Thursday, Philippe Bauduin, Deputy Director General of the French Development Agency (AFD) for the Caribbean, European Union Ambassador Vincent Degert, the Minister of National Education Pierre Josué Agénor Cadet, the Director General of the National Institute of Vocational Training (INFP), Maguy Durce, the Minister of Agriculture Carmel André Belliard, signed an agreement that materializes the financing of the Rural Vocational Training Improvement Project (PAFMIR) to the tune of € 11 million thanks to co-financing of €8 million from the European Union and €3 million from AFD.

Launched in 2016 and renewable every five years, the PAFMIR must, in particular, allow an increase in the supply of training in 6 existing centers in rural areas, the accompaniment of reflections on the conditions for a sustainable funding mechanism and the strengthening of capacity for steering and implementing reforms by the State.

Minister Cadet welcomed this multi-party cooperation. He said he believed that this project would enable the Ministry to make progress in its reform of this sub-sector and was convinced that "[...] the development of the country requires the training of high-level technicians in order to meet the needs of enterprises [...]"

According to Philippe Bauduin, this project aims to offer quality vocational training to young people living in rural areas. "Through this new commitment, together with our European partner, we reinforce our desire to coordinate and pool our support to public policy, between technical and financial partners. By placing the Haitian State in full responsibility for steering implementation, this project is a challenge for the Haitian authorities as well as an opportunity to fulfill an essential public service : the vocational training for the socio-economic development of the country."

For his part, Ambassador Vincent Degert stressed "If the natural potentialities and the financial resources remain useful assets for the growth of a country, the latter to be properly exploited, necessarily need an accompaniment in human capital, which remains the 'raw material' for development.

This Project to improve vocational training (PAFMIR) is the result of a joint study with the Haitian State through the National Vocational Training Institute and its partners, including the Ministry of Agriculture, to improve the quality of the vocational and technical training available to young Haitians so that they have the necessary skills to participate fully in the economic development of their country."

Maggy Durce highlighted the spin-offs of this project that valorize agricultural trades and other rural professions.

S/ HaitiLibre