Carib Scope

标签： Haiti

海地

  • Electoral Chair : PM attends the closing ceremony of the International Conference

    Electoral Chair : PM attends the closing ceremony of the International Conference

    On May 30, 2026, Haiti’s capital played host to the closing ceremony of the country’s first-ever International Conference of the Electoral Chair, an event organized in partnership between the State University of Haiti (UEH) and the nation’s Provisional Electoral Council (CEP). Held at Port-au-Prince’s Karibe Hotel over three days from May 28 to 30, the gathering centered on the urgent and pivotal theme: “Ensuring Success in the 2026 Elections in Haiti: Expectations and Opportunities.”

    The conference drew a diverse cross-section of stakeholders invested in Haiti’s democratic future. In attendance were CEP President Jacques Desrosiers, CEP Executive Director Uder Antoine, the body’s panel of electoral advisors, key international technical and financial partners for the electoral process, senior leadership and faculty from UEH, academic researchers, university students, and leading representatives from Haiti’s broad civil society network.

    In his opening remarks to the closing ceremony, Desrosiers opened by praising the unprecedented level of engagement from Haiti’s academic community, independent research bodies, and grassroots civil society groups. He noted that the broad mobilization around discussions of Haiti’s democratic trajectory and upcoming electoral cycle signaled a widespread national desire for a renewed, legitimate political order. Desrosiers also underscored a non-negotiable priority for the process: the urgent need to establish and maintain a secure environment that allows elections to proceed safely, with full protection for all electoral infrastructure, staff, and participating voters.

    Haitian Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, who headlined the closing ceremony, echoed Desrosiers’ remarks while framing the 2026 elections as a foundational milestone for the country’s long-stalled national reconstruction effort. The Prime Minister commended civil society for its proactive commitment to the electoral process, highlighting that their active participation in the conference’s deliberations reflected a shared ownership of Haiti’s democratic future.

    Fils-Aimé used the platform to reaffirm the core governing priorities of his administration, which center on three interconnected pillars: restoring widespread security across the country after years of instability, revitalizing Haiti’s struggling economy to deliver tangible improvements to daily life for citizens, and delivering an electoral process that is fully transparent, fair, and internationally credible. In a stirring call for collective national investment in the process, Fils-Aimé told attendees: “To refuse to commit is to let others decide for us.”

    The conclusion of the three-day conference marks a key milestone in Haiti’s preparations for the upcoming 2026 general elections, with stakeholders aligning around core priorities that will shape the months of preparation ahead.

  • Miragoâne prepares to host a large free surgical caravan

    Miragoâne prepares to host a large free surgical caravan

    In less than two weeks, the coastal town of Miragoâne in Haiti’s Nippes Department will open its doors to a landmark free public health initiative, a large-scale surgical caravan organized by the country’s Ministry of Public Health. Preparations have entered their final phase, with local and national health teams working around the clock to deliver much-needed specialized care to underserved patients across the region.

    Following a comprehensive site evaluation by Ministry representatives Dr. Nesi Floris and Dr. Jacques Richard Petit-Ton, Sainte-Thérèse Hospital in Miragoâne was selected as the primary hub for the caravan’s operations. The evaluation team assessed the facility’s infrastructure, tested existing medical equipment, and mapped out gaps that would need to be filled ahead of the first surgical procedures, confirming the hospital was equipped to support the high volume of planned cases.

    To streamline planning and execution, Departmental Health Director Dr. Esther Ceus Dumont has overseen the establishment of a dedicated cross-functional working committee. Led by Eluderne Dénius, Coordinator of the Miragoâne Health District, the committee is responsible for coordinating all pre-operation activities: from outreach to identify eligible patients across every corner of the department, to organizing mandatory pre-operative health assessments that will ensure patients are cleared for surgery.

    The initiative draws on a collaborative network of medical professionals, including the long-serving Cuban medical brigade deployed to Haiti, alongside local specialists and providers mobilized from national central health institutions. The multidisciplinary care team includes general surgeons, anesthesiologists, gynecologists, internists, sonographers, and experienced nursing and technical support staff. Sainte-Thérèse Hospital Director Dr. Amondieu Gabriel, a practicing surgeon himself, has been a core contributor to preparation efforts, integrating the hospital’s existing staff into the caravan’s workflow.

