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INTER-AMERICAN INSTITUTIONS REAFFIRM PARTNERSHIP IN HAITI

Port-au-Prince, Haiti. The Assistant Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), Ambassador Albert R. Ramdin, is leading a high-level mission of inter-American institutions and OAS Member State officials to Haiti from September 3-6.

Ambassador Ramdin, Chair of the Haiti Task Force and Chair of the Group of Friends of Haiti at the OAS, stressed that “this visit is an important opportunity to raise awareness of the activities of Inter-American Institutions in Haiti, better understand the needs and priorities of the Haitian authorities and further explore ways to work together in the interest of the Haitian people by supporting the much-improved political, economic and security environment in the country.”

The high-level delegation also includes Ambassador Barney Karran, Permanent Representative of Guyana to the OAS and Vice Chair of the Permanent Council; Dr. Mirta Roses Periago, Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO); Mr. John Sanbrailo, Executive Director of the Pan American Development Foundation (PADF); Ms. Dora Currea, General Manager Caribbean Country Department at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB); Permanent Representatives and Alternate Representatives of OAS Member States like Costa Rica, Trinidad and Tobago, the United States of America and Brazil; Ambassadors from Canada and Argentina residing in Haiti and Mexico; and the Associate Deputy Director General of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA).

Referring to the Mission, Dr. Mirta Roses, head of the PAHO, affirmed that it has “a very important objective of highlighting positive experiences from the inter-American institutions in Haiti and to show the international community what is being done on the different areas”. She also referred to the positive experiences that the PAHO has been working on in joint ventures with the Ministry of Health, and expressed that “health-related efforts contribute to the economic development and social cohesion in communities.”

On the other hand, Mr. David Hatch, the IICA official, expressed pleasure that his institution’s project will be highlighted during the visit “because it has already benefited more than 50, 000 Haitians and stands as an effective example of collaboration involving Canada and Argentina.”

In Haiti, the Mission will meet with President René Préval; Prime Minister Michele Pierre-Louis and cabinet; the Presidents of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate; and members of the Provisional Electoral Council (CEP). Likewise, member delegations will visit a number of projects financed or executed by participating institutions to witness firsthand how these projects impact the lives of the Haitian people. The agenda also includes encounters with local civil society organizations as well as Haitian private sector representatives.

Reference: E-280/09