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标签： Haiti

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  • FLASH : The Grenadiers Banned from playing in the Dominican Republic

    FLASH : The Grenadiers Banned from playing in the Dominican Republic

    In a sweeping decision that has escalated tensions between the neighboring Caribbean nations, Dominican Republic’s top sports official has permanently barred the Haitian men’s national football team, nicknamed the Grenadiers, from competing at any sports facility across the country. The ban follows a series of violent pre-match incidents and inflammatory post-goal comments that ignited nationalist outrage ahead of a 2026 CONCACAF Nations League clash last Thursday.

    Kelvin Cruz, the Dominican Republic’s Minister of Sports, confirmed the ban in an official announcement, noting that the measure was a direct response to the chaos that unfolded on October 1 at Santo Domingo’s Félix Sánchez Olympic Stadium, ahead of the Nations League fixture between the two sides. The match ended in a shocking 4-1 victory for Haiti over the Dominican Republic, known locally as the Quisqueyanos.

    The unrest began hours before kickoff, when thousands of ticketless fans gathered outside the sold-out venue, overwhelming security checkpoints and creating massive entry lines that blocked access for ticketholders. Video footage circulated widely on social media showing agitated fans, identified as Haitian supporters, forcing their way through the stadium’s Gate 22, breaking the structure entirely in the process. To contain the spreading chaos, local law enforcement and military personnel deployed non-lethal crowd control measures including tear gas and batons. While multiple injuries were reported from the clashes, no official update on the severity or number of those hurt has been released to the public as of press time.

    The controversy was further fueled by provocative comments made by two Haitian players immediately after scoring goals. Striker Wilson Isidor stated publicly following his goal that “the island of Hispaniola is Haiti” and “this is Haiti,” a comment that struck a raw nerve among nationalist political and sports leaders in the Dominican Republic, which shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti. Forward Duckens Nazon amplified the rhetoric by posting “Hispaniola is ours” to his public Instagram stories, stoking further anger among hardline Dominican groups.

    José Deschamps, president of the Dominican Football Federation, called Isidor’s remarks completely inappropriate given the longstanding political sensitivities between the two nations, and confirmed that the federation was weighing a formal appeal to global and regional football governing bodies over the incident.

    Moving quickly to defuse the growing diplomatic crisis, the Haitian Embassy in the Dominican Republic issued an official statement on October 2 distancing the Haitian government and diplomatic mission from the players’ comments. The embassy framed the remarks as a spur-of-the-moment reaction made “in the heat of the competition and the intensity inherent in sporting emotion,” emphasizing that the comments “in no way reflect” the official position of Haiti’s government or the embassy. The statement also reaffirmed Haiti’s unwavering respect for Dominican territorial sovereignty.

    Even amid the rising tensions, the Haitian government, acting through its national football federation, extended a formal note of gratitude to the Dominican government and public for their collaboration, security support, and hospitality ahead of the match. “Sport, beyond competition and the emotions it evokes, also provides a space for rapprochement, dialogue, and fraternity between peoples,” the statement read. “Sporting rivalries should not undermine good neighborly relations and mutual respect.”

    It remains unclear whether Haiti will be forced to forfeit future scheduled home fixtures that were planned to be hosted in the Dominican Republic due to ongoing instability in Haiti, or how the ban will impact future CONCACAF competition scheduling for both nations.

  • Leisure : Did you know ? #64

    Leisure : Did you know ? #64

    As part of its popular twice-weekly general knowledge series “Did You Know?”, Haiti-based news and quiz platform HaitiLibre has turned its latest spotlight on one of the world’s most extraordinary modern engineering achievements: France’s iconic Millau Viaduct.

    Tucked into the rolling natural landscape of France’s Aveyron department, this cable-stayed wonder was first opened to the public in 2004, built to cut through persistent traffic congestion along the Méridienne autoroute by spanning the deep Tarn Valley. A collaborative creation of award-winning British architect Norman Foster and acclaimed French engineer Michel Virlogeux, the Millau Viaduct holds a coveted global record: its tallest structural pile reaches 343 meters above the valley floor, a height that surpasses the iconic Eiffel Tower in Paris.

