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标签： Haiti

海地

  • Leisure : Did you know ? #20

    Leisure : Did you know ? #20

    As part of its ongoing mission to make knowledge accessible and engaging for audiences across the globe, HaitiLibre has rolled out its latest monthly update for the popular QuizHaitiLibre platform, adding 28 brand new interactive games to its growing digital library. The April 8 expansion comes alongside the 20th installment of the outlet’s beloved “Did You Know?” series, which shares little-known educational facts pulled directly from answer explanations featured on the quiz platform.

    This week’s fact spotlight dives into the remarkable biology and evolution of cetaceans, the diverse order of fully aquatic mammals that encompasses all species of whales, dolphins, and porpoises. Unlike cold-blooded fish that rely on gills to extract oxygen from water, cetaceans are air-breathing creatures that must surface regularly to exchange air through a specialized opening called a blowhole. As warm-blooded homeotherms, they maintain a stable core body temperature even in frigid deep ocean waters thanks to a thick, insulating layer of fat called blubber. Cetacean females also nurse their offspring with energy-dense, high-fat milk that supports extremely rapid growth rates for newborns.

    Taxonomically, the cetacean order is split into two distinct subgroups based on feeding adaptations. Odontocetes, or toothed cetaceans, include iconic species such as orcas and bottlenose dolphins, which hunt prey using their sharp teeth. Mysticetes, by contrast, are filter feeders equipped with flexible, hair-like baleen plates that allow them to strain huge volumes of seawater to capture tiny plankton; humpback whales are one of the most recognizable members of this group. Over millions of years of evolution, cetaceans have adapted so completely to a marine lifestyle that they complete their entire life cycle in water, and many species have developed sophisticated echolocation systems to navigate, communicate, and hunt in the total darkness of the deep ocean.

    The QuizHaitiLibre platform caters to knowledge seekers of all skill levels, with a curated selection of dozens of original games covering topics ranging from Haitian current affairs and culture to global natural history and general knowledge. All games on the platform are 100% free to access, require no user registration, and are available in both French and English to serve a broad multilingual audience. Each quiz is offered in three difficulty tiers—normal, intermediate, and advanced—allowing casual learners and seasoned trivia buffs alike to find challenges that match their expertise. The outlet adds new games to the platform every month, with the most recent update dropping 28 new quizzes on April 8.

    Visitors can explore the full library of games, test their general knowledge, and access past installments of the “Did You Know?” series by visiting the official QuizHaitiLibre website at https://quiz.haitilibre.com/en.

  • The CCIO issues an appeal : «Faced with the emergency, inaction is no longer an option»

    The CCIO issues an appeal : «Faced with the emergency, inaction is no longer an option»

    Amid a rapidly worsening security and logistics crisis in one of Haiti’s most critical economic corridors, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the West (CCIO) has issued an urgent appeal, warning that continued inaction will carry catastrophic human and economic consequences for the entire country.

    The crisis is unfolding across a strategic area bounded by National Road 1, Route 9, and the perimeter of Toussaint Louverture International Airport – a hub that connects key industrial operations, trade routes, and the country’s primary international gateway. The CCIO’s warning comes after three of Haiti’s largest private companies – Brasserie de la Couronne, Barbancourt Distillery, and Brasserie Séjourné – issued their own joint statement highlighting the growing threat to their operations in the region.

    Beyond the immediate risks to industrial sites, warehouses, and critical transport infrastructure, the CCIO emphasizes that the crisis is first and foremost a humanitarian emergency. Thousands of workers, their families, and entire local communities in the area now live in daily fear, facing constant uncertainty over their safety and livelihoods. Every job placed at risk in this strategic zone pushes another vulnerable household deeper into precarity, the chamber notes. When operations are halted, working parents lose the income they need to feed their children, cover school fees, pay for medical care, and maintain even the most basic stability in a country already grappling with systemic crisis.

    The impact of continued instability in this zone extends far beyond the private sector, affecting every layer of Haitian society. As a core economic artery for the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area, a full collapse of activity here would disrupt national supply chains, cut critical public revenue, eliminate thousands of formal jobs, and fray already fragile social cohesion across the country.

