Cablegate: Haiti Reconstruction: Paris Preparatory Meeting For

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

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

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