Haiti portal |
Haiti was one of the original members of the League of Nations, and was one of the original members of the United Nations and several of its specialized and related agencies. It is also a founding member of the Organization of American States. Haiti also has diplomatic relations with the Republic of China, commonly known as Taiwan, instead of the People's Republic of China. Taiwan is one of Haiti's major trading partners and the two countries maintain very friendly relations. Haiti has also re-established very warm relations with Cuba in which a major act of bilateral cooperation has resulted in Cuba's large contribution of doctors to the country. The Haitian government has publicly shown admiration to Fidel Castro and his administration.[citation needed]
The international community rallied to Haiti's defense during the 1991 to 1994 period of illegal military rule. Thirty-one countries participated in the U.S.-led Multinational Force (MNF) which, acting under UN auspices, intervened in September 1994 to help restore the legitimate government and create a secure and stable environment in Haiti. At its peak, the MNF included roughly 21,000 troops, mostly Americans, and more than 1,000 international police monitors. Within six months, the troop level was gradually reduced as the MNF transitioned to a 6,000 strong peacekeeping force, the UN Mission in Haiti (UNMIH). UNMIH was charged with maintaining the secure environment, which the MNF had helped establish, as well as nurturing Haiti's new police force through the presence of 900 police advisors. A total of 38 countries participated in UNMIH.
In order to spur Haiti's social and economic recovery from three years of de facto military rule and decades of misrule before that, international development banks and donor agencies pledged in 1994 to provide over US$2 billion in assistance by 1999. Disbursements were largely conditioned on progress in economic reform. Parliamentary inaction, principally as a result of the political struggles and gridlock that plagued Haiti since 1996, resulted in the blockage of much of this assistance as disbursement conditions were not met. The electoral crisis that has brewed in the aftermath of the 21 May 21, 2000 local and parliamentary elections has resulted in the blockage of most multilateral and bilateral assistance. Major donors are led by the United States, with the largest bilateral assistance program, and also include Canada, People's Republic of China, France, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, South Korea, Republic of China (Taiwan) and the United Kingdom. Multilateral aid is coordinated through an informal grouping of major donors under the auspices of the World Bank which, in addition to the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the European Union, is also a major source of Haitian development assistance.
Visas are required for citizens of Colombia and Panama due to the actions of nationals of those two countries in using Haiti as a drop-off point for narcotic drugs bound for the United States. Panama's proximity to Colombia and their thriving off-shore banking industry has lured many traffickers to use that nation and Haiti as bases for their activities. Citizens of the Dominican Republic also require visas to visit Haiti, not only due to the hostile, sometimes volatile relations between both nations, but also because since the late 1990s, the Dominican Republic has become another base for illicit drugs bound for the United States, which usually enter illegally via Puerto Rico. Once in Puerto Rico, drugs can easily reach the United States due to the absence of both immigration and customs between that island and the mainland.[1]
Disputes – international: claims US-administered Navassa Island
Illicit drugs: major Caribbean transshipment point for cocaine en route to the US and Europe (see Illegal drug trade in Haiti)
List of countries which Haiti maintains diplomatic relations with:
# | Country | Date |
---|---|---|
1 | France | 12 February 1838[2] |
2 | United Kingdom | 13 May 1859[3] |
3 | United States | 1 October 1862[4] |
4 | Venezuela | 10 June 1864[5] |
5 | Dominican Republic | 26 July 1867[6] |
— | Holy See | 1881[2] |
6 | Italy | 24 February 1898[7] |
7 | Belgium | 15 January 1902[8] |
8 | Cuba | 3 February 1904[9] |
9 | Netherlands | 21 November 1912[10] |
10 | Brazil | 1928[11] |
11 | Mexico | 11 July 1929[12] |
12 | Poland | 18 November 1933[13] |
13 | Colombia | 7 August 1936[14] |
14 | Argentina | 1 February 1939[15] |
15 | Spain | 20 September 1939[16] |
16 | Peru | 13 December 1939[17] |
17 | Sweden | 31 March 1941[18] |
18 | Switzerland | 29 September 1941[19] |
19 | Chile | 7 June 1943[20] |
20 | Norway | 28 October 1943[21] |
21 | Uruguay | 5 September 1945[22] |
22 | Panama | 11 October 1945[23] |
23 | Philippines | 6 July 1946[24] |