    The CCIO stresses that no credible plan to stabilize the Haitian capital can succeed without prioritizing the security and restoration of this vital corridor. Allowing a permanent lawless zone to take root just steps from the country’s main international airport would not only inflict severe long-term damage on Haiti’s already struggling national economy, but also condemn tens of thousands of local citizens to even harsher living conditions.

    To address the emergency, the CCIO has laid out four clear demands for Haitian authorities. First, it calls for immediate security interventions to protect workers, residents, and the broader local population. Second, it urges authorities to prioritize urgent rehabilitation of damaged critical road infrastructure – a prerequisite for any effective law enforcement deployment in the area. Third, it calls for measures to protect ongoing economic activity, preserve existing jobs, and prevent a further escalation of social vulnerability across the region. Finally, the chamber demands the establishment of a formal public-private consultation framework to enable continuous monitoring of the crisis and the development of long-term sustainable solutions.

    Reaffirming its commitment to collaborative problem-solving, the CCIO says it stands ready to contribute constructively to any technical or institutional initiative focused on protecting this strategic zone, upholding the dignity of affected families, and preventing what it warns could become a major humanitarian and economic catastrophe.

  • Symposium on Migration : The Minister of MAST advocates for the protection of Haitian migrants

    Symposium on Migration : The Minister of MAST advocates for the protection of Haitian migrants

    Against a backdrop of sustained global discourse around human mobility and displacement, Haitian policymakers and stakeholders gathered Wednesday, April 29, Push for coordinated, forward-thinking solutions to the country’s ongoing migration challenges. Hosted at Port-au-Prince’s Montana Hotel and organized by the Jean Price-Mars Diplomatic Academy with official backing from Haiti’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the one-day symposium centered on the theme “Haitian Migration and its Contemporary Dynamics: Between Crises, Mobility, and Public Responses”, bringing together leading voices from diplomacy, academia, and national government institutions to examine the current state of Haitian migration and map out actionable policy responses.

    Marc-Elie Nelson, Haiti’s Minister of Social Affairs and Labor (MAST), delivered the symposium’s keynote address, placing the protection of Haitian migrants at the top of the government’s policy agenda. “Migration has grown into one of the most pressing issues shaping international relations and public debate across the globe, and it is a defining challenge for our nation,” Nelson told attendees. He outlined a four-pillar approach to addressing the crisis: strengthening protections for Haitian citizens living abroad, deepening collaborative partnerships with the international community, expanding economic and social opportunities for young Haitians to reduce the pressure to emigrate, and more effectively integrating the Haitian diaspora into national development planning.

    Nelson used his remarks to reaffirm the Haitian government’s commitment to addressing the root drivers of forced migration. He emphasized that the administration would work across all relevant state institutions to advance inclusive social policies designed to reduce the systemic vulnerabilities that push thousands of Haitians to seek opportunities abroad each year.

    Pushing back against narratives that frame Haiti as permanently trapped in a cycle of human capital flight, Nelson struck a hopeful tone about the country’s potential. “Haiti is not condemned to perpetually export its youth and its most dynamic citizens,” he said. “Our country possesses extraordinary human resources, and our people have a well-documented resilience that is recognized across the entire world.” The minister outlined an ambitious vision to reframe migration as a coordinated national project, with the goal of building domestic capacity to retain young Haitian talent, encourage the return of skilled Haitians living abroad, and rebuild a sense of hope across the country.

    Beyond high-level government addresses, the symposium served as a critical collaborative platform for cross-sector experts to share new research and on-the-ground findings related to Haitian migration, laying the groundwork for future multi-stakeholder action on the issue.

  • Launch of the PSARA Klere Chimen project in the Southern Department

    Launch of the PSARA Klere Chimen project in the Southern Department

    In a major step forward for social welfare investment in Haiti, government officials formally launched the Adaptive Social Protection for Increased Resilience (PSARA Klere Chimen) initiative on April 29, 2026, in Port-Salut, located in the country’s Southern Department. The launch ceremony was led by Marc-Elie Nelson, Haiti’s Minister of Social Affairs and Labor (MAST), through the ministry’s specialized Project Management Unit (PMU), marking the start of a two-year support program for thousands of at-risk families across the region.

