made by Senator Oscar George, Minister of State in the Ministry of Community Development, during a recent community Town Hall Meeting held in Scotts Head.

    As a constituency deeply dependent on artisanal fishing as a core source of household income, the region has long lacked dedicated local infrastructure to add value to catch before it reaches market. Addressing gathered residents, George emphasized that the government’s central goal for the initiative is to expand sustainable livelihood opportunities for local fishing households. Jointly financed by the Caribbean Development Bank’s Basic Needs Trust Fund (BNTF) and the Government of Dominica, the project carries a total budget of $2 million.

    Once completed, the facility will be outfitted with specialized equipment to support multiple fish preparation and preservation methods, including smoking, drying, and flash freezing. These capabilities will eliminate the need for fishermen to transport unprocessed catch long distances for handling, reducing post-harvest waste and allowing producers to command higher prices for their products. Beyond direct benefits to working fishermen, George noted that the new plant will also open up new income streams for local fish vendors, who will gain access to a consistent supply of value-added processed fish products for local and regional markets.

    The project is currently moving through its pre-construction phase, with authorities in the process of accepting tenders for a consulting firm to finalize facility blueprints and kick off construction work. George stressed that stakeholders across the local fishing industry should begin preparing to take full advantage of the new opportunities the plant will create, with operations projected to launch in the coming new year. Describing the initiative as a long-overdue investment for southern Dominica, George confirmed that the facility is expected to deliver widespread, lasting economic benefits for the entire region.

  • Elections: The CEP in Chile and Brazil prepares for the diaspora vote

    Elections: The CEP in Chile and Brazil prepares for the diaspora vote

    A high-stakes diplomatic and electoral mission is underway in South America as a three-member delegation from Haiti’s Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) visits Chile and Brazil to lay the groundwork for Haitian diaspora participation in upcoming national elections, while building collaborative ties between Port-au-Prince and the two South American nations.

    Led by CEP Vice-President Jaccéus Joseph, alongside council members Patrick Saint-Hilaire and Marie Florence Matthieu, the tour kicked off on August 18, 2026, with a first stop in Chile, where the delegation held two pivotal working sessions focused on advancing electoral cooperation and diaspora voting logistics.

    The first meeting was held with Chile’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, where representatives centered talks on future collaboration across key electoral domains. Core discussion topics included specialized training for Haitian electoral body staff, institutional capacity building for Haiti’s electoral system, and cross-border knowledge sharing of proven strategies and best practices for running successful voting operations for overseas citizens. Following the talks, Chile’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs committed to coordinating closely with the Chilean Electoral Service (SERVEL) to deliver on the agreed cooperation framework with the CEP.

    The delegation’s second working gathering in Chile brought together CEP representatives, Chilean government officials, and SERVEL leadership. Attendees zeroed in on the practical details of organizing the upcoming vote and the specific requirements to remove barriers to Haitian residents in Chile exercising their right to participate in Haiti’s electoral process.

    After concluding its sessions in Chile, the CEP delegation traveled onward to Brazil to continue the mission, with the same set of core objectives focused on diaspora voting and bilateral electoral cooperation.

    For Haiti’s electoral body, the South American tour represents a key step forward in ongoing work to expand access to voting for Haitians living outside the country’s borders. Beyond enabling diaspora participation, the mission also aims to formalize and strengthen long-term cooperation mechanisms between Haiti’s electoral institutions and their foreign counterparts in Chile and Brazil.