Since the closure of all the borders of the Dominican Republic (March 18) https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30298-haiti-covid-19-daily-bulletin-march-18-2020.html more than one Thousands Haitians have left Dominican territory, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Monday.

According to Joshua Gastelbondo, the head of mission of the IOM in the Dominican Republic, 1,124 Haitians, men, women and children, crossed the common border, which was opened "a few minutes a day" to allow voluntary return

"Due to the coronavirus, Haitian migrants no longer see opportunities and many prefer to return home for a certain time" said Gastelbondo, explaining that the economic measures announced by the Dominican government to help the most disadvantaged population do not reach not Haitians, who work mainly in the informal sector...

The economic impact was significant in the border area, where the population lives on binational trade and it was also felt in the Dominican urban areas, where the Haitians work mainly on construction sites, which are now at stop due to the state of health emergency https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30316-haiti-covid-19-daily-bulletin-march-20-2020.html

Sylvestre Fils Dorcilus, the general coordinator of the Observatory of Migration and Cross-Border of Haiti (OMTT), said that there were daily returns from Haitians, some because of Covid-19 and others not, to which are added deportations "The Dominican Republic continues to expel Haitians every day at the border. Upon arrival, Haitian immigration officials are forced to open their doors to let their citizens in" said Dorcilus.

Gastelbondo warned that the situation could change when the number of cases of coronavirus in Haiti increases "When the situation in Haiti worsens, the border will require special measures" According to him, the border area needs a different epidemiological policy, coordinated between the two countries, in particular, by the local authorities of the municipalities on both sides of the border.

See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30344-haiti-covid-19-daily-bulletin-march-23-2020.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30316-haiti-covid-19-daily-bulletin-march-20-2020.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30298-haiti-covid-19-daily-bulletin-march-18-2020.html

SL/ HaitiLibre