    Already, pre-campaign outreach and assessment work has delivered concrete results. A large mobile screening clinic was recently set up in the neighboring town of Anse-à-Veau, where care providers evaluated nearly 100 patients with unmet surgical needs. Early triage found that the majority of patients presented with hernias and hydroceles, alongside a significant number of general surgery cases including gallbladder disease and hemorrhoids, plus a small number of gynecological conditions requiring intervention.

    The data collected during these mobile screenings has already built a comprehensive registry of patients waiting for surgery, with candidates pre-categorized and pre-positioned for quick access to the mobile surgical unit once the caravan officially launches. This pre-screening process is designed to cut wait times and ensure the caravan can serve as many patients as possible during its run.

    The free surgical caravan is a direct fulfillment of a campaign commitment made by Haiti’s Minister of Health Dr. Bertrand Sinal, who first announced the nationwide free surgery program to address the growing unmet surgical needs of low-income Haitian communities. For thousands of residents across Nippes Department who have delayed life-improving care for months or even years due to financial barriers and limited access to specialized services, the initiative will be life-changing: it will give these patients access to free, high-quality surgical care and help them regain the quality of life they have been unable to access until now.

  • Interview : Minister of Defense’s vision on the reconstruction of the FAd’H (video)

    Interview : Minister of Defense’s vision on the reconstruction of the FAd’H (video)

    Against the backdrop of Haiti’s ongoing, years-long struggle with rampant gang violence and persistent national security instability, a high-profile televised interview has laid out a clear, ambitious government strategy to rebuild the country’s armed forces as a core solution to the nation’s crises. The conversation, organized as part of public outreach initiative “Wi, Ayiti Nou Kapab”, brought together Xavier Michon, the resident representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Haiti, and Haiti’s Defense Minister Mario Andrésol to discuss the future of the Armed Forces of Haiti (FAd’H), national sovereignty and security sector reform.

    Andrésol, a seasoned former military commander who previously led the Haitian National Police (PNH), framed the decades-long security challenges facing the Caribbean nation as directly tied to the 1995 dissolution of the original Haitian army. In his remarks, he argued that disbanding the force created a critical national security vacuum that allowed violent armed gangs to expand their territorial control across the country, while also leaving Haiti overly reliant on foreign military support to address domestic instability. Reconstructing a functional, professional FAd’H, he emphasized, is not just an institutional priority — it is a long-term, sustainable fix for the security crisis that has paralyzed Haitian governance and daily life for years.

    Under the current framework, the newly reconstituted FAd’H is already playing a supporting role alongside the Haitian National Police in ongoing counter-gang operations, working to dislodge criminal groups from occupied territory. Moving forward, Andrésol laid out a clear division of long-term responsibilities: the armed forces will take ownership of full territorial security and reconquest of gang-held land, while the national police will refocus its core mission on maintaining day-to-day public order across communities.

    To turn this vision into action, the Haitian Ministry of Defense is rolling out a series of concrete initiatives to boost the FAd’H’s operational capacity. The centerpiece of these efforts is a nationwide recruitment drive that aims to grow the force’s current roster of 2,000 active soldiers to 5,000 by the end of 2026. The campaign, which will reach all 10 of Haiti’s administrative departments, is prioritizing candidates who demonstrate strong community engagement, a clear sense of national duty, and commitment to social solidarity, alongside traditional military qualifications. Alongside expanding personnel, the government is also working to rehabilitate crumbling, outdated military infrastructure across the country to support expanded operations.

    In closing, Andrésol stressed that the end goal of reconstruction is to build a modern, professional, republican army that operates fully under civilian oversight and upholds international human rights standards. Beyond security, he added, the future FAd’H will also play an active role in advancing national development projects, including public infrastructure construction, large-scale reforestation initiatives, and support for small-scale agricultural production across rural Haiti.

