Text: J.D.L.
The ambassadors of Haiti, Louis Marie Montfort Saintil, and of Guatemala, Monica Bolaños, had last Friday an official meeting at the headquarters of the Haitian legation in which they reviewed the international and diplomatic current affairs of their countries and the world.
In a meeting full of cordiality and a friendly and collaborative atmosphere, the ambassadors of the two countries took an interest in and asked each other about the state of their countries. The Guatemalan ambassador was particularly interested in the current situation in Haiti. I have been working at the UN for 15 years,” said Monica Bolaños, “and I have witnessed the special interest that the United Nations has always taken in Haitians and in stabilising the country.
Ambassador Louis Marie Montfort explained to his Guatemalan colleague the electoral processes that Haiti will face during the year 2021 and the main reforms of the new Constitution that will be submitted to a referendum on 27 June. “Since the earthquake suffered in 2010, the Haitian ambassador stressed, Spain has become a very important partner for my country, and it is our task to promote trade between the two countries in order to have in the future the bilateral and economic relations that both countries desire”.
The Guatemalan Ambassador also pointed out the important role played by Spain in Guatemala and throughout Central and South America, and highlighted the strengthening of the unifying work that the Spanish State is giving to the entire region, together with Portugal.
Louis Montfort Saintil attached great importance to how the Spanish government is handling the management of the pandemic, and how it is combining “political and economic life, not shutting down all work activity like other European countries”.
Finally, Ambassador Mónica Bolaños informed the Haitian Ambassador that during her country’s presidency of the Central American Integration System (SICA) in the second half of this year, events are planned to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Central American institution, as well as the bicentenary of Guatemala’s independence.
The Haitian ambassador also held meetings last week with the rectors of the universities of Santiago de Compostela, Vigo and León. With the first of these, the objective of signing agreements and framework agreements to join forces and programme common objectives in the field of education and research and in specific areas of common interest was agreed upon, and Haiti’s participation in the Euro-Latin American and Caribbean Summit in the field of research was established. Likewise, at the meeting with the Rector of the University of Vigo, co-titling programmes, student/faculty mobility and Haiti’s participation in the Ibero-American Undergraduate and Research Scholarship Programme were implemented.
Finally, with the University of León, it was agreed to sign a framework agreement and specific collaboration documents, with special emphasis on the UEH Programme “Relevo Docente 2026-2038”, as well as to consolidate academic and scientific cooperation between Haiti and Spain.
