Key meetings Conille had during the USA visit that yielded $40 million from IDB

During a weeklong visit to the United States, Prime Minister Garry Conille met with the heads of several global banking institutions, including the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), American officials and various international aid groups to discuss his transition government’s mission to bring peace, restore the Haitian economy and organize elections. Here are the key takeaways from Conille’s trip, which lasted June 28 to July 5 – his first since being selected to lead Haiti’s transitional government.

$40 million commitment from IDB 

“I thank the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) for its commitment to Haiti and for allocating 40 million dollars to the country this year,” Conille posted on his X account July 1. “We will review the portfolio to align it with the new priorities before the elections and organize a major fundraising meeting for Haiti with other financial partners, including the private sector.”

IDB said on its X account, “We are very committed to supporting Haiti and will continue working with the authorities to improve the lives of the Haitian people.”

World Bank Group and IMF talks 

The Prime Minister had discussions with the World Bank Group about the major challenges of the transition, according to Haiti’s Ministry of communication. The talks highlighted the urgency of reviewing current projects in Haiti, including the Country Partnership Framework and Rapid Assessment of the Impact of the Crisis, to mobilize additional resources.

Conille also sat down with Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). They discussed “the impacts of the crisis, the Government’s determination to address security, economic and social challenges, the relationship with the IMF and the support that the Fund intends to provide to Haiti.” 

Georgieva said the IMF “[looks] forward to completion of the Article IV consultation in the near future,” a reference to the IMF’s annual consultation on economic surveillance of each member country. Article IV of the statutes of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) stipulates that the Fund “exercises firm surveillance on the exchange rate policies of the Member States. 

The same article specifies that “each Member State shall provide the Fund with the information necessary for this monitoring and, at the request of the Fund, for consultations with the latter on these policies.”

State Department meeting with Blinken

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and top regional diplomats sat down with Conille, Dupuy and others on July 2. Their discussions focused on efforts to deploy the Multinationale Mission of Support and Security (MMSS), the Haitian National Police (PNH), the electoral process and strengthening institutions in Haiti, according to Conille. 

The U.S. is expected to allocate more than $100 million to support Haiti, according to government officials, through a Biden executive order.

“This is an important time for Haiti, an important time for the many countries – including the United States – that strongly support Haiti,” Blinken said. 

“The prime minister, his government are leading Haiti at an absolutely critical time to be able to move all of this forward,” added Blinken during the meeting. “But he comes to Washington with the strong support of the United States and the strong support of many other countries, both in the region that we share and well beyond, including, of course, our colleagues from Kenya who are leading the Multinational Security Support mission at this moment.”

Other meetings with international groups 

In USAID and the Inter-American Foundation meetings, the officials also discussed the U.S. government’s support focusing on security and development assistance. 

Luis Amagro of the Organization of American States (OAS) and Conille also shook hands on the need for security support, the challenges related to the State of Rights as well as constitutional reform until the next elections.

UN Security Council address

Conille addressed the UN Security Council, listing specific difficulties to get Haiti back on its feet, including gang insecurity, an inflation rate in excess of 27%, and at least 50% unemployment in the textile sector. Conille raised the prospect of a catastrophic humanitarian crisis in the nation, where gang violence has displaced more than 600,000, caused food insecurity that affects 4.5 million people, and left 500,000 children out of school. 

No member country pledged any money during that meeting.

Stop in Miami’s Little Haiti 

During his trip to the United States, Conille also met with U.S. Representative Frederica Wilson on June 29 at Notre Dame d’Haïti Catholic Church in Little Haiti. Local Haitian American elected officials were also present. 

Wilson has been heavily involved in legislative actions to extend and enhance the trade benefits provided to Haiti under the HOPE and HELP Acts.  She has maintained that these acts are crucial for Haiti’s economic development, as they allow for duty-free export of many Haitian products to the U.S., thereby boosting Haiti’s apparel industry and overall economy.

“We are fully aware that the only way to successfully navigate through the next 20 months is for our brothers and sisters in the diaspora to actively engage in the process,” Conille said during a press conference held after the meeting. “We, as the transitional government, are eager to set up the systems, processes, and platforms that will allow us to make the most of these incredible resources.”