    Minister Nelson outlined the core scope of the new project, explaining that coverage will extend across six communes in the Southern Department, reaching a total of 6,485 vulnerable households that will qualify for direct state support. The program’s primary goal is to help eligible families cover a portion of their ongoing food and nutritional needs, a critical intervention in a region that has long faced economic instability and food insecurity challenges.

    Unlike conditional aid programs that require recipients to meet specific requirements to receive support, PSARA Klere Chimen delivers assistance through monthly unconditional cash transfers disbursed in local Haitian Gourdes. Payment amounts are structured based on household vulnerability levels to meet varying needs: eligible households with a single vulnerability factor receive the equivalent of $40 USD per month, while households that meet two or more vulnerability criteria qualify for up to $80 USD per month. Common high-priority vulnerability factors include having a household member with a disability, a pregnant or breastfeeding woman, or a child under the age of five. All transfers will be distributed over a 24-month period, providing long-term, consistent support for participating families.

    The entire $1,862,400 USD initiative is made possible through financial backing from two global development partners: the World Bank and Swiss Cooperation. The partnership between Haitian government institutions and international funders aligns with the country’s long-term social protection strategy to expand support for its most vulnerable populations.

    During his remarks at the launch, Minister Nelson emphasized that the program is far more than a short-term assistance measure. He argued that strategic social protection acts not only as a lifeline for families in need but also as a transformative driver for broader community stability and public confidence. By addressing immediate economic hardships, the initiative lays the groundwork for more sustainable long-term development across the Southern Department.

    Lucny Cadet, coordinator of MAST’s Studies and Programming Unit (SPU), expanded on the program’s dual design, noting that it is structured to meet both urgent needs and long-term household stability goals. Cadet highlighted the critical role of the ministry’s newly updated digital Social Protection Information System (SIMAST), which improves the accuracy of beneficiary targeting, ensures full traceability of all program interventions, and strengthens coordination between the multiple government and non-government stakeholders involved in the project.

    From an administrative perspective, the SPU will oversee strategic coordination and overall program management, ensuring that all interventions remain consistent with Haiti’s national social protection framework, particularly the National Policy for Social Protection and Promotion. The unit will also lead efforts to strengthen the project’s monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, enabling ongoing adjustments to improve outcomes and ensure full accountability for program funds and impact.

  • Princess Sarah Zeid of Jordan makes a humanitarian visit to Haiti

    Princess Sarah Zeid of Jordan makes a humanitarian visit to Haiti

    In a high-stakes visit focused on addressing Haiti’s deepening humanitarian crisis, Princess Sarah Zeid of Jordan — Senior Special Advisor to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) — traveled to the Caribbean nation for an official mission in late April 2026, holding a series of strategic meetings with top Haitian government officials and global development stakeholders.

    On April 29, the first full day of her trip, Haitian Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé formally welcomed Princess Sarah Zeid, opening talks centered on the country’s pressing humanitarian needs. Fils-Aimé used the meeting to reaffirm his administration’s unwavering dedication to lifting living standards for millions of Haitian residents, even amid the extraordinary security, economic and social instability that has defined the nation’s recent landscape. During their conversation, the prime minister also outlined the emergency and long-term measures his government has rolled out to bolster protections for Haiti’s most marginalized groups, with a specific focus on women and children, who bear the brunt of the ongoing crisis.

    The visit also included a cordial, outcome-focused discussion between Princess Sarah Zeid and Haitian Foreign Minister Raina Forbin. The pair centered their dialogue on expanding and deepening institutional cooperation between the Haitian government and the WFP, with particular attention to improving maternal and child health outcomes in the country’s challenging humanitarian context. Joining the meeting were Nicole Boni Kouassi, United Nations Resident Coordinator in Haiti, and Wanja Kaaria, WFP’s Country Director for the nation. Forbin publicly praised Princess Sarah Zeid’s decades-long dedicated leadership in global humanitarian action, specifically calling out her work advancing maternal and neonatal health equity around the world. She also reaffirmed the Haitian government’s commitment to growing this strategic partnership to deliver tangible support to the country’s most vulnerable communities.

