Monday on the sidelines of the CARICOM-Japan Summit, held in Port of Spain (Trinidad and Tobago), the President Michel Martelly, met with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

On the agenda of bilateral discussions were discussed among others the electoral process. President Martelly emphasized on the institutional changes to strengthen the foundations of the rule of law and create a climate of peace and stability in Haiti.

While hoping that is passed by the Senate the amendment to the Electoral Law urgently, he told his interlocutor that the Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) was fully operational, and that all preliminary steps to organize free and fair parliamentary and municipal elections were taken.

Regarding employment, the President of the Republic expressed its interest for an exploration of investment opportunities in Haiti by Japanese businessmen. He refers to the Caracol Industrial Park in northern Haiti, near the "Canal du Vent", a international shipping route inking North America and Europe to the Panama Canal. Also, the Head of State hoped that Japanese companies can benefit from preferential access to the U.S. market under the laws HOPE and HELP adopted by the U.S. government to stimulate job creation in Haiti.

Concerning cooperation in favor of development of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), the President Martelly wanted the support from the Japanese Government to the development of the allocation of credit for SMEs and the acquisition of equipment for the project of State aimed at establish industrial micro-parks nationwide.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, commended the efforts of the Haitian Government in favor of social and economic development in Haiti and promised the continuation of the Haitian-Japanese cooperation.

Note that in his speech on the morning of 28 July, in plenary session, Prime Minister Abe, said that the total amount of aid from Japan to CARICOM member states, including Haiti, is expected to increase by next year, by 6 times, compared to the past three years.

HL/ HaitiLibre