    Beyond its technical achievements, the viaduct is celebrated for its striking aesthetic design. Its delicate, streamlined profile and seven bright white pylons, which echo the silhouette of tall sailing ships cutting through water, create a breathtaking visual effect on foggy mornings, when the entire structure appears to float gently above low-lying clouds. The design was intentionally crafted to blend seamlessly into the rugged, protected landscape of the Causses region, balancing human ingenuity with natural beauty. Today, it is universally recognized as a masterpiece of 21st-century civil engineering, drawing thousands of architecture buffs, engineering enthusiasts, and curious tourists to its viewing points every year.

    This feature is the 64th installment of HaitiLibre’s ongoing weekly general knowledge quiz series, which pulls content from a growing library of interactive quizzes covering topics ranging from Haitian history and culture to global landmarks and science. The platform announced that 30 brand new quizzes were added to its collection on October 1, 2026, bringing the total number of available quizzes to 270, with plans to hit the 300-quiz milestone in the near future. The site continues to add 30 new topics every month to keep content fresh for returning users.

    Unlike many online quiz platforms, HaitiLibre’s exclusive interactive quizzes are 100% free to access and require no account registration to play. Designed to suit knowledge seekers of all levels, every quiz is offered in three adjustable difficulty tiers: easy, intermediate, and expert, and is fully available in both French and English to accommodate a broad audience. Visitors can access the full quiz library at any time at https://quiz.haitilibre.com/en, and the platform encourages users to share the resource with friends and family. Feedback can be submitted via a form that appears after users complete a quiz, helping the team continue to improve and expand their offerings. For casual learners, the platform frames every unanswered question as an opportunity to pick up a new fun fact that can be shared with loved ones.

  • North and Northeast : US$47.9 million to boost agricultural productivity

    North and Northeast : US$47.9 million to boost agricultural productivity

    Haiti’s northern regions, long plagued by low agricultural productivity, heightened food insecurity and heightened vulnerability to climate shocks, are set to receive a transformative multi-million dollar investment to upgrade the country’s agri-food sector. On October 1, 2026, the Board of Directors of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) gave formal approval to a $38.7 million grant that will anchor a broader $47.9 million agricultural development initiative targeting Haiti’s North and Northeast departments. The remaining $9.2 million for the project is being contributed by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), bringing together two major international development institutions to address systemic challenges in Haiti’s rural agricultural sector. The five-year program, officially named the Sustainable Agricultural Productivity Program in the North and Northeast, focuses on three core priority areas that align with long-term development goals for the region: expanding reliable, sustainable access to irrigation infrastructure, supporting smallholder farmers to adopt climate-resilient agricultural technologies, and strengthening producer organizations and small agri-food businesses across the value chain. The initiative is designed to deliver direct, tangible benefits to a broad cross-section of rural stakeholders in northern Haiti. Approximately 7,800 smallholder producers will see improved access to functional irrigation systems, gain training on climate-adapted farming techniques, and receive ongoing technical assistance to boost their output and income. Beyond individual farmers, the program will extend support to 155 micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) and producer groups operating in the agri-food sector, providing targeted business development services and matching grants to help these organizations scale their operations. A key inclusion component of the initiative also expands technical and vocational training opportunities for young people in rural communities, creating pathways to stable employment in the growing agricultural sector. Project designers have integrated cross-cutting priorities that address longstanding gaps in rural development in Haiti. The program incorporates comprehensive environmental and social management frameworks to ensure projects do not harm local ecosystems or vulnerable communities, embeds climate resilience into all infrastructure and programming to help the region adapt to shifting weather patterns, and includes intentional mandates to boost the participation of women and young people in the agri-food economy. The ultimate goals of the investment are to raise overall agricultural output in northern Haiti, strengthen the economic livelihoods of rural households, lay the foundation for more sustainable and climate-resilient rural development, and help local communities better withstand the frequent climate-related shocks that have repeatedly disrupted agricultural production in the region. Before the IDB board approved the funding, project organizers carried out an extensive, grassroots consultation process to ensure the program responds to the actual needs of local stakeholders. Over the course of preparation, the development team held discussions with more than 1,000 local farmers, 400 value chain stakeholders, 340 MSMEs, farmer associations, community residents, local government leaders, and national civil society organizations operating across the project area, ensuring local input shaped the program’s design and priorities.

