Lula meets with Haiti's prime minister in New York

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva met on Monday, September 23, with the Prime Minister of the Republic of Haiti, Garry Conille. The bilateral meeting is part of a series of commitments on the Brazilian president's agenda, as he is in New York (United States) for the opening of the General Debate of the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) this Tuesday.

During the conversation, the Haitian leader reported on the crisis caused by armed groups in the country and the actions taken by international forces that have helped the government stabilize the situation and recover territories dominated by gangs. Conille mentioned that the defense forces are reorganizing and that the situation can undoubtedly be resolved, but equipment and training are needed.

Lula asked how Brazil could help Haiti in the current situation. He commented on the need for a concrete action plan for Haiti's recovery, one that could engage the international community. According to him, the United Nations General Assembly is an opportunity in this regard. The president emphasized that Brazil is available to assist Haiti in formulating this plan and promoting this debate, both in terms of political awareness and resource mobilization.

"President Lula showed a generous commitment to mobilize other countries to support the situation in Haiti. He was, of course, generous with his time, inspiring in terms of ideas, and we look forward to continuing cooperation with Brazil in the future," said Garry in a statement to the press after the bilateral meeting.

HISTORY — Last year, Lula met with Haitian leaders to exchange views on the regional situation and to seek ways for Brazil to support stability, combat poverty and rebuild the Caribbean country, which was deeply affected by the 2021 and 2010 earthquakes.

The relationship between the two countries is marked by technical cooperation and political dialogue. One of the highlights was the role played by Brazil in the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti [Missão das Nações Unidas para a Estabilização do Haiti /MINUSTAH] between 2004 and 2017.

Since the earthquake that claimed more than 100,000 victims and shook the country's economy in 2010, Haiti has had one of the most significant project portfolios of the Brazilian Cooperation Agency [Agência Brasileira de Cooperação/ABC], with a variety of projects covering fields such as health and education.