Qatar-Haiti relations set to grow stronger, says envoy
The two countries are exploring investment potential in agro-industry, tourism sectors
THE establishment of formal diplomatic relations between Qatar and Haiti will enhance relations between the two countries and its people, Chief of Mission and Charg d’Affaires at the Embassy of Haiti in Qatar Fran ois Guillaume II has said.
The Embassy of Haiti in Doha was established in August, 2019, and opened in November, 2019.
In an interview with Qatar Tribune on Wednesday, the official said Qatar has been a great partner to Haiti over the years, especially after the 2010 earthquake when Qatar established a humanitarian fund called the ‘Qatar Haiti Fund’.
He said several MoUs are in the process of being finalised between the two countries, which will form the basis of most of future cooperation initiatives. He also said that there are investment potentials being explored by the two countries in the agro-industry and tourism sectors.
“The realisation of Qatar and Haiti bilateral relations is a direct manifestation of the will of the heads of both states to strengthen ties between the two countries. I also take this opportunity to present warm greetings from my President HE Jovenel Mo se to the people of Qatar. As the embassy of the Republic of Haiti was recently established, bilateral relations between the two countries will initially be focused on trade and investment, cultural exchanges and sports diplomacy. Beyond that, we believe that the ties can bring mutually beneficial initiatives in several other areas”, said Guillaume.
“Haiti’s stature is marked by its status of being the ‘first black republic’ having fought for its independence since 1804, in uence of its independence over a new world order at that time as well as its support to other nations in their quest for freedom and self-determination - symbol of a cradle of a new civilisation and of decolonisation”, the official remarked.
He added: “Although Haiti is considered to be a ‘resource-poor’ country, I assure you that the Haiti I know and that most people get to know, is a nation rich in topographic, human, historic, cultural and ingenious resilience capital. A set of capital resources when aligned, have the potential of offering the most alluring opportunities.”
On how Haiti can contribute to Qatar in the field of research and healthcare, Guillaume stressed that one of the areas that Haiti has not only been successful in, but has also been a model to other nations is in its research and treatment of infectious diseases.
According to the official, “Consequently, I would be remiss if I did not mention GHESKIO, a world-class research, treatment and training facility in Haiti. Its status as an international research centre of excellence stems from its characteristic as a model of US and international collaboration for over 30 years. GHESKIO research evolved from early epidemiologic and natural history studies to the conduct of clinical trials supported by an NIH MERIT Award (1990). GHESKIO’s productivity has been recognised by uninterrupted NIH support since 1983. The GHESKIO CTU (Clinical Trial Unit) has conducted seven adult therapeutic, nine HIV vaccine and four maternalchild-adolescent trials with 3,400 participants enrolled and retention rates of 98 percent. To date, there have been over 130 peer-reviewed publications with seminal studies published in prestigious journals. GHESKIO is also a model for international students training, as it hosts undergraduate, graduate, and medical students and postdoctoral fellows from North America and Europe for research training. Students are assigned a Haitian mentor and perform behavioural, clinical, public health, or laboratory-based research. Past trainees have published research articles in The New England Journal of Medicine, The American Journal of Public Health, and Clinical Infectious Diseases, as well as presented their research at international conferences.”
“I see so many enriching experiences that both Qatari and Haitian nationals can share and learn from each other,” he concluded.