Issues
Each topic includes an overview of the situation in Haiti and the response of the European Union. In addition we present the advocacy activities of the CoEH on this subject. Also, there are documents and reports available from Haitian organizations.
Haiti/Dominican Republic: The construction of a wall at the border concerns organizations in both countries
On February 21, 2022, the Dominican authorities launched the much trumpeted construction of an electrical wall approximately 380 kilometers long on the border with Haiti. The control of migratory and commercial flows, smuggling, drug and human trafficking are the arguments put forward to justify this project. Not everyone within the ruling party or in civil society organizations in the two countries is in agreement with the decision of the Dominican government. Colette Lespinasse is informing us.
Webinar on the Political Crisis in Haiti
At the initiative of the Greens/EFA deputy, Ms. Caroline Roose, of the European Parliament and supported by the Belgian Tricontinental Centre (CETRI), 3 Haitian women took part, on February 8, 2022, in a webinar about the situation in Haiti. Colette Lespinasse, COEH correspondent in Haiti, attended the webinar and wrote about it.
Four out of five Haitians dream of a future elsewhere
Six years ago, Haitians were mainly concerned about the economic situation. In a survey, lack of security received less than 10 percent of the vote. But according to a recent survey, gang violence, kidnappings and murders – in short, security – now completely dominate the residents. Everything else is secondary. Meanwhile, Haitian civil society and foreign countries think differently about how to tackle the crisis.
Haitian Soupe Joumou Now Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity
On December 16, 2021 Haiti’s traditional soup joumou was awarded protected cultural heritage status by the UNESCO. A well-deserved award, for which we congratulate all our Haitian friends. Our representative in Haiti, Colette Lespinasse, talks about the importance of the soup and shares her recipe. Bon apeti!
Haiti: Promotion of agroecology as a strategy to achieve food sovereignty
A month ago, representatives of peasant organisations, labour unions and NGOs met in Port-au-Prince to discuss agroecology as a strategy to achieve food sovereignty. At the end of the three-day forum discussion, the participants adopted a declaration committing themselves to promote and defend the agroecological family-based agriculture and to fight against land grabbing. Colette Lespinasse attended the meeting and shares her impressions.
A Pact for Ecological and Social Transition in Haiti
In a few days, the COP26 will take place in Glasgow. In Haiti, where social injustice and environmental destruction are extreme, the association GAFE, Groupement Francophone pour l’Environnement, has joined forces with the citizens movement Alternatiba. In a particularly difficult context, a dynamic and original movement was born, anchored in civic engagement and a territorial approach to development. The latest initiative of GAFE and the Alternatiba-Haiti Movement concerns a Pact for the Ecological and Social Transition in Haiti.
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Interesting links
Tuesday, November 22, 2022: The 1937 Remembrance Committee, a group of Haitians around the 1937 massacre, is concerned about what is currently happening in the Dominican Republic and has published a note of protest and condemnation of the deportations of Haitian immigrants and their descendants (in French).
Monday November 7, 2022: Virginie Pochon, co-founder of GAFE Haiti and GAFE France, has written an excellent analysis of the current situation in Haiti. Click here for the link to the analysis (in French).
Plate-forme Haiti de Suisse
This organisation has interesting information and newsletters about the latest news from haiti.
Visit their website to read more >
Collectif Haïti de France
CHF is sharing interesting information (only in French) on their website, where you can also subscribe to their newsletter: https://www.collectif-haiti.fr/actualites/collectif/
Monday October 31, 2022: Colette Lespinasse, CoEH representative in Haiti, has been interviewed by the German magazine Welt-sichten. Click here for the link to the article (in German).
Friday October 28, 2022: Els Hortensius, member of the CoPil, has been interviewed by Dutch national radio about the situation in Haïti. Click here for the link to the interview (in Dutch).
Thursday October 6, 2022: On Thursday, the European Parliament adopted a resolution on the respect for human rights in Haiti. Click here for the link to the resolution.
Interesting documents
November 2022: The French Farmer’s Confederation (Confédération Paysanne) sent a letter to President Macron, demanding the French authorities to end all political interference with Haiti (in French).
In October 2022 CRAN released a document about the current crisis in Haiti (in Creole and in French).
CRAN et CE-JILAP sur la constitution (in French and Creole) June 2021
2020-02-10 Consultaton de la Société Civile Haïtienne_28 janvier (only in French)
Declaration for an agrarian policy in Haiti – FULL TEXT (11 October 2017)
Advocacy Documents
Coordination Europe-Haiti – contribution EEAS consultation on relations with Latin America and the Caribbean (15 February 2018)
Coordination Europe-Haiti aperçu contexte actuel en Haïti (12 December 2017)
CoEH Lettre situation droits humains en Haïti (3 July 2017)