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Haiti - Geneva : Former President Michel Martelly, panellist invited to the UNECE 24/05/2017 10:09:15
Speech of Michel Martelly : "My inclusion on this panel alongside members of this respected panel, is an absolute honor. Your involvement in this endeavor reignites my personal hopes of seeing a more sustainable and equitable region through collaboration. A pertinent aspect of today’s meeting is, demonstrating how public private partnerships serve as useful tools towards attaining our sustainable development goals. The hope of experiencing a socially, ecologically and economically sustainable Haiti is one that I have cherished throughout my presidency and even more so now. The fact that the initial sustainable development goal targets the end of poverty is not accidental. Poverty is the ultimate obstruction to all aspects of sustainability. In a country, such as Haiti, the barriers posed by poverty are not hypothetical, poverty blocks access to basic needs like education, nutrition and health to simply cite a few. As a former president, I had always set forth my best efforts in the attempt of eradicating poverty, and assuring that a precedence was set directing Haiti towards the attainment of comprehensive sustainability. My co-panelists, I am certain that our intentions have not significantly differed; therefore, you too can attest that good faith alone does not suffice. Identifying and securing the necessary resources to meet such goals, require a strategic state, capable of effectively performing its public functions: a state able to pledge and deliver legal, political and administrative assurances to secure the private sector’s partnership, not to mention, incentives capable of endorsing competitiveness. In its efforts of economic, social, political and territorial governance, I like to believe that the reins of the current administration are in good hands. In this case, what is the significance of PPP for Haiti? In Haiti’s already exhausted economy, PPP can easily be the first link in the chain surely leading to the improvement of its population’s living conditions as a mutual commitment by state and private actors. PPP can and must play a role of primary importance in Haiti’s prosperity by placing it on the world's business card through the financing of infrastructure, utilities, job creation and the development of innovative companies in sectors that are insufficiently exploited, such as the construction industry, research, energy, and many more. In 2012, during my administration, we recognized the significant gaps that could be filled with the integration of PPP in the framework of financing for development, servicing the population’s needs and the provision of public goods. Consequently, a Central Unit for the Management of Public-Private Partnerships was created within the Ministry of Economy and Finance. Since accessible education has long been a personal priority, one of the most recent activities exemplifying structured collaboration between state and private institutions was our establishment of the Universal Free and Compulsory Schooling Program (PSUGO). At the beginning of the 2011-2012 school year, a service agreement was signed with numerous private schools which benefitted over half a million students. In the following year, the program expanded to include twice the number of participating schools and student beneficiaries. The results are encouraging as there is a striking reduction in the depletion rate and a marked improvement in the school attendance success rate. To achieve this, a substantial increase of funds and trust had to be granted to the education sector. In comparison to past national school enrollment levels, considerable changes have been experienced. These impressive results could not be obtained without the use of private school infrastructure and equipment. This is therefore a good example of the implementation of a public-private partnership framework, but it does not limit the possibilities. There are numerous opportunities. Despite obstacles, the Republic of Haiti is now projecting a better image of business opportunities in the areas of intervention where investments can be made in major programs or projects that have been either insufficiently exploited or not at all. There is fertile ground for the expansion of public-private partnerships with considerable potential for growth capable of sustainably benefitting Haitian economy through public service provision. A few examples of such opportunities are development of green and blue economies in the fields of energy, transport infrastructure, agriculture and fishing as well as communication and a number of social services. For instance, Haiti has more than 1500 km of coastline and yet maritime transport is by no means organized. The need to develop Haiti's transport sub-sector in its three dimensions: land, sea and air is vital. There are regional prospects as well. For instance, just two examples would be : 1. The establishment of a Caribbean platform for trade and investment promotion and 2. The institutionalization of a Caribbean and Latin American forum to promote investment and good practices in economic governance and partnership development. The implications of the partnerships mentioned partially, represent my personal vision, mission and commitment to sustainable development in Haiti. Although I am no longer president, I remain highly dedicated to the hope of having a socially, ecologically and economically sustainable Haiti. As I further reflect, I have realized that the best part of my no longer being president is the ability to soundly re-evaluate, assess what worked, what did or could not work as well as adaptations of existing best practices. My hope for sustainability continues to fuel my innate passion for a better Haiti. Derrick Jensen, the American environmental activist once said: “We cannot hope to create a sustainable culture with any but sustainable souls.” This is a short quote, but it resonates profoundly within me. Because, any hope for a sustainable Haiti, entails the inspiration and involvement of all its people. In considering Haiti’s current situation, juxtaposed to the Sustainable Development Goals for the year 2030, clearly, it is a difficult race. My preoccupation by this, compels me to further commit myself to the SDGs. I have therefore gathered others with a similar hope to contribute in the creation of the Haiti I continue to envision. With the involvement of like-minded individuals, I hope to inspire and incite a movement, whose mission is to promote an economically sustainable Haiti through the empowerment of young entrepreneurs tackling poverty with sustainable solutions and meaningful social impact. The idea is to create a social empowerment movement whose participants contribute to a balanced Haiti reaching the sustainable development goals along with its international counterparts. In saying so, I am alluding to an interconnectivity of empowerment with sustainable goal attainment in Haiti. Our people must be empowered to contribute to our goals. In concluding, I accentuate the tremendous impediment that poverty represents for the achievement of the SDGs. Unless we transform our passions into actions that can motivate others to join in the fight, the 2030 SDGs will fail to become reality in my part of the world. I thank you for this opportunity to share and I encourage and challenge you to hold more of such exchanges." HL/ HaitiLibre
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