  • Washington offers its full support to Haitian Prime Minister Fils-Aimé

    Washington offers its full support to Haitian Prime Minister Fils-Aimé

    In a high-stakes diplomatic gathering held at Haiti’s National Palace on May 29, 2026, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau met head-on with Haitian Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé to coordinate next steps in addressing the country’s ongoing political and security crisis. The U.S. delegation included U.S. Ambassador to Haiti Dennis B. Hankins and a team of senior State Department policy advisors, while top Haitian cabinet members—including Foreign Affairs Minister Raina Forbin, Planning Minister Sandra Paulémon, Justice and Public Security Minister Patrick Pelissier, and Defense Minister Mario Andrésol, plus Acting Commander Vladimir Paraison of the Haitian National Police (PNH)—joined the talks on the Haitian side.

    Two core priorities dominated the meeting’s agenda: the ongoing campaign to dismantle violent armed gangs that have destabilized large swathes of Haiti, and preparations for upcoming general elections, with discussions centered on mapping out the conditions needed to hold a free, fair, and credible vote. According to statements from the Haitian Prime Minister’s Office, this high-level visit marks a defining political turning point for the Caribbean nation, with the White House issuing a clear, unambiguous statement of total, unwavering, and exclusive backing for Fils-Aimé’s government.

    After months of international ambiguity around Haiti’s leadership transition, Washington has made its position clear: the U.S. stands firmly aligned with Fils-Aimé to rebuild state authority, dismantle transnational criminal networks that have terrorized civilian populations, and stabilize Haiti’s fractured democratic institutions. During the bilateral discussions, Landau publicly praised Fils-Aimé’s leadership and steady determination in the face of unprecedented crisis, reiterating that the current Haitian government is the only legitimate body empowered to lead the country toward sovereign, democratic elections.

    Following the closed-door talks, Landau and his delegation toured the National Palace and the adjacent Champ de Mars—two iconic symbols of Haiti’s republican governance—to inspect newly implemented security upgrades. During the tour, Fils-Aimé outlined key progress his administration has already made on the security front: the gradual “territorial reconquest” of strategic districts across the Haitian capital that had been seized by armed gangs; the full restoration of institutional operations at the National Palace, long paralyzed by security threats; and deepened joint coordination between the PNH and the Haitian Armed Forces (FAd’H), a collaboration boosted by the bilateral U.S.-Haiti P4000+ security assistance program.

    By the end of the meeting, both governments reaffirmed their long-standing strategic alliance, committing to continued joint action to eradicate armed violence and lay the groundwork for a stable, democratic future for the Haitian people.

  • Opening of the National Conference of Religious Leaders in Haiti

    Opening of the National Conference of Religious Leaders in Haiti

    Against the backdrop of long-standing political and social unrest that has shaken Haiti to its core, a landmark two-day gathering focused on national healing got underway on May 28, 2026, at Port-au-Prince’s Royal Oasis Hotel in the district of Pétion-Ville. Headlined by Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé and Foreign Affairs and Religious Affairs Minister Raina Forbin, the National Conference of Religious Leaders for Peace, Stability, and Civic Engagement has drawn a diverse cross-section of stakeholders to build collective solutions for the crisis-battered country.

    More than 100 religious leaders representing every major faith tradition across Haiti — from Catholic and Protestant communities to practitioners of Vodou — joined sitting government officials, members of the diplomatic and consular corps, representatives from leading international organizations, and civil society advocates for the convening. The conference is structured around four core pressing themes: violence prevention, civic education, targeted support for Haiti’s large youth population, and the development of long-term, sustainable strategies to embed lasting peace, strengthen democratic civic engagement, and rebuild fractured social cohesion across the nation.

    In her opening remarks, Minister Forbin underscored the Haitian government’s formal commitment to embedding religious leaders as core partners in all state-led reconstruction initiatives. She emphasized that no project aimed at rebuilding Haiti can achieve lasting success without drawing on the deep spiritual, moral, and community-rooted human capital that faith leaders bring to the table. “Peace is not a task for the government alone — it is a collective project that requires every sector of society to come together,” Forbin stated, adding that sustainable national reconstruction depends on a strategic, peace-centered alliance between the state, faith leaders, local communities, and Haiti’s young people.