— | Sovereign Military Order of Malta | 1947[25] |
24 | Guatemala | 1948[26] |
25 | Ecuador | 14 November 1949[27] |
26 | Turkey | 1950[28] |
27 | Liberia | 29 June 1952[29] |
28 | Nicaragua | 6 August 1952[30] |
29 | Germany | 23 September 1953[31] |
30 | Denmark | 1 November 1953[32] |
31 | Canada | 12 May 1954[33] |
32 | Costa Rica | 29 September 1955[34] |
— | Republic of China | 25 April 1956[35] |
33 | Japan | April 1956[36] |
34 | Paraguay | 2 October 1956[37] |
35 | Bolivia | 24 November 1957[38] |
36 | Israel | 12 September 1958[39] |
37 | Ethiopia | 5 April 1959[40] |
38 | Lebanon | 21 May 1959[41] |
39 | Egypt | 30 November 1960[42] |
40 | Benin | December 1960[43] |
41 | Senegal | 4 February 1962[44] |
42 | Mali | 21 August 1962[45] |
43 | South Korea | 22 September 1962[46] |
44 | Portugal | 1965[47] |
45 | Finland | 29 September 1966[48] |
46 | Guyana | 6 October 1970[49] |
47 | Barbados | 5 August 1972[50] |
48 | Trinidad and Tobago | 31 January 1974[51] |
49 | Iran | 16 April 1974[52] |
50 | Zambia | 6 March 1975[53] |
51 | Bahamas | 26 August 1977[54] |
52 | Nigeria | 28 January 1978[55] |
53 | Suriname | 1 March 1979[56] |
54 | Libya | 18 January 1979[54] |
55 | Saint Lucia | 1979[57] |
56 | Romania | 9 May 1980[58] |
57 | Cameroon | 11 January 1981[59] |
58 | Jamaica | 26 August 1981[60] |
59 | Gabon | 14 October 1981[61] |
60 | Niger | 17 December 1981[62] |
61 | Belize | 1982[63] |
62 | Guinea | 10 January 1983[64] |
63 | Austria | 16 December 1983[65] |
64 | Serbia | 20 January 1984[66] |
65 | Morocco | 22 August 1985[67] |
66 | Bahrain | 15 September 1985[68] |
67 | Democratic Republic of the Congo | 1 October 1986[54] |
68 | Thailand | 30 October 1986[54] |
69 | Ivory Coast | 4 September 1987[69] |
70 | Russia | 2 June 1996[54] |
71 | India | 27 September 1996[70] |
72 | Antigua and Barbuda | 11 June 1997[71] |
73 | Mozambique | 25 September 1997[54] |
74 | Turkmenistan | 26 September 1997[54] |
75 | Slovakia | 26 September 1997[72] |
76 | Vietnam | 26 September 1997[54] |
77 | South Africa | 9 December 1997[54] |
78 | Armenia | 21 January 1999[54] |
79 | Slovenia | 30 March 1999[54] |
80 | Croatia | 15 October 1999[54] |
81 | Belarus | 29 October 1999[54] |
82 | Saudi Arabia | 17 January 2000[54] |
83 | Seychelles | 15 October 2000[54] |
84 | Australia | 2000[73] |
85 | Singapore | 16 February 2001[54] |
86 | North Macedonia | 11 April 2001[54] |
87 | Malaysia | 2001[74] |
88 | Azerbaijan | 9 May 2003[54] |
89 | Hungary | 11 July 2005[54] |
90 | Iceland | 18 November 2005[54] |
91 | Czech Republic | 15 December 2005[54] |
92 | Latvia | 14 December 2006[54] |
93 | Andorra | 19 January 2007[54] |
94 | Burkina Faso | 25 January 2007[75] |
95 | Nepal | 23 May 2007[54] |
96 | Luxembourg | 24 February 2008[76] |
97 | Equatorial Guinea | 24 June 2008[77] |
98 | United Arab Emirates | 21 October 2009[54] |
99 | Estonia | 31 March 2010[54] |
100 | Lithuania | 4 May 2010[54] |
101 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 5 May 2010[54] |
102 | Ukraine | 23 September 2010[54] |
103 | Georgia | 16 December 2011[54] |
104 | Ireland | 26 January 2012[54] |
105 | Moldova | 7 June 2012[54] |
106 | Kuwait | 5 September 2012[54] |
107 | Fiji | 16 October 2012[78] |
108 | Montenegro | 17 October 2012[54] |
109 | Tuvalu | 7 November 2012[79] |
110 | Indonesia | 21 November 2012[54] |
111 | Sri Lanka | 14 December 2012[54] |
112 | East Timor | 2012[80] |
113 | Qatar | 5 August 2013[54] |
114 | Kazakhstan | 20 September 2013[81] |
— | State of Palestine | 27 September 2013[54] |
115 | Pakistan | 10 January 2014[82] |
116 | Mongolia | 14 January 2014[54] |
117 | New Zealand | 4 September 2014[83] |
118 | Namibia | 24 October 2014[84] |
119 | Tajikistan | 9 March 2016[54] |
120 | Mauritius | 13 February 2018[54] |
121 | Rwanda | 15 August 2018[54] |
122 | Kenya | 20 September 2023[85] |
123 | Bangladesh | Unknown |
124 | Dominica | Unknown |
125 | El Salvador | Unknown |
126 | Greece | Unknown |
127 | Grenada | Unknown |
128 | Ghana | Unknown |
129 | Honduras | Unknown |
131 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | Unknown |
132 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | Unknown |
Country | Formal relations began on | Notes |
---|---|---|
Benin | December 1960 | See Benin–Haiti relations
Both countries established diplomatic relations in December 1960 with opened Embassy of Haiti in Dahomey. It was closed in 1963 and reopened in Cotonou in February 2004. Embassy Haiti in Benin was finally closed on 11 December 2018.[43] Haiti and Benin maintain diplomatic relations with a Haitian office in Cotonou, although Benin does not currently maintain an official diplomatic presence in the country due to the 2010 earthquake. Benin contributed a contingency of 32 police/civilian personnel to MINUSTAH. The two countries share an extensive cultural history by a way of the Atlantic slave trade and the resulting importing of Haitian Vodou as a religious force in Haitian society. The devastating earthquake was followed, among many reactions, by an outburst of solidarity prayers in Benin with the victims.[86] Traditional ceremonies were organized to appease the spirits and seek the blessing of ancestors for the Haitians.[87] In December 2018, Haiti closed its embassy in Cotonou.[88]
