HAITI: REVIEW FOR SUSPENSION OF TITLE III OF

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PORT AU PRINCE 000493 SIPDIS STATE FOR WHA/CAR STATE FOR WHA/CCA GABRIELA ZAMBRANO E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/20/2019 TAGS: ETRD ETIC PREL PGOV HA CU SUBJECT: HAITI: REVIEW FOR SUSPENSION OF TITLE III OF LIBERTAD ACT REF: A. SECSTATE 48487 ¶B. PORT AU PRINCE 08 01695 ¶C. PORT AU PRINCE 08 00767 Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Thomas C. Tighe for reasons 1.4 (b,d). ¶1. (C) Summary: The Government of Haiti values the assistance it receives from Cuba and never criticizes Cuba's democracy or human rights record. Haiti and Cuba, along with Venezuela, are parties to a tripartite agreement that facilitates technical assistance to Haiti in the areas of electricity generation, medical services and medical education. Cuban technical assistance and training have supported construction and technical support for three power plants in Haiti. Cuban doctors provide medical services in the capital and the provinces, and Haitian medical students study without charge in Cuba. Four Haitian ministers traveled to Cuba in March to discuss expanding bilateral agreements to include disaster cooperation. Haitian President Preval did not visit Cuba this reporting cycle. End Summary. Human Rights and Democracy Promotion -------------- ¶2. (C) The Government of Haiti (GOH) does not criticize or comment on Cuba's human rights or democracy record, and does not work to promote the advancement of democracy and human rights in Cuba. There have been no Cuba-related resolutions passed in the Haitian Parliament since the previous Libertad report (ref B). Post is aware of no Haitian government actions in support of civil society in Cuba through its diplomatic missions or other fora. Bilateral Agreements, Exchanges and Technical Assistance -------------- -------------- ¶3. (SBU) Haiti is partner to a Venezuelan-Cuban-Haitian tripartite cooperative agreement which provides technical assistance to Haiti, including building and upgrading electrical power plants. Under the Tripartite agreement, Venezuela provides and sets up electrical generators and other plant equipment. Cuba provides on-site engineering and technical assistance, and trains Haitian technicians in Cuba on operation and maintenance (ref C). Three electrical power plants have been developed under this agreement: two 15-megawatt power plants in the northern city of Cap Haitien and Gonaives in the Artibonite Department and a 30-megawatt power plant in the Carrefour neighborhood south of Port-au-Prince. ¶4. (SBU) Haitian medical students continue to receive scholarships to study in Cuba. To date, over 1,000 Haitians have participated in this program, most of them at the Caribbean School of Medicine in Santiago. 170 of these students have now returned to Haiti. There are an estimated 390 Cuban health professionals (including physicians, dentists and graduate level nurses) currently providing medical and dental services at hospitals and clinics throughout Haiti. Aero Caribbean offers a regularly scheduled flight from Port-au-Prince to Santiago de Cuba on Thursdays and Sundays and regularly scheduled flights from Port-au-Prince to Havana via Santo Domingo. ¶5. (SBU) Other sectoral cooperation between Cuba and Haiti includes education (a radio literacy program for 20,000 beneficiaries),agriculture (30 Cuban technical assistants for the rehabilitation of a sugar factory; a lake and pond fish restocking program in 2008; veterinary assistance in conjunction with FAO),civil aviation, sports (athlete scholarships),and culture (technical assistance on cultural preservation.) High-Level Diplomatic Visits -------------- ¶6. (SBU) Minister of Foreign Affairs Alrich Nicolas, Minister of Interior Paul Antoine Bien-Aime, Minister of Sports, Youth and Civic Service Evans Lescouflair and Minister of Public Health and Population Alex Larsen traveled to Cuba in March. They reportedly discussed bilateral agreements, visited Haitian medical students and toured historical sites in Havana and Santiago de Cuba. Minister Nicolas was quoted in the media, describing the bilateral cooperation in education, public health and energy as ''diverse and dynamic.'' Nicolas reportedly added that the two countries will begin cooperation on natural disasters. A report on a Cuban news PORT AU PR 00000493 002 OF 002 website says that an agreement was signed by Nicolas and the Cuban Minister of Justice to cooperate on fighting drug trafficking. Trade/Investment -------------- ¶7. (SBU) Contacts at the Haitian Ministry of Commerce tell Post that there are no Haitian public or private investment in Cuba and that there are no bilateral trade agreements between Haiti and Cuba. SANDERSON