    Prime Minister Fils-Aimé echoed this framing, praising religious authorities as an “essential moral force” that is critical to rebuilding Haiti’s tattered social fabric and restoring public trust in national institutions. He also reaffirmed his administration’s core priorities: securing the country against ongoing violence, delivering support to the hundreds of thousands of displaced Haitians, and paving the way for a return to full constitutional order through the organization of transparent, credible general elections.

    The conference turned next to the socio-economic roots of Haiti’s instability, with Social Affairs and Labour Minister Marc-Élie Nelson bringing a critical focus on equity to the discussions. Nelson argued that efforts to root out widespread insecurity cannot be separated from a broader push for meaningful social justice. Framing religious leaders as the “guardians of the collective conscience” of the Haitian people, he called for a people-centered approach to shaping public policy that centers the needs of the most vulnerable, rather than elite interests. He urged faith leaders to lean into their unique community role to advance solidarity and cohesion across the country.

    Pédrica Saint-Jean, Haiti’s Minister for the Status of Women and Women’s Rights, joined a slate of cultural and religious leaders to highlight the urgent work of rebuilding frayed social ties at the local level. Saint-Jean emphasized the critical need to expand social protection for marginalized groups including children, women, and girls, and to empower every Haitian citizen to act as an agent of peace in their own communities.

    Following the formal opening ceremony, attendees split into working groups focused on three key strategic priorities: preventing further violence and delivering support to survivors of conflict; expanding civic education to foster a culture of civic responsibility across the country; and developing sustainable economic and social alternatives for Haitian youth, who make up a large majority of the country’s population and have been disproportionately impacted by ongoing instability.

    In a break from past national gatherings that have been concentrated exclusively in the capital, the Haitian government has plans to expand the conference model to outlying regions in the coming months. After concluding the inaugural convening in Pétion-Ville, the government will replicate the gathering in Haiti’s Great North and Far South regions, ensuring that community and faith leaders from across the country have a seat at the table shaping Haiti’s reconstruction agenda. The conference marks a major step forward in the government’s effort to position religious communities as core, ongoing partners in building a more stable and peaceful future for Haiti.

  • High-level meeting on securing production areas in Tabarre, Haiti

    High-level meeting on securing production areas in Tabarre, Haiti

    On May 27, 2026, Haitian government officials held a high-stakes inter-ministerial meeting in Tabarre to address escalating threats to local industrial operations, marking a critical milestone in the country’s efforts to reverse economic stagnation and protect thousands of private-sector jobs.

    The gathering grew out of commitments first made by Haiti’s Ministry of Public Works (MTPTC) in May 2025, when ministry leadership held initial consultations with major industrial firms operating across Tabarre municipality. This latest meeting expanded the conversation to include cross-government stakeholders from national security and economic portfolios, answering repeated calls for a coordinated, whole-of-government response to the region’s overlapping crises.

    Attendees included three top cabinet members: Public Works Minister Joseph Almathe Pierre Louis, Defense Minister Mario Andrésol, and Trade and Industry Minister James Monazard. They joined C-suite executives and official representatives from some of Haiti’s most prominent private companies, including iconic rum producer Société du Rhum Barbancourt, leading beverage manufacturer Brasserie de la Couronne, energy firms ECEM S.A. and E-Power, and local industrial leaders Comme Il Faut and Séjourné.

    Over the course of frank, solution-focused discussions, participants mapped out the two most pressing barriers to stable production: crumbling road infrastructure that disrupts supply chains, and a worsening regional security crisis that has brought many industrial operations to a standstill. Both challenges have put thousands of direct and indirect jobs at immediate risk, making swift intervention a priority for both government and private sector leaders.

    By the close of the working session, attendees agreed on a concrete next step: the establishment of a dedicated, cross-agency Task Force to oversee progress. The new body will be responsible for coordinated, rigorous monitoring of all ongoing discussions and action initiatives, aligning road rehabilitation projects led by the Ministry of Public Works, security enhancement strategies developed by the Ministry of Defense, and economic support programs rolled out by the Ministry of Trade and Industry.

