Haiti is currently experiencing an unprecedented generalized crisis.  Since July 2018, there have been massive demonstrations against the President and his government to protest rising costs of living, taxes leveled on fuel, rampant or blatant corruption gone unpunished (the Petro Caribe dossier), even accusation of corruption leveled against the President.  Such intensive popular mobilization and the government’s failure to address their roots causes have resulted in high levels of insecurity, loss of lives, arbitrary destruction of property; disruption of trade and business activities; interruption of basic services including school closure for children for months.  Such conditions were further incited by numerous unruly senators and deputes who blocked the functioning of parliament to establish a government.  Consequently, the country locked (peyi lok) and the resounding cry of various sectors of the society and a massive percentage of the masses has for the resignation of President Moise as a way out of the crisis. 

At this moment, the mass demonstrations have subsided.  The terms of all of the members of the lower chamber and 2/3 of the senate are concluded. The country is left with the President as the sole national authority in the land to rule now by decree if he so chooses.  Meanwhile, the phenomena of kidnapping has reared its ugly head again and some acts are so spectacular so as to spread fear while the gangs continue to operate with impunity. 

For some time now, different sectors of the society have issued statements and now have begun dialog with the government to find a consensus to achieve effective and stable governance to “un lok” the nation and help it return to durable normalcy and to allow it to progress. However, the negotiating parties have not yet reached agreement on a viable solution to end this crisis.   One of the major weaknesses of this dialogue is that, while the parties have acknowledged the importance of Haitians in the Diaspora, they have failed to include this sector in the negotiations.

We believe that the Haitian Diaspora is indispensable to a real process to help the country out the deadlock and to create a long-term plan for next five, ten, twenty years that could catapult Haiti to a better future.   As Haitians in the Diaspora, we know the problems of our nation.  That is why we work long nights and days under all sorts of adverse conditions to support our families and friends from birth to death.  As well, we organized hundreds of legally registered organizations to provide service in Haiti and to engage in ceaseless advocacy to attain necessary reforms to stabilize the nation so that it can bring about economic development to bring about employment, health care, education, social services, infrastructures, technology so Haiti can prosper like most nations on the planet earth. 

Therefore, the United Front of the Haitian Diaspora and several member organizations are launching a campaign to mobilize members of the Haitian Diaspora in the US, Canada, Europe, Caribbean (DR, Jamaica, Turks and Caicos and other), Latin America (Chile, Brazil and other nations) to a “Solutions Only Inter-Haitian Diaspora Dialogue” on July 17-18, 2020 in Washington, DC to help Haiti out its crisis.  According to Samuel Colin, President of Haiti Plus Juste, based in Paris, France, the Inter-Haitian Diaspora Dialogue’ is the only way to get out of the socio-political crisis that is causing shame, humiliation and destruction of our nation.  The Diaspora must …show its capacity as astute actors.  The project is ambitious and necessitates a spirit of openness by inviting as many actors from different structures as possible to make this dialogue a positive remedy to the crisis to stabilize the country and to make 2020 the year we adjust and readjust the balance in our country.  We are calling on all organizations to come together in search of durable solutions to Haiti’s Underdevelopment. 

Vision

The Haitian Diaspora to come together to discuss solutions to the political and economic situation of Haiti and to come up with feasible solutions that the diaspora can implement to help the homeland out of its current states of affairs.

Goal

To bring more than 500 Haitian community leaders from the United States, Canada, France and other European countries, the Bahamas, Jamaica, Dominican Republic and other countries in the Caribbean, Chile and other Countries in South America to Washington DC in July in a summit to create a pact on how the Diaspora will engage Haiti in the future to have lasting impact.

Justification

It is urgent and necessary to initiate a dialogue between Haitians in the Diaspora for several reasons:

Re-stitching the Haitian social fabric which has been torn apart by bad policiesIntegrating the culture of compromise into our customs. 

Engaging in the paths of political development and economic take-off. 

Responding to democratic imperatives. 

Respecting Haiti's international commitments in terms of pacification of the country. For the sake of historical memory

Propose a model of sustainable governance, inclusive and carrying sustainable economic projects

Expected Results

• Formulate a set of recommendations to end the impasse
• Propose amendment to the constitution to avoid a repeat of the current situation
• Identify viable projects that the Diaspora can be engaged in together to help in the development of the country

Methodology and proposed format

The Inter-Haitian Diaspora Forum will start on Friday July 17, 2020 with a get together at Haitian Embassy, last one and a half days (July 18-19, 2020), and consist of an inaugural session as well as five parallel workshops intended to achieve the expected results.  Prior to the Forum, the organizers will put together and circulate guidelines with topics to be discussed in each workshop and expected results for each workshop. This will allow for a more effective discussion and the conclusion of results papers in the short time frame proposed.

