The Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), Albert Ramdin, opened the first Group of Friends of Haiti meeting in the Hall of the Americas in Washington D.C. The Group of Friends of Haiti is a platform to informally share information on the situation and ongoing cooperative activities as they evolve in Haiti. By promoting a space for information sharing among relevant stakeholders, the OAS Secretary General seeks to facilitate greater coordination and alignment of efforts to better respond to the urgent critical situation in Haiti.
Secretary General Ramdin provided an update on the preparation of a Roadmap for Haiti, resulting from an OAS General Assembly resolution 3039, which calls for the development, in consultation with the government of Haiti, the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH), and the Multinational Security Support (MSS) Mission, of a consolidated Action Plan addressing the security, humanitarian, political and development challenges. "The Roadmap is grounded in the belief that restoring Haiti's stability requires a clear and unified strategy, one that promotes Haitian ownership, delivers real results for the population, and ensures that every partner knows where and how to contribute," said Secretary General Ramdin. It will be structured around five strategic pillars: security stabilization, humanitarian response, political consensus, electoral legitimacy, and sustainable development.
The meeting was attended by key stakeholders, representatives of international organizations, OAS Member and Observer States. Haiti's Permanent Representative to the OAS, Myrtha Désulme, shared information on the grave security and humanitarian situation in Haiti and made a call for solidarity and urgent action for the Haitian people.
Other participants included the Permanent Representative of Jamaica, Antony Anderson, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for Haiti and Head of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH), Carlos Ruiz Massieu; David Kerich, Permanent Observer of Kenya to the OAS; the Executive Director of the Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS), Mara Tekach; the President of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), Ilan Goldfajn; the Deputy Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Mary Lou Valdez; the Deputy Director General of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), Lloyd Day; the Manager of the Fragility, Conflict and Violence Group at the World Bank, Nabila Assaf; and Sowmya Krishnamoorty of the Pan American Development Foundation (PADF).
Participants discussed the urgent need for comprehensive support to Haiti, highlighting security, humanitarian, and development priorities. Key points included the call for increased funding and operational planning for the Multinational Security Support mission (MSS), improving healthcare access amid widespread system collapse, addressing food insecurity through agricultural development, and expanding economic opportunities. The OAS Secretary General proposed convening a donor conference under IDB leadership to coordinate efforts.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Secretary General Ramdin reiterated his call on the international community to provide immediate international attention, support and resources commensurate with the urgency of the security and humanitarian situation. In addition, he reaffirmed that all efforts would remain strictly within the mandate provided by the OAS Charter.
As a next step, and following consultations with Haitian authorities and key partners, some represented during the first Group of Friends of Haiti meeting today, the Roadmap will be presented to the OAS Permanent Council. The Secretary General noted the importance of elevating the initiative to a higher political level and committed to keeping all stakeholders informed about upcoming follow-up actions.
Reference: E-039/25