  • Artibonite : Rice production improvement project

    Artibonite : Rice production improvement project

    In the Artibonite region of Haiti, a critical collaboration is underway to elevate the quality of local rice production as part of the ongoing Rice Production Improvement Project. With the 2026 second growing season in full swing, the Taiwan Technical Mission (TTM) has joined forces with regional smallholder farmers to carry out a rigorous rogueing operation targeting off-type rice plants. This hands-on initiative is designed to protect the genetic integrity of improved rice seed strains, a foundational factor for boosting harvest yields and long-term agricultural productivity in one of Haiti’s most important rice-growing regions.

    Agronomy specialists from TTM and local project technicians have been deployed across dedicated seed production plots to conduct systematic, plot-by-plot inspections. Trained teams are working line by line to spot and eliminate not just invasive weeds that compete with crop growth, but also any individual rice plants that do not match the genetic profile of the improved target variety. Even plants that arouse minor suspicion regarding their classification are removed immediately to eliminate any chance of unintended cross-contamination that could degrade seed quality over time.

    Agricultural experts note that this level of meticulous rogueing requires exceptional precision and unwavering attention to detail. Even a small number of off-type plants left standing can lead to significant varietal mixing by harvest time, reducing the value of the harvested seed for future plantings and diluting the yield benefits of improved strains. By enforcing a zero-tolerance policy for off-types, the project aims to maintain high levels of seed purity that will deliver consistent benefits to farmers across multiple growing cycles.

    Rigorous pre-harvest inspection of seed plots is widely recognized as an essential step in the production of premium-quality certified seed. For the Rice Production Improvement Project, this seasonal operation is a core component of its long-term mission to strengthen Haiti’s domestic rice sector. Through ongoing technical support and hands-on collaboration with local farming communities, the initiative continues to prioritize seed quality as a pathway to more reliable harvests, greater food security, and improved livelihoods for Haitian rice producers.

  • Prime Minister launches the new Haitian Tax Code

    Prime Minister launches the new Haitian Tax Code

    In a formal ceremony held on September 30, 2026, Haitian Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé officially launched the country’s first fully modernized national Tax Code, marking the opening of the 2026–2027 fiscal year and cementing a landmark step in the government’s efforts to overhaul public financial management.

    The long-awaited tax reform stands as a defining milestone in the ongoing modernization of Haiti’s state institutions, addressing decades of fragmented regulatory frameworks that previously left tax rules scattered across hundreds of inconsistent laws, decrees, and standalone administrative orders. In his keynote address to assembled government officials, international partners, and tax administration leaders, the Prime Minister underscored that the updated code was crafted to harmonize and streamline these disconnected provisions into a single, clear regulatory document.

    Fils-Aimé emphasized that a streamlined, coherent tax system is critical to unlocking Haiti’s economic potential. A more transparent and equitable framework, he argued, will not only strengthen domestic resource mobilization to fund public services and infrastructure projects but also rebuild trust between the state and taxpayers. By creating a predictable regulatory environment, the reform is designed to attract new domestic and foreign investment, and overall improve Haiti’s challenging business climate.

    To ensure the reform delivers on its promised benefits, the Prime Minister issued a direct directive to Haiti’s General Directorate of Taxes (DGI), mandating rigorous, consistent rollout of the new code across all regions of the country. Key priorities for the agency include comprehensive training for all tax staff, widespread modernization of outdated information technology systems, and targeted improvements to customer-facing services for individual and business taxpayers.

    Economy and Finance Minister Serge Gabriel Collin echoed the Prime Minister’s remarks, highlighting that the tax overhaul will directly strengthen the Haitian government’s core institutional capacity to deliver for citizens. International partners also signaled their ongoing support for the reform: European Union Ambassador Hélène Ross reaffirmed that technical and financial partners remain fully committed to backing Haitian authorities as they implement public finance modernization efforts.

