President Fernández Proposes Comprehensive Socio-Economic Development Plan for Haiti

President Fernández Proposes Comprehensive Socio-Economic Development Plan for Haiti

Dominican President, Leonel Fernández, called on the international community to implement a long-term, sustainable economic and social development plan to help Haiti recover not just from the January 12th earthquake but also from the historic poverty it has always faced.

“I think if there is willingness at an international level, it can be done. If they found trillions of dollars to save the banks, why can’t $2 billion dollars a year be gathered to save the lives of 10 million human beings that deserve more luck and a better destiny?” said the President.

In an interview with Telesur upon his arrival to Mexico to participate in Rio Group Summit, President Fernández called it “shameful” that people have waited for a tragedy of this magnitude to help Haiti’s 10 million people, 80% of whom live in poverty while the other 20% live below the poverty line, according to the President’s Office of Information, Press and Fernández said the international community has a debt to Haiti that must be paid due to the 200 years the country spent without being politically recognized and the fact that it experienced long periods of oppression, dictatorships and, consequentially, chronic poverty.

“I think if there is willingness at an international level, it can be done. If they found trillions of dollars to save the banks, why can’t $2 billion dollars a year be gathered to save the lives of 10 million human beings that deserve more luck and a better destiny?” said the President.

He announced that, together with Haitian authorities, they are working on several aid and recovery proposals, adding that a percentage of foreign debt payments made by Latin American and Caribbean countries to the Paris Club could go to that end.

He explained that this way, a Haiti Solidarity Fund can be created to support and finance concrete programs and initiatives for infrastructure, roads, potable water systems, electricity and the building of houses, schools and universities.

President Fernández added that this plan to achieve the historic recovery and reparation of Haiti also requires the participation of the Inter-American Development Bank, the World Bank, the Andean Development Corporation and the European Union.

The Dominican President lamented the fact that developed countries haven’t kept up with agreements made in the United Nations Social Summit in the 90’s in which they promised to donate 0.7% of their Gross Domestic Product to foreign aid.

He said that Haiti can’t wait and solutions must be found quickly. He added that the developed countries that make up the Paris Club can donate a minimum to create the Haiti Solidarity Fund.

“I think that plain and simply it’s just a question of earning less money to contribute a little to a country that dearly needs it. It’s not a radical move and we’re not asking for charity. We are just suggesting that they reduce their earnings in order to contribute to Haiti’s recovery,” he said.

He proposed that Haiti undertake farming and agricultural practices again as a source of immediate employment. With that, not only would they become self-sufficient in their food needs, but it could be a great source of wealth for the county’s residents.