Friday, December 4, at the Office of the National Authorizing Officer of the European Development Fund (BONFED), the Government, the Caribbean Forum (CARIFORUM) and the European Union launched the Multi-Country Border Security Program (PSFMP) in Jamaica, in Haiti and in the Dominican Republic

The main objective of this program, with funding from the European Development Fund (EDF) of 5.4 million Euros over 4 years, is to enable Jamaica, the Dominican Republic and Haiti to contribute significantly to the regional security through the establishment of a management and information exchange system between law enforcement agencies; improving maritime and land border surveillance capacities against transnational organized crime; strengthening the investigative skills of national institutions and their capacity to organize joint operations to intercept and identify organized criminal organizations, and strengthen prevention and the fight against human trafficking.

The Report on Human Development in the Caribbean (2016) indicates that among the greatest threats to security and sustainable development in the region are found the highly lucrative organized transnational criminal activities focused on illicit drugs and weapons trafficking as well as human trafficking and money laundering.

The first three components of this program will be implemented in partnership with an agency from EU Member States, the International and Ibero-American Foundation for Administration and Public Policies (FIIAPP), and the Police institutions of Haiti, Jamaica and the Dominican Republic to ensure adequate security expertise. The component of combating human trafficking will be implemented by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) because of its specific mandate and its technical expertise in this area in the region.

In his intervention, Jean Jacques, the National Authorizing Officer of the EDF, declared "With the support of the European Union, Haiti has engaged without hesitation in this double struggle. Cooperating with the Dominican Republic and Jamaica is a winning strategy to counter the negative effects of illicit trafficking and human trafficking and to guarantee the well-being of populations. However, it is clear that this cooperation cannot succeed without good national coordination."

For his part, Rockefeller Vincent, the Minister of Justice renewed the action of justice in the repression of these serious crimes underlining "my private office, which comes to reinforce the Legal Unit of the Ministry, will remain mobilized as for the treatment of cases of organized crimes and the resulting requests for international judicial cooperation."

HL/ HaitiLibre