His Excellency Mr. René Préval, President of the Republic of Haiti,
His Excellency Mr. Jacques Alexis, Prime Minister of the Republic of Haiti,
Honorable Joseph Lambert, President of the National Assembly,
Honorable Ministers,
Honorable Members of Parliament,
Ambassador Edmond Mullet, Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary General in Haiti,
Ambassador Luis Alberto Moreno, President of the Inter-American Development Bank,
Distinguished Members of the Corps Diplomatique,
Representatives of multilateral, regional and financial organizations,
Distinguished Colleagues,
Ladies and Gentlemen,


On behalf of the Organization of American States and Secretary General Jose Miguel Insulza, I am pleased to address this audience and to participate in this important conference.

With the election of a President and Parliament in accordance with the Constitution of Haiti, the basic, but very critical and important, conditions for democratic governability and for social and economic development have been created.

We are all aware that this is only a first, but necessary, step – and in many ways the real challenge starts now in terms of maintaining an environment of peace, security and stability, of encouragement and constructive engagement, and of creating a climate that is conducive to social and economic development and the strengthening and modernization of the state.

In fact, without doubt, the expectation of the People of Haiti is that the actions of the new administration will result in visible change, measurable successes, and concrete improvement in the short term, even as the Government works to design a strategic and comprehensive plan that addresses the medium and long-term needs of the country.

So, while it remains of critical importance to work diligently in strengthening democracy, democratic institutions, modernizing the judicial system and strengthening the rule of law, improving security, etc., it is equally important to set out concrete strategies and activities to improve in real terms the lives of the Haitian men, women and children. This will require from all of us to work on different tracks at the same time and try to establish the best environment for democratic governability through a holistic approach.

We are encouraged by President Préval’s emphasis on crafting and implementing a comprehensive and inclusive strategic plan that addresses security, employment, health, education, institutional and other community and national development needs.

We are encouraged by the policy of inclusion, dialogue and reconciliation among all the sectors of the Haitian society, as clearly advocated and demonstrated by President Preval in the past months. For the sustainability of the progress achieved so far, it is, in our view of critical importance to lay the foundations for national consensus and to engage the private sector as an engine for growth and development.

We are also encouraged by the strong international solidarity with and commitment to the Haitian People and to their aspirations for change and progress. The fact that this conference takes place in Haiti and the participation in this meeting of so many stakeholders is indeed a powerful indication of the good will and commitment of the international community to support the Haitian Government and People. I am sure that the Haitian People looks forward to this sustained support.

The OAS has been a consistent and solid partner to the People of Haiti, and at the 36th Regular General Assembly of the OAS in June of this year, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs adopted a Declaration on Haiti and Resolution 2215, entitled “Strengthening Democracy and Socioeconomic Development in Haiti”, which in essence outlines the renewed mandate of the OAS Secretariat in support of Haiti in the following areas:

• technical assistance to strengthen electoral institutions in Haiti;

• support to the development and maintenance of a civil registry and identification system;

• provide training for political parties to help consolidate the democratic process;

• lend its expertise to strengthen and professionalize the judiciary and law enforcement agencies;

• offer technical assistance to prepare a National Trade Strategy for Development, as it has done for other OAS Member States; and

• extend support and provide the requisite tools and expertise to promote responsible and sustainable tourism as a key activity for fostering economic development.

Today’s dialogue offers us all an opportunity to listen, to learn and to plan so that we can identify areas of synergy, minimize duplication, and move forward with providing the support that most effectively responds to the needs of Haiti.
Part of these efforts should aim at creating short term employment so that those in dire need can generate a regular income to support their family and create opportunities for the future.

Key to the success of all these efforts will be the establishment of a climate of peace and security. The absence of such a climate will not only adversely affect the life of the Haitian People, but also negatively impact on the interest of the international, regional and local business community to invest in this country. We therefore look forward to the concrete initiatives and plans of the Government of Haiti in this regard, especially in relation to the strengthening of the Haitian National Police and the fight against criminals and gangs. It will be of critical importance that all involved in providing the means for security, both in Haiti as well as in the international community, be firm in effectively addressing these challenges.

Once again, Haiti stands at an important moment in its history. In building a stable and sustainable society for the future the current Government has a Herculean task. For the sake of democracy and effective governance let us all remain realistic and balance expectations with realities.

Mr. President, the Organization of American States stands ready to continue its support to the Haitian People and to contribute to the achievement of the goals you have set for your country.

Thank you.