About us
The Coordination Europe-Haiti was founded in 2004. The platform consists of European civil society organisations and platforms from different European countries, most of them EU member states.
The purpose of the platform is threefold
To assemble
organisations, movements and groups in Europe that are engaged with human rights and sustainable development in Haiti, and share relevant information with each other
To give a voice
To be a reliable and effective advocate
Principles and priorities
We adhere to the following principles:
human rights, international solidarity, effective action for Haitian partner organizations, impartiality and independence, democracy and mutual respect.
Our priorities are:
- promotion of democracy and human rights in Haiti;
- enabling strong participation of Haitian civil society in policy debates about development in Haiti;
- giving a voice to the concerns of Haitian civil society in Brussels and Strasbourg;
- an EU which accounts for its aid to Haiti in a transparent manner;
- a strong and sustainable agricultural sector so as to enhance Haiti’s food sovereignty and fair trade
How the platform is organized
- The main organ of the platform is the General Assembly.The members meet in Brussels twice a year. They approve the budget and annual plan of the platform. They discuss the priorities and give a mandate to the Steering Committee to advocate on behalf of the members. They provide the Steering Committee with all relevant information about developments in Haiti
- The day-to-day activities are undertaken by the Steering Committee. It consists of four members. The Steering Committee meets every three weeks. It is responsible for drafting statements and letters, for organizing lobby & advocacy meetings with EU decision makers and parliamentarians, and for all other day-to-day business of the platform. The Steering Committee keeps the members updated about trends and developments at EU level.
- The platform has a permanent Facilitator in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Her role is to provide a link between the Coordination Europe-Haiti in Brussels, and civil society partners in Haiti. She encourages Haitian civil society partners to collaborate in their advocacy towards the EU and other international partners. Finally, the Facilitator represents the platform vis-à-vis the EU Delegation in Haiti.
Meet the Steering Committee
Christoph Mohni
Christoph Mohni is the coordinator of the Europe-Haiti Coordination (CoEH) since mid-January 2023. After many years of living and working all over the world, he now lives in the European capital, Brussels.
Since his first visit to Haiti more than twenty years ago as programme manager for Haiti at Fastenaktion in Switzerland, he has become very attached to this country. He remains fascinated by the creativity and resilience of the Haitian people in the face of the country’s extremely difficult situation.
Christoph holds a master’s degree in history, ethnology and sociology, a master’s degree in the management of cultural and non-governmental organisations, several diplomas and certificates in development and conflict management as well as in European Union policy making.
He is very happy to put his skills and experience at the service of CoEH and to contribute to the struggle of Haitian civil society to make its voice heard by international actors, in particular the institutions of the European Union and its Member States.
Anna-Gaëlle Chernier
Anna-Gaëlle Chesnier has recently joined the Steering Committee. She is representing the French NGO Secours Catholique – Caritas France and is responsible for projects and partner organisations in Haiti, within the Latin America and Caribbean cluster.
With a background in anthropology and a Master in disaster risk management and climate change adaptation she is interested in development and resilience topics. Hence her support of local partners in Haiti who are setting up sustainable agriculture projects. She has experience in various associations, as well as in several UN entities.
Régis Ponthieux
Régis represents the Collectif Haiti de France in the Coordination Europe-Haiti. He is also a member of GREF, the French Groupement Éducateurs Sans Frontières.
« Primarily interested in Haiti because of its glorious and tragic history, especially its tormented links with France, and because of its warm and cheerful people. Involved in concrete projects of support to education and support to schools by training teachers, directors and managers. »
Barbara Albrecht
Barbara Albrecht has been a member of COPIL since 2016 and chaired the CoEH from 2018 until October 2020. She works for MISEREOR, the German Catholic Bishops’ Organization for Development Cooperation since 2002. After several years as a project manager for different countries in Africa she presently accompanies local partners in Haiti in implementing activities in the field of rural development, health, education and human rights.
‘I believe that the situation in Haiti can only change if people and especially politicians change their behaviour all over the world. We really have to appeal to the consciences of the powerful in Europe and stand up for fair terms of international trade to protect our partners, especially in Haiti.’
Els Hortensius
Els has worked for almost 35 years for the Dutch organisation ICCO. From the very beginning of the Coordination Europe-Haiti she has been active in the platform, representing ICCO. At the beginning of 2015 ICCO terminated its programme in Haiti, but Els continues her engagement with Haiti as a volunteer with the Coordination Europe-Haiti.
« Since my first visit to Haiti in 1997, I have been fascinated by the country and its citizens. I feel challenged to give my support to make the voice of Haitians heard in Brussels. »
Kathia Cardenas
Representing CCFD-Terre Solidaire Kathia has recently joined the Steering Committee. She is responsible for Latin America partnerships in the Caribbean area. With a background in Sociology and a Masters in International Studies specializing in Latin American Studies, she has held several positions as project manager in international NGOs. She is supporting projects of local partners in Haiti focusing on themes of gender, food sovereignty and migration.
Greet Schaumans
Greet is one of the founding members of the Coordination Europe-Haiti. She has been working for the Belgian NGO Broederlijk Delen as manager of the program for Haiti, and for the Belgian NGO confederation 11.11.11 as coordinator of the post-earthquake reconstruction programme. She now works for the platform on a voluntary basis.
‘To be a voice for the Haitian organisations who are struggling for a better life for the Haitian people.’