ARTICLE - MALPASSE BORDER PROBLEMS

BACK TO NORMAL AT THE MALPASSE BORDER
(Haiti Libre) -

On January 21-22, 2012, after an altercation involving a Dominican driver and an agent of the National Police of Haiti, the unionists of the Dominican Republic forced the closure of the Haitiano-Dominican border at Jimani/Malpasse.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs informs that a high-level Haitian delegation, composed of the Secretaries of State for Foreign Affairs Mr. Pierre-Richard Casimir, of the Public Security, Mr. Reginald Delva, of a member of the Cabinet of the Ministry of Interior, Local Authorities, National Defense, and executives of both Ministries, went to Malpasse on Sunday January 22 to enter into negotiations with a delegation led by the Ambassador of the Dominican Republic in Haiti, His Excellency Ruben Silié Valdez.

The meeting took place in an atmosphere of cordiality and mutual respect, at the end of which both parties have agreed for the immediate reopening of the border and held a meeting Tuesday, January 24 in Port-au Prince with the participation of representatives of the Governments of Haiti and of the Dominican Republic, the unionists of both countries to find a definitive solution to the problem of cross-border transport.

The presence of the delegation to Jimani/Malpasse was motivated partly by the desire to allow the return of Haitian passengers and pilgrims after the Feast of Our Lady of Altagrâce to Higuey, and secondly to ensure the free movement of people and goods at this important border point of the border between Haiti and the DR.