The governments of Haiti and the Dominican Republic have signed nine agreements in which they have promised to confront the irregular migratory flow and the issues of trade, maritime borders, sovereignty, health, and others common to both nations that share the island of Hispaniola.
Last week, the presidents of the Dominican Republic, Luis Abinader, and of Haiti, Jovenel Moïse, signed the agreements following a meeting held on Sunday at the southern border, Abinader and Moïse both said that they will be taking the appropriate measures, each country in its territory, to deploy cutting-edge technologies that facilitate the elimination of irregular migratory flow, trafficking, and human trafficking, arms flow, drug trafficking and theft of cattle, among other illegal activities.
“Work to obtain the necessary financing for the adoption of a training and support plan that will facilitate the work of both countries to reinforce security and border surveillance; consequently, each country will collaborate with the other if physical or technological controls are built on the entire land border of the border,” said a statement issued following the meeting.
The leaders also agreed to start the process of identification and registration in the Haitian civil registry of all citizens of that country who are in Dominican territory and open the negotiation process to delimit the maritime borders between the two countries. This process would start as soon as possible.
In health, with the collaboration of the international community that has shown its willingness to finance hospitals in Haiti, both leaders agree to cooperate in the construction of general hospitals in Haitian territory, located where the government of that country considers it appropriate, to reduce the intensive use of Dominican hospitals.
The two heads of state reaffirmed their willingness to continue collaboration in priority areas of their respective countries, exchange experiences, especially in these times of pandemic, and strengthen cooperation and potential development opportunities.
The joint declaration proposes continuing negotiations in a sustained manner until a general trade agreement is reached to establish transparent, stable, fair, and predictable rules for both parties and stop smuggling that erodes both countries’ tax bases.
The declaration added that both countries will work closely to plan an energy interconnection matrix and prioritize renewable energies (wind, solar, biomass, hydroelectric), which allows the exchange of surplus energy from one country to another.
It also promotes the production of biodegradable products instead of those that harm the environment, especially those made with polystyrene. It also specified that Haiti is immersed in the process of constitutional reform aimed at consolidating democratic governance.
“Within the framework of respect for the sovereignty of States, the Dominican Republic encourages the Haitian authorities to work to ensure that this process complies with the aspirations of the Haitian people,” the declaration added.
CMC
