The Dominican President Leonel Fernández, visited Haiti on Saturday to attend the inauguration ceremonies of the new President of Haiti, Michel Martelly. Leonel Fernández, declared that it was the first time that a Dominican President attended the swearing in of a Haitian President elected during free elections "The fact that the President of the Dominican Republic may attend a presidential transition in Haiti, indicates that we live in an era of democracy in Latin America." adding that "the process of consolidation of democracy in Latin America, is reflected in the autonomy of Haiti and the Dominican Republic and the capacity to take decisions together."

On the sidelines of the swearing in, the President Leonel Fernández, stressing the importance of the multiple relationships between the two countries, has discussed yesterday with his Haitian counterpart, on the need to reactivate the Joint Commission Bilateral (CMB) to address issues relating to the : economic, trade, investment, immigration, tourism, education, health and the reconstruction, common to the two countries.

The CMB was created in 1996 to coordinate government policies between the two countries. Inactive since 2000, it was only in August 2010 that the President Préval, during a meeting in Santo Domingo with the President Fernández, that the Commission was formally reactivated to work on common themes. Unfortunately, since last August, despite a visit to Port-au-Prince of President Leonel Fernández, because of the complex political situation in Haiti, the Commission has not been able to work effectively.

Let us wish that our new President, relaunch the CMB without delay, because the subjects of tensions with our neighbors, are numerous and require quick solutions.

Article HL/ HaitiLibre