This Thursday at new hotel Kinam of Petionville, Prime Minister, Laurent Lamothe and Dominican Foreign Minister, Andres Navarro launched the 4th binational high-level meeting between representatives of the two Republics https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-12335-haiti-politic-toward-a-new-high-level-meeting-with-the-dominicans.html

This space of strategic reflection must allow members of the private sector, Haitian and Dominican, to exchange on trade relations and exploring new partnerships between entrepreneurs of both countries.

Prime Minister Lamothe, in his opening remarks, called for a constructive dialogue that can contribute to the development of both nations. Also, he believes that private sectors of the two countries that are the engine of the island's economy, that they must address the problems faced by populations of the two sides of the island which represent a market of 22 million consumers "[...] I would like to thank our business leaders on both sides of the border, who have again responded to the call of our two governments. Since August 27, 2013, a group of men and women from the business community on both sides have decided to embody by their approach what the island had never seen before: namely the creation a space of dialogue enabling business communities to speak frankly around the asymmetry of our trade exchange, smuggling and informal trade, product bans to imports and tariff and non tariff barriers against products of other and the massive creation of decent and sustainable jobs [...]

I keep repeating. This generation we embody will be that of paradigm shift in our bilateral relations. The agreements signed in this regard, in commercial spheres, health, agricultural, customs, police, immigration, tourism, environment are clear examples of the common vision that we shape together. We do not will reverse the asymmetries and divisions caused by decades of ignorance, misunderstanding or inaction overnight. But we have a moral and historical responsibility to act. Future generations, that of our children and grandchildren would not understand if we did not act while we had the opportunity [...]

The challenges are many, as are the opportunities. The opponent does not reside on the other side of the border as some would like make believe it. Opponents to defeat, are named poverty, unemployment, informality, precariousness. These are adversaries that we must overcome together. In view of commitments made on both sides in recent months, and those we are about to make today, I am confident that we embody well, all here, this generation of change that our people have been waiting for so long [...]"

For his part, the Minister Andres Navarro, insisted on the harmonization of tariffs, a way to reach more fluidity in the binational trade. It was also an opportunity for the leader of the Dominican delegation to welcome the progress already achieved through this space of dialogue, while announcing initiatives along the border to ensure better living conditions for the two peoples.

HL/ TB/ HaitiLibre