    Through the creation of this Task Force, the Haitian government has reaffirmed its public commitment to turning rhetorical pledges into tangible action. The overarching goal of the initiative is to rebuild a stable, secure investment climate and clear the way for the safe, full resumption of economic activity across Tabarre’s key production zones.

  • FLASH : Krisla’s gang takes control of EDH Power Plant #2

    FLASH : Krisla’s gang takes control of EDH Power Plant #2

    Haiti’s already crumbling public infrastructure faced a devastating new blow on May 28, 2026, when an armed gang led by notoriously powerful gang chief known as “Krisla” seized full control of Electricity of Haiti (EDH) Power Plant #2. The strategic facility, located in the Thorland district of Carrefour municipality, was the last operational power plant serving the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area, leaving the capital region on the brink of a total energy collapse.

    Preceded by a week of explicit takeover threats, the gang’s incursion unfolded without major violent confrontation: the armed contingent ordered all on-site plant personnel to evacuate immediately, and internal sources confirm no employees suffered physical harm, nor was the plant infrastructure significantly damaged during the seizure. In a striking justification for the occupation of critical public infrastructure, Krisla laid out a clear, unorthodox demand: Carrefour must be guaranteed a continuous 8-hour daily power supply, specifically to ensure uninterrupted broadcast of 2026 FIFA World Cup matches.

    The takeover is not an isolated disruption, but the final blow to a national energy sector already teetering on collapse. As early as June 2025, the Péligre hydroelectric plant, one of Haiti’s largest power generation facilities, was taken offline, and sabotage left five 115 kV high-voltage transmission pylons destroyed. Of the three power plants operating in Carrefour that supplied the capital, only Power Plant #2 remained functional before this incident, contributing just 5 megawatts of steady power to the EDH national grid.

    With that plant now under gang control, the entire Port-au-Prince metropolitan area is forced to depend entirely on power supplied by private energy firm E-Power, which can only deliver 25 megawatts to the grid. This meager supply is enough to serve only 10 of the 45 public energy circuits that serve the capital region, leaving the vast majority of residents and businesses without access to consistent public power.

    The seizure has deepened an ongoing crisis of essential public services that has already been brought to its knees by widespread gang influence across the Haitian capital. Schools, medical facilities, public transportation networks, and other core services that already struggled to operate amid persistent instability now face even greater disruption, pushing the already vulnerable metropolitan population deeper into crisis.

  • Leisure : Did you know ? #28

    Leisure : Did you know ? #28

    As HaitiLibre continues to grow its popular QuizHaitiLibre online knowledge platform, the 28th installment of the outlet’s popular ‘Did You Know?’ leisure series shines a spotlight on the complicated life and enduring legacy of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the iconic theoretical physicist forever tied to the dawn of the nuclear age.

    Widely known as the ‘father of the atomic bomb’, Oppenheimer led the top-secret Manhattan Project’s Los Alamos Laboratory during World War II. Under his direction, the ambitious initiative produced the world’s first functional nuclear weapons, a scientific breakthrough that permanently reshaped the course of global history. After the first successful test detonation in the New Mexico desert in 1945, Oppenheimer famously echoed a line from the sacred Hindu scripture the Bhagavad Gita: ‘Now I am become death, the destroyer of worlds.’ This haunting quote captures the profound moral conflict he grappled with after the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which killed hundreds of thousands of Japanese civilians and brought World War II to a close.

    In the post-war years, Oppenheimer emerged as a leading voice pushing for international regulation of nuclear energy, and he openly opposed the United States’ push to develop the far more powerful hydrogen bomb. His public dissenting stance made him a target during the anti-communist McCarthyism purges that swept the U.S. in the 1950s, leading to his security clearance being revoked and his effective marginalization from mainstream government policy circles. Today, Oppenheimer’s life journey stands as one of the most powerful modern symbols of the heavy ethical burden that scientists carry when pursuing discoveries that can either transform or annihilate human civilization.

    This insight is pulled directly from the answer fact sheets for the Expert Quiz ‘Famous Men 1.1’ hosted on QuizHaitiLibre, a growing free online quiz platform that invites visitors to test their general knowledge across a vast range of topics, from Haitian history and culture to global current events, science, and more. For knowledge-hungry users seeking more challenging content, the platform’s expert menu offers specialized deep-dive topics that match advanced skill levels.