    Beyond government bilateral talks, Princess Sarah Zeid led a high-level strategic gathering at Port-au-Prince’s Karibe Hotel, which convened a cross-section of Haitian national leaders and international representatives united around three core goals: building lasting peace in Haiti, advancing inclusive development, strengthening protections for women and girls, and expanding support for survivors of gender-based violence. Attendees framed discussions around two central priorities: providing targeted resourcing and policy support to grassroots Haitian feminist organizations, and advancing the sustainable restoration of security and peace across the country.

    The Karibe Hotel meeting included a diverse roster of attendees, among them Marie Goretti Nduwayo, UN Women Representative to Haiti; Nicole Kouassi, who serves dual roles as UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator with the UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH); Wanja Kaaria, WFP’s Haiti representative; Yuki Takemoto, UNAIDS Country Representative for Haiti; Stéphanie Smith, Haiti’s Minister of Tourism; and Pédrica Saint-Jean, Haiti’s Minister for the Status of Women and Women’s Rights. The gathering also included delegations from roughly 10 grassroots Haitian women’s and feminist organizations, ensuring local voices shaped the strategic conversations around the future of gender equity and peacebuilding in the country.

  • Leisure : Did you know ? #19

    Leisure : Did you know ? #19

    In a new installment of its popular “Did You Know?” educational series, HaitiLibre has shared a concise, fact-filled breakdown of the Cold War as part of its expanding free online quiz platform, which is designed to engage knowledge-seekers of all skill levels.

    The Cold War, the defining geopolitical confrontation that structured global affairs across the second half of the 20th century, pitted two competing ideological and military blocs against one another. On one side stood the Western Bloc, led by the United States, which advanced a global order built on capitalism and liberal democracy. Opposing it was the Eastern Bloc, headed by the Soviet Union (USSR), which promoted communist governance and economic systems across its sphere of influence.

    The conflict earned its “cold” label not from a total lack of violence, but from the absence of direct, large-scale military combat between the two nuclear-armed superpowers. The ever-present threat of mutually assured destruction from nuclear arsenals deterred the two nations from open war against each other. Even so, the decades-long rivalry was far from peaceful: it played out through devastating proxy conflicts in Korea, Vietnam, and Afghanistan, a relentless global arms race that stacked thousands of nuclear warheads on both sides, and a high-stakes competition for dominance in space exploration that pushed the boundaries of human technological achievement.

    The formal end of the confrontation came with the collapse of the Eastern Bloc: the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 marked the beginning of the bloc’s dissolution, which concluded with the full breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991. Despite ending more than three decades ago, this era continues to leave an indelible mark on modern society. It reshaped global cultural production, accelerated breakthroughs in scientific and technological research, and redefined the structure of international relations, leaving behind the complex multipolar world we see today. Many of the lingering diplomatic tensions between major global powers can trace their origins back to the ideological divides of the Cold War era.

    This fact sheet is pulled from the answer key for the “QUIZ World, Wars and Conflicts 1.1” on HaitiLibre’s dedicated QuizHaitiLibre platform, which launched to the public earlier this year. The platform offers a wide range of quizzes covering topics from Haitian local history and culture to global events and specialized expert-level themes, allowing visitors to test their general knowledge at their own pace.

    To make the resource accessible to all users, all of the platform’s exclusive quizzes are completely free to access and require no account registration to play. Every quiz is offered in both French and English, and built to accommodate a range of skill levels with three difficulty settings: normal, intermediate, and advanced. As part of the platform’s scheduled monthly content update, 28 brand new quizzes were added to the site on Wednesday, April 8, with new content added every month for returning visitors. Dozens of knowledge games are already available to explore, and users can access the full collection at any time at https://quiz.haitilibre.com/en.

