As part of the Grand-Nord Program (Drinking Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Program) financed by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the National Directorate of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DINEPA) conducted an official supervision and evaluation mission on the rehabilitation and expansion work of the Gonaïves Drinking Water Supply System (SAEP), led by Engineer Théophile Ostinvil, Director General of DINEPA.

This mission had two main objectives :

- To assess the progress of the work, which has been significantly delayed, particularly following the formal notice issued to the firm TECINA for final delivery, scheduled for April 2026;

- To analyze the role and performance of the Gonaïves Results-Based Technical Assistance program, responsible for operational and institutional strengthening at the Gonaïves Technical Operations Center.

This latest visit by the Director General to Gonaïves is part of a proactive approach focused on local engagement, oversight, and active governance, centered on the three strategic priorities defined by the Directorate General :

a) Good governance of the sector;

b) The institution's financial autonomy through its operational structures;

c) The maximum development of the Drinking Water and Sanitation (DWS) sector.

The Ministry delegation held several meetings, including :

• A meeting between the DINEPA team and the Technical Assistance for Results (TAR) in Gonaïves, to present the project's progress and conduct a technical evaluation of the supervision process for the rehabilitation and expansion of the drinking water network.

• A meeting with TECINA, the firm carrying out the work, to discuss the progress of the ongoing projects and the technical challenges encountered on the ground.

Strategic decisions have been made by the General Directorate to ensure compliance with contractual commitments, particularly the amendment scheduled to expire in April 2026.

To complement the technical aspects of the mission and facilitate the overall progress of the project as much as possible, Director Ostinvil and his technical team conducted several site visits related to the execution of rehabilitation work, the network expansion, and, most importantly, the condition of the hydraulic installations and infrastructure currently being modernized.

In summary, DINEPA, through this site visit, reaffirmed its commitment to modernizing drinking water infrastructure in the Grand-Nord region in general and in Gonaïves in particular. This is a crucial decision given the dense population of this strategic city.

HL/ HaitiLibre