Participants will have the opportunity to dialogue, exchange experiences, and formulate a collaborative strategy.  Each workshop will be moderated by several representatives of the Haitian Diaspora.  Also, three scribes (at each hour) from the Haitian Diaspora will be assigned to each workshop. The organizers will contact experts in each area to be present in the discussion. Each workshop will be assigned to the Haitian organization with the right expertise to work and develop triggers questions to stimulate a good discussion. The moderator(s) has the duty to keep the conversation moving and the participants remain on task and that the discussion is leading toward concrete solutions. The scribes will be responsible for taking notes during the deliberations, compiling and organizing the comments, suggestions, and recommendations regarding a collaborative strategy.

The results of each workshop will be consolidated into one final document by the scribes. This final document will be posted on the United Front website and other organization websites.

Preliminary Steps

Create a steering committee

FIrmin Baker

Judge Lionel Jean-Baptiste

Dr. Joel Augustin

Samuel Colin

Frantz Delice

Jean David Prophete

Eurelie Mathieu 

Dr. Monalisa Ferrari

Albert Decady

Wesley Madhere

Host committee

Karl Racine, Attorney General of Washington, DC

Cleve Mesidor,  Ex-President Obama Political Appointee

Nadine Garcia,  Ex-Assistant Secretary of Health under President Obama

Host organizations

Haiti Renewal Alliance (HRA), Association of Haitian Professionals (AHP), Haitian Ladies Network (HLN), ,  National Association Alliance Haitian Professionals (NAAHP), Association MAPOU, FEFFE Foundation, ...

Intervention

Pre Event

Create a steering committee to host the event in July by February 15th --Albert, Firmin, Morisset.  (The steering committee should not be too large in order to be functional. Will delegate tasks to different committees)

This committee must include leaders from each of the states in the US and one or two leaders per other countries--Canada, France, Jamaica, DR. Chile, Brasil, Bahamas

States name                     Leaders

Florida     

Georgia

North Carolina

Virginia

District of Columbia

Maryland

Delaware

New Jersey

New York

Connecticut

Massachusett

Illinois

Texas

Tennessee

California

Missouri

Louisiana

Country Name                    Leaders

Canada

France                        Samuel Colin

Dominican Republic

Chile

Brasil

Japan Wund Hypolitte

China 

Bahamas

Create Host Committee by February 15th— may include Haitian Elected Officials and other personalities in all states— young and old.--Lionel, Albert, Joel

Host Organizations--We will solicit to have all known organizations in the DMV to be host of this event (Aurelie Mathieu--to Identify all Haitian org. In DMV, write letter of invitation and send said letters--Feb 22, 2020)

Roles may vary, but in general to use their network to advertise the event

Host different activities for the attendees

A media campaign to disseminate information regarding the dialogue throughout the diaspora— February to July-- (Monalisa Ferrari--Media lead person, should work with Eugena Charles in DC

Create a new website or webpage for this event (see https://naahpusa.org/conference/main/ )      Chris and Wesley

Secure locations— the Haitian Embassy in Washington For Friday evening reception, the OAS for Saturday event, hotel for Sunday Brunch by February 28 --Albert and Firmin

Invitations to guest Speakers, by March 15, 2020 (Dr. Monalisa Ferrari)

The event at the OAS on July 18,2020

Draft program of Event

8:00-9:30 Registration and Breakfast

9:30-10:00  Welcome, introduction and ground rules, motivational by Speakers

10:00- 10:15 Coffee Break

10:15- 11:30 plenary session to discuss the themes as a group

11:30-12:00 Lunch

12:00- 12:30 Keynote Speakers

12:30- 2:00 Break out  sessions on the themes

2:00-2:15 Coffee Break

2:15-4:00 Break out session Continues forming team to follow up and write the report for the workshop

4:00-5:00

Evening of Saturday— possible award Gala

And after party

Sunday multi faith prayer Breakfast

9:00–10:00 Registration and welcome

10:00-11:00 service with Music

11:00 - 11:30 Speakers

11:30-12:00 Concert by Belo/ or the like