    DGI Director General Chesnel François reinforced his institution’s commitment to successful implementation, noting that the agency bears full responsibility for rolling out the new code effectively, and that all staff must achieve full mastery of the code’s new provisions to serve taxpayers correctly.

    At the close of the launch ceremony, Prime Minister Fils-Aimé formally announced the new Haitian Tax Code has entered into force. He closed by reaffirming the government’s unwavering commitment to building a more modern, accessible, and fair tax administration that centers and advances the broad public interest of all Haitians.

  • Nations League 2026 : Haiti crushes the Dominican Republic [4-1]

    Nations League 2026 : Haiti crushes the Dominican Republic [4-1]

    The 2026 CONCACAF Nations League group stage delivered a thrilling Caribbean derby on Thursday, October 1, when Haiti’s national men’s football team, nicknamed the Grenadiers, pulled off a commanding 4-1 win against the Dominican Republic at Santo Domingo’s Félix Sánchez Stadium. The result marked a third consecutive win for Haiti, extending their undefeated run through the early stages of the tournament against their regional rival.

    Spanish head coach David Badía made only one adjustment to the starting lineup that had carried Haiti to two prior wins, calling up FC Lugano defender Hannes Delcroix to the first XI while retaining his preferred 4-2-3-1 tactical formation. The full starting lineup featured goalkeeper Alexandre Pierre of France’s FC Sochaux, captain Carlens Arcus of Angers SCO, Delcroix, Carl-Fred Sainté of USL Championship side El Paso Locomotive FC, fan-favorite Fabrice “Fafà” Picault of Atlanta FC, experienced midfielder Duke Lacroix of Colorado Springs, Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Jean Ricner Bellegarde, Louicius Deedson of FC Sochaux, Bodrumspor’s Ruben Providence, Jean-Jacques Danley of Major League Soccer’s Philadelphia Union, and striker Wilson Isidor of England’s Sunderland AFC.

    Four second-half substitutions freshened up the side for Haiti, with Yassin Fortuné replacing Deedson in the 61st minute, Frantzdy Pierrot taking over for Picault just a minute later, Dany Jean stepping in for Isidor in the 72nd minute, and both Louicius Delinois replacing Providence and Kervin Quétant coming on for Bellegarde in the 82nd minute.

    From the opening kickoff, the Grenadiers controlled the pace of the match, breaking the deadlock early in the 9th minute. Deedson put Haiti on the scoreboard first, converting a well-placed assist from Providence to give the side an early 1-0 lead that they would not relinquish.

    Haiti doubled their advantage just six minutes into the second half, when a poorly cleared Dominican free kick fell to an unmarked Isidor inside the 18-yard box. The Sunderland striker made no mistake, nodding a clinical header past the goalkeeper to make the score 2-0.

    The Dominican Republic, long undefeated in this tournament, got a lifeline just four minutes later, when Dorny Romero capitalized on a misplaced touch from Carl-Fred Sainté to fire a left-footed finish past Pierre from inside the box, cutting the deficit to 2-1 and reigniting hope for the thousands of home fans packed into the stands.

    That hope fizzled quickly, however. Just 12 minutes after the Dominican equalizer, Isidor bagged his second of the match, extending Haiti’s lead to 3-1 and quashing any chance of a home comeback. The final goal came 10 minutes later from substitute Yassin Fortuné, who scored with a header in the 77th minute to lock in the final 4-1 scoreline and deliver a resounding statement win for Haiti.

    Following the result, Haiti remains tied atop Group A of League A with nine points from three matches, level with Curaçao who have scored one more goal across their three wins. The Dominican Republic drops to third place with six points from two wins and one loss, while Costa Rica sits in fourth with three points, and Trinidad & Tobago occupies last place with zero points.

    Up next, Haiti will travel to face Costa Rica in the second leg of their group stage fixture on October 4, with kickoff scheduled for 6:00 PM local Haiti time at Estadio Ricardo Saprissa Aymá in San Juan de Tibás. The quarter-finals of the tournament are scheduled to take place in November 2026, with the final tournament round set for March 2027. All teams in the competition are competing for qualification to the 2027 CONCACAF Gold Cup, North America and the Caribbean’s flagship men’s international football tournament.

