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