ARTICLE - ROLE OF INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY

THE ROLE OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY
(Haiti Libre) -

Concerning the role of the international community (IC) vis-a-vis Haiti, the Ambassador of France accredited to Haiti, Didier Le Bret provided some clarification.

"[...] The question is not to know whether you are going to please Washington, Paris, Ottawa or Brussels... The question is: are things moving in the general interest, in accordance with the commitments taken by those who are now invested with the supreme function [...] we are there (CI) in a position of a facilitator. We are here to ensure this in a country that is still massively supported by the International Community. That means that we implement through our cooperation programs, which are as effective as possible [...] The goal of our cooperation is not to be in Haiti for life, the objective of our cooperation ultimately, is to be able to pass the baton...

[...] I think things are moving in this country. Those who predicted the worst, they are mistaken. The political transition was carried out with difficulty, but nevertheless, you have succeeded. You now have a government with ministers who are at work, with a cap very clear, with major sectoral policies, and the 5E's of the Head of State. There is a clear intention that this country be governed by rules of law, so all this going in the right direction. After [...] what is essential is to consolidate the conditions for development; that is to say, safety, peace, harmonious political transitions, a governance that is as exemplary as possible [...]

I think that the realization of elections by the end of the year is realistic, and I think that if we want to preserve civil peace in Haiti, we need to hold elections within a reasonable time in order to avoid speculation that would tend to support the idea that we are in a regime which is not a democratic regime. President Martelly has said very clearly, the Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe also; they are not afraid of elections, they're preparing for them with international partners [...]

These are key elements in the base of a democracy [...] Haiti will not attract investment if it does not demonstrate that it wants to have a strong grounding in what is now democracy [...] we must continue,... and it is the responsibility of the international community to support this movement [...] We believe, that we must support the electoral process, and ensure that you have a complete Senate and mayors normally elected..."