  • Elections : Working visit by the Minister of Foreign Affairs to the CEP

    Elections : Working visit by the Minister of Foreign Affairs to the CEP

    As Haiti gears up for its upcoming general elections, a high-level diplomatic delegation led by Foreign Minister Raina Forbin paid a working visit to the headquarters of the Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) in Pétion-ville earlier this week. Forbin was joined by two senior ministry officials: Chief of Staff Winnie Hugot Gabriel and Director General Christian Toussaint, for closed-door working discussions focused on advancing one of the election cycle’s most anticipated institutional initiatives.

    The core focus of the gathering was to advance ongoing joint planning between the Foreign Ministry and the CEP for a landmark pilot project that would allow members of the Haitian diaspora to cast ballots in the upcoming elections. For the world’s fifth-largest diaspora population relative to its home country’s population, this initiative marks a historic step toward expanding inclusive political participation for Haitians living abroad.

    Beyond the broad framework of the pilot project, the two sides also worked through critical practical and procedural details. These included coordinating next steps with host governments in countries where the pilot will launch, tracking progress from earlier exploratory missions to those regions, and establishing clear operational guidelines that ensure all overseas voting activities align with both Haiti’s domestic legal and institutional framework and the regulations of host nations.

    Following the meeting, both institutions reaffirmed their commitment to sustained collaboration and open dialogue throughout the preparation process. The end goal of their joint work is to build a structured, reliable electoral system that enables organized, smooth participation for diaspora voters across all pilot locations.

    In an official statement released after the meeting, the CEP reiterated its foundational pledges for the entire upcoming electoral process: conducting all activities in an inclusive, impartial, transparent, and accountable manner. The council also stressed it will remain strictly aligned with core principles of electoral independence and institutional integrity, while upholding the constitutional right of every Haitian citizen, regardless of residency, to take part in the country’s democratic governance.

  • Les Côteaux : Opening of the 7th Technical Higher Education Center

    Les Côteaux : Opening of the 7th Technical Higher Education Center

    On September 28, 2026, the coastal municipality of Les Côteaux in Haiti’s South Department celebrated a landmark milestone for accessible higher technical education with the official opening of the country’s seventh Center for Higher Technical Education (Centres d’Enseignement Supérieur Technique, CEST). The new institution operates under the academic and administrative oversight of the Public University of the South in Les Cayes (UPSAC), marking another key step in the Haitian government’s national expansion of vocational-focused higher education across underserved regions.

    The inauguration ceremony drew a cross-section of senior stakeholders, including the top political leadership of the South Department, rectors from multiple departmental public universities, Les Côteaux municipal government representatives, and prominent leaders from local civil society. Presiding over the event was Professor Jean-Robert Dossaint, head of the Ministry of National Education and Vocational Training (MENFP) delegation and strategic advisor to Minister Vijonet Déméro, who outlined a community-centered vision for the new center in his official remarks.

    Dossaint emphasized that the impact of a technical higher education institution extends far beyond its physical campus, emphasizing its core territorial mandate to serve the broader region. “The Les Côteaux CEST must therefore look beyond its own walls,” he stated. “It must look toward other coastal municipalities. It must look toward the communal sections, agricultural operations, fishing activities, small businesses, enterprises, associations, and all the initiatives that sustain this region. Training must originate in the territory, address its needs, and return to the territory in the form of skills and solutions.”

    Dr. Magdala Jean-Baptiste, Vice-President of the Council of Rectors of Departmental Public Universities (UPD) and Rector of the Public University of the Southeast in Jacmel (UPSEJ), echoed this place-based approach, noting that the center’s training programs will be tailored to align with the local economic landscape and the unique development potential of Les Côteaux and its neighboring municipalities.

    For his part, Professor Edouard Jules, Rector of UPSAC, traced the growing institutional footprint of departmental public universities across Haiti, highlighting their evolving role as regional hubs of specialized knowledge. “A university established in a region does not merely train students; it helps create an intellectual, scientific, and professional environment capable of transforming that region,” Jules explained.

