President of Haiti calls for total debt cancellation

President Rene Preval called for total and immediate debt cancellation for Haiti, during a meeting with Jubilee 2000 campaigners on Thursday 8^th June. Mr Preval also welcomed the work of the Jubilee 2000 global movement and said there should be closer collaboration between government and civil society in the important battle for debt cancellation. He emphasised that progress would depend on a more united and forceful alliance in the South.

The meeting with the Jubilee 2000 campaign took place in the government palace in Port au Prince as part of a week of activities, organised by the Haitian campaign during a Week on Debt (5-11 of June). The Jubilee 2000 delegation was comprised of Camille Chalmers (PAPDA), Liana Cisneros (Jubilee 2000 UK), Kathy Luzencourt (World Federation Lutheran), Yolette Etienne (Oxfam UK), Sister Marie Camille Francois (Haitian Religious Confederation), Harry Clervean (Trade Unions) and Emmanuel St Hilaire (Federation of Neighborhood Organisations)

Camille Chalmers said that the meeting was a very important step for the Jubilee 2000 campaign: "It showed the willingness of the government to take a protagonistic role on debt cancellation. President Preval also expressed his interest in working with civil society on the elaboration of a strategy to allocate released funds for poverty reduction."

Representatives of organisations from the North East, Central and South East of the country participated in conferences and workshops during the Week on Debt. The issue of Debt was linked to a variety of issues, such as debt tied to health and food

security, debt and education, debt and agriculture production, debt, human rights and popular participation, debt and macroeconomics.

The Week on Debt finished on Sunday with a concert in the central square of the capital, Port au Prince. Renowned musician and bands from Haiti and abroad performed, including Boukman Eksperyans, Chandel, Bob Bovano and Eritaj. The concert brought together around 3,000 people wearing headscarves in red and blue (the colours of the Haitian flag) with the slogan "No to debt, Yes to life." A large screen next to the stage showed key moments of the international Jubilee 2000 campaign.

The total debt of Haiti is $1.1 billion and the country is still paying debt built up by the notorious dictator, Papa Doc. An estimated 45% of Haiti's debt was contracted under Papa Doc and the fortune of his family is calculated at $900 million. Of the total debt, 85 % is multilateral owed to the World Bank, IMF and the IADB. The bilateral debt at 15 % is owed mainly to Italy, Spain, France and the USA. Despite extremely high levels of poverty, Haiti is not considered eligible for debt cancellation under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative.