Haiti - FLASH : What Macron will say about the «ransom» of Haiti's Independence

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Haiti - FLASH : What Macron will say about the «ransom» of Haiti's Independence
17/04/2025 09:33:23

As part of the commemoration of the 200th anniversary of the ordinance of King Charles X, recognizing the independence of Haiti, against the payment of a colossal indemnity of 150 million gold francs, reduced in 1938 to 90 million, the Embassy of Haiti in France, organized a conference debate around the Royal Ordinance of April 17, 1825 imposing the debt of independence. Haiti would finish paying the final interest on this "ransom" in 1952.

Moderated by Professor Gusti-Klara Gaillard, a historian specializing in Franco-Haitian relations, this event brought together French parliamentarians, including Senator Micheline Jacques of Saint Barthélemy, Deputy of Guadeloupe Christian Baptiste, Representative of the International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF) in the Caribbean Emmanuel Adjovi, representatives of the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, and prominent figures from the Haitian community in France.

This conference provided an opportunity to revisit the historical, economic, and human implications of the ordinance imposed by King Charles X, by which Haiti was forced to pay a heavy indemnity to France in exchange for recognition of its independence.

The discussions provided a better understanding of the context in which the country found itself at the time of the imposition of this order, President Boyer's resistance, and the mechanism for paying this compensation through the various loans taken out by Haiti at high interest rates from French banks.

Moreover, as part of this bicentennial of the recognition of Haiti's independence, according to statements made to the media by the Élysée Palace, President Emmanuel Macron will recognize "the unjust force of history that struck Haiti from its very beginnings" and pay the high price demanded by France in exchange for the recognition of its independence.

"He will launch an in-depth study to assess the impact of this compensation on Haiti's development, and President Macron will draw all the necessary conclusions once this work is completed," explained a presidential advisor, adding, "The aim of this work will be to arrive at drawing a certain number of conclusions which will be historically incontestable, in order to see how France, practically, can go to the end of the path of recognition on which it is engaged," without, however, hinting at possible financial reparations.

The French Presidency emphasizes that this is "a process of recognition, not repentance," which should be inspired by what has already been done under Emmanuel Macron's two terms regarding the Algerian War and the Rwandan genocide, specifying, "this is only the beginning of the process."

SL/ HaitiLibre