  • Haiti celebrates 70 years of Haitian-Japanese diplomatic relations

    Haiti celebrates 70 years of Haitian-Japanese diplomatic relations

    In a formal ceremony held Tuesday, April 28, 2026, at Port-au-Prince’s Montana Hotel, Haiti’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs gathered senior diplomatic leaders from both Haiti and Japan to commemorate the 70th platinum jubilee of bilateral diplomatic relations between the two nations. The event was attended by Haiti’s Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, Haitian Foreign Minister Raina Forbin, and Kazuhiko Nishiuchi, Japan’s Ambassador to Port-au-Prince, with Haiti’s Ambassador to Japan Louis Harold Joseph joining via remote video address.

    Opening official remarks, Prime Minister Fils-Aimé honored the deep, durable foundation of Haitian-Japanese ties, which have been rooted in shared principles of mutual respect and collaborative partnership since the two countries formally reestablished diplomatic relations in 1956. The prime minister reaffirmed the Haitian government’s commitment to expanding ties across political, economic, and cultural domains, calling for greater coordinated action from both nations’ private sectors to develop impactful public-private partnerships that unlock underutilized cooperation opportunities.

    Minister Forbin followed, emphasizing the high quality of bilateral collaboration, particularly amid Haiti’s ongoing efforts to restore national security. She stressed that future cooperation should remain centered on inclusive development, technological innovation, and institutional capacity building, urging a more dynamic bilateral agenda that aligns with the legitimate aspirations of both Haitian and Japanese people, while contributing to broader stability across the Caribbean region and the global stage.

    In his remote address, Ambassador Joseph framed the seven-decade diplomatic relationship as a model of constructive partnership between two nations separated by vast geographic distance, bound together by consistent mutual respect. He expressed profound gratitude from the Haitian people for Japan’s long-running, unwavering support across key development sectors including public education, healthcare, and national infrastructure. He also called for expanded cultural and economic exchange, noting that the platinum jubilee is not a milestone to cap the relationship, but a starting point for a new chapter of deepened strategic partnership between the two countries. Ambassador Joseph closed by reaffirming Haiti’s commitment to working alongside Japan to advance shared goals of regional and global stability.

    Japanese Ambassador Nishiuchi echoed these remarks, reiterating Japan’s steadfast commitment to Haiti and its determination to continue supporting the country’s ongoing stabilization efforts and long-term sustainable development.

    Beyond official addresses, the ceremony delivered a tangible step forward in bilateral cooperation: on the event’s sidelines, Minister Forbin and Toshimitsu Motegi, representing Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, signed a new Memorandum of Understanding focused on diplomatic training. According to a statement from Haiti’s Prime Minister’s Office, the agreement formalizes both nations’ shared commitment to strengthening institutional capacity and expanding high-level bilateral dialogue between their diplomatic teams.

  • FAO ready to support the development of food supply chains in Haiti

    FAO ready to support the development of food supply chains in Haiti

    In a high-level working meeting held in Port-au-Prince on April 27, 2026, Haiti’s Minister of Commerce and Industry James Monazard held strategic talks with Pierre Vauthier, the leading representative of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Haiti, to advance cooperation on strengthening the country’s food supply chains and unlock economic potential across high-growth agricultural sectors.

    During the discussions, Vauthier articulated FAO’s formal commitment to long-term support for the development of Haiti’s food production and export sectors, singling out the domestic mango industry as a primary area of focus. Haitian mangoes have long been recognized by global trade analysts for their untapped significant export potential that has yet to be fully scaled, making the sector a strategic priority for inclusive growth.

    Minister Monazard welcomed FAO’s planned intervention, noting that mango production was once a core driving force of Haiti’s national economy, capable of generating widespread income and trade revenue when supported by targeted infrastructure and policy coordination. Beyond mangoes, Monazard drew attention to two additional high-potential strategic sectors: artisanal and industrial fishing, and cocoa cultivation. Both sectors, he emphasized, hold substantial untapped capacity for increased value addition and widespread job creation across rural Haitian communities that have long faced economic stagnation.

    By the end of the talks, the two sides reached a concrete agreement to launch a new cross-institutional joint commission, bringing together Haiti’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry, FAO’s local country office, and Haiti’s Ministry of Agriculture. This coordinating body will align stakeholder efforts to advance the structured, inclusive development of all three priority sectors, eliminating fragmented planning and overlapping initiatives.

