HAITI the focus of SI Latin America and Caribbean Committee discussions

LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN IN THE PROCESS OF GLOBALISATION

Original: Spanish

Underlining the Socialist International's support for the advancement of the democratic institutions in Haiti and the electoral timetable to establish an elected government in February 2006, and in particular to express its solidarity with its member parties there currently engaged in a process of merging into a single progressive political force, the SI Committee for Latin America and the Caribbean met in Port-au-Prince on 21-22 January 2005.

The meeting's discussions centred on the current situation in Haiti and on the issue of Latin America and the Caribbean in the process of globalisation. The inaugural session on Friday 21 January was attended by some 300 guests from the Haitian political spectrum and addressed by Haiti's Prime Minister Gérard Latortue; the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Haiti and Head of the UN Stabilisation Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), Juan Gabriel Valdés; the leaders from the SI member parties, Victor Benoit from Konakom and Serge Gilles from Panpra; the Chair of the Committee, Rolando Araya; and the SI Secretary General, Luis Ayala.

Discussions reflected the political advances made in recent months in the country, noted the efforts of the interim authorities, including the President and the Prime Minister, and the contribution of different political actors in creating a climate of confidence conducive to the success of the established electoral timetable, which includes the holding of municipal elections in October and parliamentary and presidential elections in November of this year. Special recognition was made in the debate of the role played by MINUSTAH in the improvement of the internal security in Haiti and participants underlined the SI's support for its member parties in their efforts to unite and together to face the forthcoming elections, committing the International to continue its involvement in Haiti. The Committee issued the Declaration of Port-au-Prince addressing these issues. A Declaration was also agreed regarding the second theme of the meeting's agenda. On the evening of Friday 21 January, a special meeting with the President of the Republic of Haiti, HE Boniface Alexandre took place at which the involvement of the International with the struggle of the Haitian people over the years was highlighted.

Participants included delegations from the Socialist Party (PS) of Chile, the Chilean Party for Democracy (PPD) ; the Liberal Party of Colombia (PLC) ; the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE) ; the Socialist Party (PS) of France ; the Peruvian Aprista Party (PAP) ; the Puerto Rican Independence Party (PIP) ; the Dominican Revolutionary Party (PRD) of Dominican Republic ; the Swedish Social Democratic Party (SAP) ; the Socialist Party of Uruguay (PSU) ; and from the Haitian parties : National Congress of Democratic Movements (KONAKOM) ; Progressive Revolutionary Nationalist Party (PANPRA) ; Aiyti Kapab ; and the Organisation of the People in Struggle (OPL).