ARTICLE - END OF VISIT OF MEXICAN PRES.

END OF THE VISIT OF MEXICAN PRESIDENT FELIPE CALDERON
(Haiti Libre) -

President Michel Martelly, and the First Lady Sophia Martelly, warmly welcomed yesterday Thursday at the National Palace, the 56th President of Mexico, Felipe Calderón Hinojosa and his wife Margarita Zavala. For this working visit, the presidential couple was accompanied by parliamentarians and several Mexican businessmen. This important delegation was received at the Toussaint Louverture International Airport by Foreign Minister, Laurent Lamothe, also Prime Minister-designate.

Following a face to face meeting at the National Palace, during a joint press conference, President Martelly, said that he was satisfied with this visit and welcomed the presence of his Mexican counterpart on Haitian soil.

"[...] This is the first time that the Haitian people welcome a President of Mexico since the establishment of diplomatic relations between our two countries. President Calderón, I would like to express our appreciation for your visit to Haiti. Your presence is a clear sign of the strengthening of friendly and fraternal relations between our two countries, between Haiti and Mexico [...] our relationship, our relationships date from the commencement of our first steps on the international stage. President Alexandre Pétion had welcomed and supported General Francisco Javier Mina in 1816, an independentist and a brave revolutionary who shed his blood for the triumph of the Mexican case. Haitians have also lost their lives for the liberation of Mexico, after the landing of General Mina, April 15, 1817 in the current area of Tampico.

I would also welcome the presence of your distinguished wife. Haiti had the privilege of receiving her on 6 April 2010 after the earthquake of January 12, 2010. You introduced, First Lady, the series of interventions carried out by your country to assist the victims. Indeed, 80,000 IDPs were taken over by Mexico.

Mexican cooperation from 2010 to 2012 totaled more than $23 million in the areas of education, health and agriculture; not to mention the construction and repair of 15 public markets. On behalf of the Haitian people, we thank you.

The Haitian-Mexican Joint Commission, whose work was on hold since December 2007 has just been reactivated. Today, as part of an open dialogue during the bipartite workshop, our discussions focused on the cooperation between our two countries and the need to revive the Joint Bilateral Commission on the Promotion of investment in Haiti and on international security issues. With President Calderón I also spoke of peace and the evolution of democracy in Haiti."

On the cooperation between Haiti and Mexico, I want to present our conversations on the following points of agreement :

Ratification by Haiti, of the Framework Agreement of technical and scientific cooperation signed by both States in 2003 and ratified by Mexico for 5 years;

We talked about the invitation of Haiti to the G20 summit, which is a space for dialogue between industrialized countries and emerging countries. Haiti could take the opportunity to attract direct investment of foreign capital. The agenda of this summit has already been set up. President Calderón proposed to try to create a space, where the question of Haiti could be presented. Of course, this may not be possible, as everything is already organized ;

We also addressed the issue of the cooperation in the fight against organized crime and narcotics;

We talked about the control of migration flows, because since 2010 many Haitians pass through Belize to go to Mexico and then to the U.S. President Calderón has managed to help the Haitians who are just passing and considered as illegal. He has already addressed this problem and ensures to accompany the Haitians so that they are not mistreated. We say to him thank you;

President Calderón has proposed to offer nearly 300 scholarships for young Haitians;

We discussed the technical cooperation between the Haitian and Mexican electoral institutions for the achievement of local elections and the renewal of one third of the Senate;

We also spoke of Mexico's participation in the tripartite Venezuela-Haiti-Cuba cooperation, in the health field. Even today, the President will inaugurate a new health center in Haiti;

He spoke also of rebuilding or providing support to the hospital of Gonaïves.

For his part, President Felipe Calderón expressed his appreciation for the hospitality of President Martelly and took the opportunity to formally invite the Head of State of Haiti and his wife to visit Mexico soon. "Mexico is a country that loves you," he declared. "Haiti and Mexico, will continue to know each other better."

Mr. Calderón, who welcomed the Mexican assistance to the Haitian people, renewed the solidarity and commitment of his country to Haiti. "Mexico will always be with Haiti," promised the Chief of the Mexican state.

The President of the Republic of Haiti firmly believes that we must continue to attract investment in the country, which is now "open for business." In this regard, a delegation of Mexican businessmen staying in Haiti since April 8, 2012 [note that Carlos Slim, the richest man in the world, whose arrival had been announced, was not able come to Haiti]

"I am determined to open the country to investment, and Mexico is invited to join us in this dynamic," concluded President Martelly.