Friday July 30, 2021, Me Hans Jacques Ludwig JOSEPH, Director General of the Anti-Corruption Unit (ULCC), and Ms. Ana Maria CALDERON BOY, Coordinator of the "Institutional Strengthening in the context of the Fight against Corruption in Haiti" (RILCH) project of the Organization of American States (OAS), initialed a memorandum of understanding on institutional strengthening in the context of the fight against corruption, in the presence of Cristobal DUPOUY, Special Representative of the Secretary General of the OAS and several senior officials of the ULCC.

For Ludwig JOSEPH this Memorandum of Understanding is the signal of a new stage in the fight that his institution is leading against corruption in Haiti. It aims in particular to strengthen the ULCC's investigative structures by setting up integrated financial crime investigation teams through the active participation of OAS experts.

This agreement will also promote the continuous training of judges, prosecutors, specialized police officers and national and international financial investigators participating in the investigation of corruption cases. "The ULCC is engaging on steep terrain. The fight against this scourge tends to destroy great interests and advantages obtained under illegal conditions. But, This neutral State structure, endowed with qualified and incorruptible investigators, assumes its responsibilities with courage. If by personal calculations or perhaps, by lack of will, those who act in the name of the Haitian State give up making for their country Haiti, the difficult choices but essential to its progress, the judgment of posterity will admit no mitigating circumstance in their favor," said Director JOSEPH.

In her intervention Mrs. CALDERON BOY, considers that the signing of this memorandum of understanding is an important step for the fight against corruption in Haiti and for the OAS and declared "An independent and impartial justice is essential to the fight against corruption and impunity, which is one of the main obstacles to democracy and to the promotion, protection and effective enjoyment of human rights in the region. This is why the OAS strives to fight corruption by strengthening the institutions and officials responsible for investigating and prosecuting corruption cases, such as the ULCC and I am sure that the commitment that comes to fruition today with the signing of this protocol will strengthen the professionalization and capacities of ULCC officials to investigate and prosecute corruption and financial crimes."

HL/ HaitiLibre