    Unlike many online quiz platforms that require paid subscriptions or user registration, all QuizHaitiLibre’s exclusive multiple-choice games are 100% free to access for audiences of all ages and knowledge levels. Every quiz includes three adjustable difficulty tiers: easy, intermediate, and hard, and all content is offered in both French and English to serve a broad cross-section of users.

    As part of the platform’s monthly content update launched on May 4, 2026, the site added 30 brand new quizzes, pushing the total number of available games to 119. New quizzes are added on a monthly basis to keep content fresh and engaging for returning visitors. Users can explore the full collection of quizzes at any time via the official QuizHaitiLibre website, share their favorite quizzes with family and friends, and leave public comments on their experiences. Visitors can also browse previous installments of the ‘Did You Know?’ series directly through the HaitiLibre news portal to discover more little-known facts about iconic figures and global events.

  • Review of French cooperation in Haiti in 2025

    Review of French cooperation in Haiti in 2025

    Against the backdrop of ongoing instability and humanitarian challenge in Haiti, France reinforced its long-standing cooperation commitment to the Caribbean nation throughout 2025, allocating a total of €45 million across four core priority areas: security, emergency humanitarian aid, cultural exchange, and inclusive economic development.

    ### Security Cooperation: Building Capacity for Local Stability
    Security remained the top pillar of France’s engagement, with a focus on strengthening the operational capacity of Haiti’s domestic security forces. France deepened its strategic partnership with the Haitian National Police (PNH), delivering four tons of specialized equipment across different PNH units and leading 11 targeted training courses that upskilled more than 400 officers from elite units including the SWAT team, Anti-Gang Tactical Unit (UTAG), Border Police (PoliFRONT), Departmental Operations and Intervention Brigade (BOID), and Intervention and Research Brigade (BRI). Several of these training programs were co-supported by France’s own elite law enforcement units, namely the RAID counterterrorism unit and the Anti-Narcotics Office (OFAST).

    The bilateral training partnership between Haiti’s Armed Forces (FAd’H) and French Armed Forces based in the Antilles also advanced in 2025, with three new cohorts of Haitian soldiers completing training in Martinique. Since the program launched in 2024, roughly 100 FAd’H soldiers have received training, and the initiative is scheduled to continue expanding in 2026.

    On the multilateral front, France threw its support behind the UN-backed Gang Suppression Force (GSF), which replaced the outgoing Multinational Security Support Mission. By 2025, France had contributed an additional €3.5 million to the GSF’s trust fund, adding to the €10 million it had already committed since 2023. France also worked to coordinate support from other European allies, helping secure a €10 million EU contribution to the Organization of American States (OAS) earmarked for constructing forward operating bases for the PNH and GSF.

    ### Humanitarian Aid: Addressing Urgent Needs Across Vulnerable Communities
    France sustained a robust humanitarian commitment to Haiti in 2025, allocating €17 million to United Nations agencies, local and international non-governmental organizations, and human rights groups operating in the country.

    A key €5 million investment went toward school canteen programs, implemented through a local procurement policy designed to bolster small-scale Haitian agricultural producers. Running under the joint management of Haiti’s National School Canteen Program (PNCS) and the World Food Programme (WFP), the initiative reached 80,000 students across all 10 of Haiti’s administrative departments for the 2025/2026 academic year.

    An additional €3.5 million was allocated to Solidarités International and the WFP to tackle acute malnutrition and deliver emergency food assistance to the most vulnerable households in Haiti’s capital metropolitan area. The remaining €8.5 million was directed to supporting internally displaced persons and returned migrants, with a particular focus on women and girls. These funds provide critical access to medical care, clean water, and sanitation services, delivered through partnerships with UN agencies including UNICEF, UNHAS and IOM, and NGOs such as Solidarités International, ALIMA, Handicap International, ACTED, and Save the Children.