    Both participants also underlined the critical need to deepen private sector engagement, particularly by centering the input and participation of local entrepreneurs already operating in mango, fishing, and cocoa sectors. This inclusive approach, they agreed, is essential to building a collaborative, environmentally and economically sustainable development model that benefits local communities rather than external stakeholders alone.

    During the meeting, several concrete priority intervention areas were formally identified to guide initial work. For the mango sector, key priorities include upgrading national quality control systems, standardizing product labeling, and modernizing packaging infrastructure to meet international export standards. For the fishing sector, plans focus on expanding vocational training programs for small-scale artisanal fishermen and distributing appropriate, sustainable fishing equipment to boost productivity without depleting local fish stocks. For cocoa, the core priority is building local processing capacity to convert raw cocoa beans into high-value derivative products such as premium chocolate, dramatically increasing the domestic added value of Haitian cocoa exports rather than shipping unprocessed raw materials abroad.

    Formalization of a official collaborative framework for these initiatives will get underway in the coming weeks, with the first working sessions of the joint commission expected to convene by early summer. The meeting concluded in a warm, cordial atmosphere, with both parties expressing shared satisfaction with the progress made and reaffirming their commitment to continuing detailed negotiations to move these development initiatives forward, ultimately supporting broad-based, inclusive economic growth across Haiti.

  • FLASH : Malaria outbreak alarmingly resurgence in Haiti

    FLASH : Malaria outbreak alarmingly resurgence in Haiti

    A dangerous resurgence of malaria has been detected in Haiti, prompting urgent coordinated action from national public health leaders and international development partners to curb the spread of the preventable, life-threatening disease.

    Malaria, a parasitic infection spread to humans through bites from female Anopheles mosquitoes carrying the Plasmodium parasite, poses a particularly grave threat to vulnerable groups including young children and pregnant women. Without prompt, appropriate treatment, the infection can progress to severe neuro-malaria, which carries a high risk of fatal outcomes.

    Though full 2025 official statistics are still being compiled by global health authorities, trend data already confirms the severity of the outbreak. Haitian public health officials first raised the alarm in April 2025 after tracking a sharp upward spike in confirmed cases over the preceding 12 months. Official records show caseloads have more than doubled in just two years: jumping from 14,436 confirmed infections in 2023 to 38,591 recorded cases in 2024. Nearly all documented infections – 99 percent of the national total – are concentrated in four southern Haitian departments: Grand’Anse accounts for 54.3 percent of cases, followed by Sud at 33.8 percent, Nippes at 8.5 percent, and Sud-Est at 2.1 percent. Full-year 2026 data will be finalized and released jointly by Haiti’s Ministry of Public Health and Population (MSPP) and the World Health Organization in the coming months.

    This 2025 anti-malaria campaign has faced significant setbacks, as worsening nationwide insecurity and large-scale population displacement have severely disrupted intervention efforts. Even amid these obstacles, the national Malaria Elimination Action Plan remains in motion, with a core focus on expanding community-led screening to cut transmission rates dramatically.

    The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has partnered closely with MSPP to scale up the country’s national response, rolling out evidence-based prevention measures to slow the outbreak. Mass Distribution Campaigns (MDCs) for insecticide-treated bed nets – one of the most effective tools for preventing mosquito bites and new infections – have been a central pillar of the intervention. On the ground, outreach teams, the majority of whom are local women, have worked under extreme challenging conditions to deliver bed nets to at-risk communities. Many households are inaccessible by motorized vehicles, forcing teams to travel on foot or use non-traditional transport to reach the most vulnerable populations, demonstrating extraordinary commitment to the campaign’s goals.

    Working alongside a network of partner organizations, UNDP and MSPP share a long-term mission: to reduce malaria’s public health and socioeconomic impact across Haiti sustainably, while strengthening community-level resilience to future public health threats.

