Wednesday July 15, 2026, on the sidelines of the work of the High-Level Ministerial Segment of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), Sandra Paulemon Haitian Minister of Planning and External Cooperation, met with Ambassador Ghasaq Shaheen, Permanent Representative a.i. of the United Arab Emirates to the United Nations, to explore new prospects for cooperation between the two countries.

Minister Paulemon welcomed the growing interest of the Emirates in Haiti and also highlighted the recent opening of the Haitian Embassy in Abu Dhabi, with the assumption of office of Ambassador François Guillaume II, an important step in strengthening bilateral relations between the two States.

The Minister presented several priority areas likely to structure this cooperation. The discussions focused in particular on the strengthening of the Haitian National Police, the development of a housing construction program for police officers, as well as internally displaced persons, the construction of a prison with a capacity of 5,000 detainees, the transfer of technologies and know-how in rapid and sustainable construction techniques, the electrification of schools and hospitals as well as support for the National Program for Stabilization, Economic, Social and Territorial Recovery.

Minister Paulemon particularly insisted on the strategic interest that the involvement of the United Arab Emirates in a vast housing construction program would represent for Haiti. She stressed that beyond the construction of homes at a lower cost, Emirati expertise in rapid and sustainable construction techniques would constitute a real lever for transferring skills for the benefit of Haitian companies.

Paulemon also requested support from the Emirates in the organization of the next elections in Haiti. To this end, she pleaded in favor of both financial and technical support, likely to contribute to strengthening institutional capacities and the smooth running of the electoral process. Furthermore, she raised the possibility of bilateral budget support, in order to support the Government's efforts in implementing national priorities.

Ambassador Ghasaq Shaheen praised the clarity of the vision presented by the Haitian delegation. She expressed her conviction that the opening of the Haitian Embassy in Abu Dhabi will open a new chapter in bilateral relations and will promote the launch of concrete development projects.

She is committed to transmitting the proposals made to the Ministries of Defense and that of the Interior of her country, on the nature of the support that the United Arab Emirates can provide to the National Police of Haiti and the Armed Forces of Haiti and also in the question of the construction of prisons.

The Emirati diplomat highlighted the advances made by her country in the areas of digital technologies and online learning while explaining a currently tested public policy called National Data Action Plan and affirmed the availability of her country to share its technical expertise and international experience in several strategic sectors.

Furthermore, Minister Paulemon, and Minister of Foreign Affairs Raina Forbin, are expected soon in the United Arab Emirates on the occasion of the official inauguration of the Haitian Embassy. This mission will also be used to hold several high-level bilateral meetings, notably with the Minister of International Development and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Emirates as well as with other high authorities in the region. These exchanges will aim to strengthen cooperation between Haiti and the Gulf countries, to explore new partnership opportunities and to promote structuring projects responding to the country's development priorities.

At the end of this meeting, the two parties agreed to continue discussions with a view to concluding a cooperation protocol and the designation of focal points, responsible for monitoring the commitments and perspectives of collaboration defined during these bilateral exchanges.

HL/ HaitiLibre