    ### Cultural and Educational Exchange: Sustaining Connections Amid Disruption
    Even amid operational challenges that forced the temporary closure of the French Institute in Haiti (IFH) main premises, France maintained high levels of cultural cooperation through a partnership with Brazil’s Cultural Center and the existing network of local branches. In 2025 alone, IFH organized 183 cultural events spanning concerts, film screenings, theater and comedy performances, art exhibitions, workshops, academic conferences, public broadcasts and festivals, including special programming marking the institute’s 80th anniversary.

    Cultural and linguistic engagement is anchored by the network of Alliance Française branches across five Haitian cities: Cap-Haïtien, Gonaïves, Les Cayes, Jérémie, and Jacmel. This expansive local network offers cultural programming, French language courses, and technical training to more than 5,000 registered learners annually. France also continued its long-standing support for leading Haitian cultural events, including the Quatre Chemins Festival, En Lisant Festival, PAPJazz, and the Port-au-Prince Book Fair, alongside funding the production of the Haitian artist spotlight podcast *Terre des Érudits* and the publication of the academic journal *Conjonction*.

    In the education sector, France issued 247 student visas to Haitian learners in 2025, and awarded 15 master’s level scholarships and 12 Anténor Firmin doctoral scholarships for study in France. This investment in developing the next generation of Haitian leaders complements the academic excellence provided by the Lycée Français Alexandre Dumas in Port-au-Prince.

    ### Economic Development and Governance: Fostering Long-Term Inclusive Growth
    For long-term economic development, the French Development Agency (AFD) disbursed €16.7 million in 2025 to fund development projects across Haiti focused on education, healthcare, and the cultural and creative industries. This core support was extended through AFD’s specialized subsidiaries: the Civil Society Organizations Support Unit disbursed an additional €3.9 million to local Haitian civil society groups, while Proparco, AFD’s private sector investment arm, issued a €1.5 million loan to support 2,000 local micro-enterprises.

    Expertise France also expanded its presence in Haiti, delivering multiple projects backed by AFD and the European Union that aim to strengthen national governance systems, including civil registration, customs administration, and civil security. The French Embassy in Haiti additionally provides support to around 30 local civil society organizations working to advance human rights, with a specific focus on expanding gender equality and women’s rights across the country.

  • Suspension of sand quarrying activities in Pèlerin, Laboule and Boutillier (video)

    Suspension of sand quarrying activities in Pèlerin, Laboule and Boutillier (video)

    In a regulatory action aimed at curbing unregulated resource extraction and protecting at-risk local populations, Haiti’s Ministry of the Environment (MdE) has ordered an immediate, indefinite suspension of all sand quarrying operations across three communities in the municipality of Pétion-ville: Pèlerin, Laboule, and Boutillier. The decision comes on the heels of mounting resident complaints and multi-agency field assessments that confirmed alarming degradation of the region’s already fragile environmental and geological landscape. Technical teams from the West Departmental Directorate, the Directorate of Environmental Inspection and Monitoring (DISE), and the National Bureau of Environmental Assessment (BNEE) collaborated to inspect the sites, documenting a suite of severe hazards tied to the unlicensed, illegal quarry operations. These risks include destabilized hillside slopes, accelerated soil erosion, and elevated threats of catastrophic landslides and rockfalls that pose direct, life-threatening dangers to local residents and critical nearby infrastructure. The Ministry emphasized that regulatory restrictions on quarrying in these geologically vulnerable zones have been in place for decades, with formal prohibitions first enacted and renewed in 2012, 2016, 2021, and 2025. All existing restrictions remain fully enforceable and legally binding, the agency confirmed. The MdE also clarified the legal framework governing extractive activities in the country, noting that Article 36.5 of Haiti’s amended 1987 Constitution explicitly designates all mines and quarries as part of the state’s public domain, meaning they cannot be claimed as private property. Additionally, all quarry operations are required to adhere to strict national environmental protection standards laid out in Article 253 of the Constitution and Article 64.8 of the 2006 Framework Decree on Environmental Management and Citizen Conduct. Citing its statutory mandate to safeguard Haiti’s natural environment and enforce existing environmental legislation, the Ministry finalized the suspension order, halting all sand extraction activities in the three affected communities until further official notice.