Haiti Reconstruction: Paris Preparatory Meeting for

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 PARIS 001310 SIPDIS SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED STATE FOR WHA/CAR, EB/IFD/ODF AND EUR/WE STATE PASS USAID FOR LAC BRUSSELS FOR USEU E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID HA FR SUBJECT: Haiti Reconstruction: Paris Preparatory Meeting for Cayenne Ministerial REFS: A) Paris 1001 B) State 29300 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: On February 24, representatives of State, Treasury and USAID attended a French-hosted preparatory meeting in Paris in preparation for the ministerial conference on Haiti reconstruction to be held on March 18, 2005, in Cayenne, French Guiana. The French presented the Cayenne Conference as a pre-electoral opportunity for the international community to concretely demonstrate to the Haitian people that aid is flowing and conditions will soon improve in Haiti. Participating countries, the UN, and IFIs described their current and projected development work in Haiti, and stressed the importance of collaboration among parties in order to maximize development efforts. Particular focus was placed on the concept of "quick wins" and the need for additional visibility through coordinated public relations activities. The USDEL noted that the United States has been the fastest country to disburse assistance, and the major donor to Haiti to date. USDEL also warned France that the Cayenne Conference would have to be more focused if it was to successfully achieve its stated aim of making international aid more visible. End Summary. ¶2. (U) The meeting, hosted by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was attended by the following countries and organizations: Argentina, the World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank, Brazil, Canada, Chile, the European Commission, Spain, France, Haiti, Mexico and the United Nations Development Program. Mosina Jordan, USAID Senior Deputy Assistant Administrator for Latin America and the Caribbean, headed the United States delegation. Beth Cypser, USAID Director of Caribbean Affairs, Maureen Wafer, Treasury's Latin America Office, and Andrew Erickson, State's Office of Caribbean Affairs deputy director for Haiti, also attended. The agenda was organized around the four pillars of the Interim Cooperation Framework: (1) strengthen political governance and promote national dialogue, (2) strengthen economic governance and contribute to institutional development, (3) promote economic recovery and (4) improve access to basic services. Presentations by each delegation focused on current and planned development projects. ¶3. (U) Delegation Presentation Summaries -------------- Brazil - Discussed how Brazil's experience as a developing country gives it unique competency to assist Haiti, especially in the areas of health care and industrial development. Brazil highlighted its contributions to peacekeeping, as well as development projects in agriculture, water resource improvement and assistance with upcoming elections, and also stressed how recent undertakings in conjunction with Canada and the World Bank show that Brazil would be an effective contributor to joint initiatives, such as Argentina's Pro-Huerta project (see below). European Commission - Emphasized the urgency of the Haitian crisis, and the need to ensure that international interventions promote sustainable development. The Commission has eleven projects currently underway in areas that include road-construction, election support, agriculture, education and cartography, and has also cooperated with the Dominican Republic on financing development efforts. The Commission delegate also voiced concern about a lack of consultation among donor parties. Chile - The Chilean delegation stated its desire to augment its peacekeeping contribution to Haiti with social aid initiatives that are commensurate with Chile's limited funds, particularly projects to promote sustainable agriculture, build schools and provide drinking water access. The Chilean representative also expressed interest in collaborating with Spain, and recommended more aid coordination to help identify potential areas for contribution. U.S. - USDEL highlighted USAID funding of fuel for electricity generation in Port-au-Prince, waste management and canal cleaning, assistance to farmers, short-term employment initiatives and post-flood infrastructure rebuilding. DAA Jordan emphasized the need for additional funds for further projects in election assistance, provision of electricity, employment creation, and improved health care. She also noted the need for clear benchmarks and a unified reporting mechanism that would not put additional unnecessary burdens on the Haitian Government. Canada - The Canadian representatives discussed their economic development aid carried out in collaboration with the Dominican Republic, as well as projects in sanitation, AIDS prevention and vaccinations. (The Canadians noted the important relationship of the Dominican Republic vis a vis Haiti and requested that they be included in the Cayenne Conference. The French concurred and noted that they had in fact already been invited.) Canada is utilizing the Haitian diaspora community in efforts to promote economic governance. Argentina - Made a proposal for implementing the Pro-Huerta project in Haiti. This program involves small-scale food development in family gardens and farms, accompanied by agricultural training of at-risk, rural populations. It has been carried out in Argentina to considerable success, and Argentina is now looking for partners who could assist them in transferring it to Haiti. Mexico - Representatives gave a preview of the projects that Mexico intends to highlight at the Cayenne conference, including technical assistance for providing drinking water (in conjunction with Spain),clinic training in Port-de- Paix, and training police services, particularly in forensic techniques for crime investigation. Inter-America Development Bank - The IADB stated that it was the primary financial source for long-term development projects in Haiti. It supports projects in all four ICF pillars, including a fiscal reform program, rural economic development and vocational training. Eleven new operations are planned for 2006-2007, and currently US$ 270 million has been allocated for current and forthcoming projects. Spain - Work is being carried out with the Haitian government to ensure food security and to provide economic governance training. With a 400,000 euro budget for 2005, Spain is conducting a two-year literacy program and water and sanitation programs, and wishes to launch a micro-credit operation. World Bank - Through a mixture of grants and loans, the World Bank has financed solid-waste management programs, water treatment and local community development, and has provided food to schools. Bank delegates stressed the importance of collaboration between donors and the Haitian government to increase public awareness of aid efforts and to promote rapid distribution of development funds. France - France will implement fifty-seven projects by the end of 2005. French operations are distributed over all four ICF pillars, and 15 of them involve collaboration with a third party. Haitian Response: The delegation from Haiti expressed a wish for more efforts to be made cooperatively prior to implementation in order to both increase effectiveness and lower implementation costs. They stressed a need for greater coordination among contributing countries and organizations. The Haitian delegation presented a catalog of project proposals, which was distributed to the delegates at the conference. U.S. Concerns -------------- ¶4. (SBU) In extensive discussions with the French on the margins of and after the meeting, USDEL stressed to the GOF the U.S. Government's desire to see a productive and focused meeting in Cayenne on March 18. USDEL suggested that France carefully reexamine the current agenda, with a view towards moving the agenda away from a sterile recitation of project summaries in favor of a more dynamic review of a short list of "quick wins" and of the most successful projects underway in Haiti. The GOF reps promised to look into USDEL's concerns. USDEL also asked the World Bank representative to work with the French and other donors in Port-au-Prince to focus the Cayenne agenda in this way and shape donor expectations accordingly. ¶5. (U) A representative of the U.S. delegation has cleared this message. LEACH