    Etienne Louisseul France, Departmental Director of Education for the West, expanded on the transformative promise of practice-focused higher education, noting: “Higher education holds a special promise. It unites the acquisition of knowledge with its practical application; it links reflection with action, and the mastery of knowledge with the ability to receive, organize, execute, and solve the problems facing societies.”

    The opening of the Les Côteaux CEST follows a series of similar institutional launches across Haiti in recent months, including new centers in Thiotte, Dame-Marie, and Petit-Goâve, as part of a broader national plan to roll out nine new technical higher education centers and six new secondary schools to expand education access across the country.

  • Kenscoff : Call for solidarity to rehabilitate access roads

    Kenscoff : Call for solidarity to rehabilitate access roads

    Kenscoff, Haiti – As the mountain commune of Kenscoff grapples with severely damaged access routes that have upended daily life and hampered security operations, local Mayor Massillon Jean has issued a urgent public call for cross-community solidarity and collective action to rehabilitate these critical infrastructure links. The initiative, launched by the Kenscoff municipal administration, aims to pool resources and labor from all segments of local society to clear debris, repair damaged surfaces, and reopen key roads that currently block movement, public services and the return of displaced residents.

  • Leisure : Did you know ? #63

    Leisure : Did you know ? #63

    HaitiLibre, a Haitian news and information platform, has published the 63rd installment of its popular twice-weekly general knowledge quiz segment called “Did You Know?”, which explores a wide range of topics from local Haitian culture to global science and technology. This week’s entry answers a fundamental question about energy innovation: what process converts routine vibrations and mechanical movement into usable electrical energy?

    The answer, as the segment explains, lies in piezoelectricity — a little-known but promising physical phenomenon that occurs when specific materials generate an electric charge in response to applied mechanical stress, such as pressure, friction, or constant vibration. Common piezoelectric materials include quartz crystals and specialized ceramics, and researchers are now exploring new forms of the material to expand its real-world uses.

    One of the most exciting applications of piezoelectricity is in the field of micro-energy harvesting, which seeks to capture small amounts of wasted energy that would otherwise go unused in everyday environments. Imagine, for example, floor tiles installed in busy train stations or large sports stadiums that generate small amounts of electricity every time a crowd of fans or commuters walks across their surface. Or consider industrial sensors that power themselves continuously using the constant vibration from nearby factory machinery, eliminating the need for battery replacements or external power sources.

    Today’s cutting-edge scientific research is focused on developing flexible piezoelectric polymers and tiny nanogenerators that could one day power small wearable electronics and even implanted medical devices, such as pacemakers, removing the need for invasive battery replacement surgeries. While it is true that the total amount of energy generated by current piezoelectric systems is far too small to meet large-scale industrial energy demand, advances in optimizing this technology are already contributing to a more intelligent and decentralized approach to energy management. By capturing mechanical energy that traditional energy systems have always ignored and allowed to go to waste, piezoelectricity opens new pathways for more efficient energy use across multiple sectors.

    This scientific explanation is drawn from the answer key of HaitiLibre’s ongoing World Energy Quiz, part of the platform’s growing collection of online general knowledge quizzes. In addition to this educational segment, HaitiLibre also announced that 30 new quizzes were added to its platform on September 1, 2026, bringing the total number of available quizzes to 240. The platform adds new quiz content every month, ensuring returning visitors always have new material to explore.

    All of HaitiLibre’s quizzes are free to access and do not require user registration, making them accessible to learners of all ages. Each quiz topic is offered in three difficulty levels — easy, intermediate, and hard — and available in both French and English to serve a diverse audience. Users are invited to visit the quiz portal at https://quiz.haitilibre.com/en to explore the full collection of topics, share the platform with friends and family, and leave feedback or suggestions via the comment form at the end of each quiz. The platform encourages casual and enthusiastic learners alike to engage with the content, noting that even if you do not know all the answers, it is an ideal opportunity to learn something new and expand your general knowledge.