  • IDB satisfied with the progress made by the PAPAIR program in Haiti

    IDB satisfied with the progress made by the PAPAIR program in Haiti

    In late April 2026, key stakeholders gathered in Les Cayes, Haiti, for the fourth Steering Committee meeting of the Support Program for the Productivity of Agriculture and Fisheries and the Improvement of Rural Infrastructure for Access to Markets (PAPAIR), a flagship rural development initiative launched in January 2022. Held under the official patronage of Haitian Minister of Agriculture Agronomist Marcelin Aubourg and Ministry Director General Agronomist Pierre-Richard René, the two-day event brought together participants both in-person and via videoconference to review program achievements and map out next steps. With PAPAIR’s original mandate set to conclude in the coming months, discussions between Haiti’s Ministry of Agriculture and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) are already underway to explore a potential extension that would allow for the completion of ongoing projects and the long-term consolidation of on-the-ground results. The Steering Committee, which includes representatives from the Program Implementation Unit, IDB, departmental agricultural directorates across Haiti’s South, Grand’Anse, North, and North-East regions, partner institutions, and local farmer and fisher organizations, used the meeting to outline a revised strategic direction for remaining activities in 2026. All decisions reached at the gathering will be formally submitted to IDB for review as part of the official extension request. Opening the meeting, Minister Aubourg emphasized that even amid widespread economic and social challenges across Haiti, PAPAIR has delivered tangible, encouraging outcomes for rural communities. Echoing this assessment, Yannick Saint Paul, IDB’s representative to the meeting, confirmed the bank’s satisfaction with the program’s progress, noting that current results align fully with the institution’s initial expectations. Saint Paul also reaffirmed IDB’s long-standing commitment to supporting Haiti’s efforts to reduce widespread food insecurity and expand sustainable domestic agricultural production, a stance that was widely endorsed by all participating stakeholders. A breakdown of the program’s current achievements reveals widespread impact across four key target departments and 21 municipalities. To date, more than 15,600 of the 21,819 targeted smallholder farmers have directly benefited from program interventions. Program teams have established 336 dedicated agricultural demonstration plots, upgraded or rehabilitated nearly 20 municipal agricultural offices, and constructed new water storage tanks and irrigation infrastructure to reduce producers’ vulnerability to drought and erratic rainfall. In the area of farmer capacity building, 947 participants have already completed training through the program’s field school network, out of a total 3,300 planned trainee slots. For Haiti’s fisheries sector, which falls under the program’s second and fourth components, 65 local fisher associations across the four target departments are already receiving sustained organizational and technical support to improve sustainability and livelihoods. On the institutional development front, the program has completed construction of the new Aquin Communal Agricultural Office, and a 252-square-meter modern administrative building for the Southern Departmental Agricultural Directorate (DDAS) is currently 92% complete. The new facility, which includes upgraded office space, a conference room, and modern amenities, is designed to dramatically improve working conditions for departmental agricultural staff and boost overall administrative efficiency. Under the program’s rural infrastructure component, 24 kilometers of rural access roads have already been rehabilitated across Haiti’s North and North-East departments. These upgrades are expected to cut producer transport costs, reduce costly post-harvest losses, improve smallholders’ access to regional markets, and stimulate local economic activity across rural communities. The program has also provided specialized training to Ministry of Agriculture executives, departmental agricultural staff, and local government officials to strengthen their capacity to monitor infrastructure implementation and conduct long-term maintenance after project completion. By the close of the meeting, attendees approved a series of key resolutions to guide the program’s remaining activities, or any potential extended mandate. Priorities include expanding capacity building support for fisher and farmer associations, increasing the involvement of departmental agricultural directorates and Haiti’s National Seed System in regulating and supporting local seed suppliers, formalizing systems for the Ministry of Agriculture to retain project-trained staff to ensure long-term activity continuity after the program ends, strengthening departmental ownership of intervention planning and monitoring, and rolling out additional targeted skills training to improve the overall quality of program interventions. The event concluded with guided field visits to ongoing project sites in the municipalities of Les Cayes and Torbeck. Attendees had the opportunity to inspect progress firsthand, including the ongoing DDAS building expansion, and hold direct discussions with the engineering teams leading construction and infrastructure works across the region.