Summary: May 12, 2004: Commissioner Nielson meets Interim Prime Minister of Haiti (Brussels)
Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid Mr. Poul Nielson today met Interim Prime Minister of Haiti Mr. Gérard Latortue. During the meeting they took stock of the political situation in Haiti particularly in relation to the restoration of democratic and constitutional rule. The European Commission is strongly supporting a democratisation process in Haiti and Commissioner Nielson therefore welcomed the intentions of the interim government to engage itself down that path
through concrete action.
During the meeting, Commissioner Nielson also reiterated the EU's support to the considerable efforts made by the regional organisations CARICOM (Caribbean Community) and OAS (Organisation of American States) to help bring peace and stability to Haiti and stressed the importance the EU attaches to a rapid normalisation of Haiti's relations with CARICOM.
Development co-operation was also discussed. Commissioner Nielson recalled that while the EU had introduced restrictive measures on its development aid to Haiti in 2001 it was still providing substantial aid to the country. In order not to penalise the Haitian people aid from the EU had been redirected to activities that directly benefited the population. Activities aimed at fighting poverty, strengthening civil society and the private sector, supporting democratisation and strengthening the
rule of law. € 84.4 million had been made available from the European Development Fund (EDF) for those purposes. Normalisation of EU-Haiti development co-operation will be decided by EU member states based on a proposal from the European Commission in parallel to Haiti's progress towards a constitutional democratic situation.
Meanwhile the Commission is taking an active role in the multi-donor needs assessment currently underway which seeks to assist the Interim Government to define the appropriate response to the countries needs for reconstruction, rehabilitation and development. Commissioner Nielson also stressed the humanitarian aid provided through the European Commissions Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO). € 1.8 million had been allocated in emergency humanitarian aid in March 2004 in an immediate response
to the needs arising from the armed conflict and today the Commission was granting an additional € 5.4 million in emergency humanitarian aid to support the victims of the socio-economic crisis the country was currently facing (see IP/04/630).
Background
Following irregularities during the legislative and local elections in Haiti in May 2000 the Council of the European Union, invited the Haitian Government for consultations in the framework of Art. 96 of the Cotonou Agreement.
As the Haitian authorities failed to correct these irregularities or to take into account the preoccupations of the EU with regard to the legitimacy of the election process, the Council accordingly decided to apply a set of appropriate measures, which were notified to the Government of Haiti through a Council Decision of 29 January 2001. These measures were re-examined and only slightly modified through three subsequent Decisions, on 21 January 2002, 10 January 2003 and 22 December 2003.
The appropriate measures in force at present are the following: (i) Direct budget support programmes are suspended. (ii) € 84,4 million from the 8th EDF have been reoriented for programmes aiming at the direct benefit of the population, reinforcing the civil society and private sector, to support the democratization process, the strengthening of the Rule of Law and the electoral process; (iii) The notification of the 9th EDF allocations for Haiti has been suspended as well as the signature of
the corresponding National Indicative Programme; and (iv) Since latest Council decision of 18 December 2003 regional programmes are not affected by the measures.
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