|
Burkina Faso | 25 January 2007 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 25 January 2007 when first Ambassador of Burkina Faso to Haiti Salif Nebié, has presented his credentials to President René Préval.[75] |
Cameroon | 11 January 1981 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 11 January 1981 when Ambassador of Haiti (with residence in Nigeria) M. Antoine Victor Pierre-Louis has presented his credentials to President of Cameroon M. Ahmadou Ahidjo.[59] |
Cote d'Ivoire | ||
Equatorial Guinea | 24 June 2008 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 24 June 2008 when Ambassador of Equatorial Guinea Teresa Efua Asangono presented his credentials to President of Haiti, René Préval.[77] |
Gabon | 14 October 1981 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 14 October 1981 when first ambassador of Haiti to Gabon with residence in Dakar Mr Victor Pierre Louis presented his credentials to President Bongo[61]
|
Guinea | 10 January 1983 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 10 January 1983 when first Ambassador of Guinea to Haiti (resident in New York) Mr. Alpha Ibrahima Diallo presented his credentials to President Jean Claude Duvalier.[64] |
Kenya | 20 September 2023 |
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 20 September 2023.[90] Kenya offered to lead the Multinational Security Support Mission to Haiti with a force of 1,000 police officers, and this offer was accepted by the UN Security Council in October 2023.[91] Haitian prime minister Ariel Henry visited Kenya in March 2024 to sign the agreement to deploy the police officers to Haiti.[92] Haiti is accredited to Kenya from its embassy in Pretoria. Kenya is accredited to Haiti from its embassy in Havana. |
Liberia | 1864 | |
Namibia | 23 October 2014 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 23 October 2014 when first Ambassador of Namibia to Haiti Mr. Jerobeam Shaanika presented his credentials to President Michel Martelly[94] |
Senegal | ||
Zambia | 6 March 1975 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 6 March 1975 when first Ambassador of Zambia to Haiti (resident in New York) Mr. Rupiah Bwezani Banda presented his credentials to Président Duvalier.[95] |
Country | Formal relations began on | Notes |
---|---|---|
Argentina | 1 February 1939 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 1 February 1939 when first Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of Argentina to Haiti (Resident in Havana) Mr. Victor Lascado presented his credentials.[96]
|
Bahamas | 26 August 1977 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 26 August 1977[97] |
Brazil | 1928 | See Brazil–Haiti relations
Both countries established diplomatic relations in 1928.[98]
|
Canada | 12 May 1954 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 12 May 1954[99]
During the unsettled period from 1957 to 1990, Canada received many Haitian refugees, who now form a significant minority in Quebec. Canada participated in various international interventions in Haiti between 1994 and 2004, and continues to provide substantial aid to Haiti,[100] the second poorest country in the western hemisphere.[101] |
Chile | See Chile–Haiti relations
Chile sent 650 peacekeeping troops to the island as part of the United Nations peace keeping mission.[104] Praising the work of the Chilean policemen in Haiti, National Police official Javiera Blanco said, "Even though today there is a need for the key presence of this mission, which is in mid term, the exit should be prepared for, considering that the country (Haiti) must take those responsibilities and build their capacities to do what is done by our mission." The police are planned to withdraw from Haiti in 2011.[105]
| |
Colombia | 7 August 1936 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 7 August 1936 when Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of Colombia Ricardo Gutiérrez Lee has presented his credentials to Haiti.[106]
|
Cuba | 3 February 1904 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 3 February 1904, which were interrupted on September 28, 1959, and later resumed on February 6, 1996.[107]
|
Dominican Republic | 9 November 1874 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 9 November 1874[108]
See Dominican Republic–Haiti relations Relations between Haiti and the Dominican Republic vacillated between barely tolerable and potentially combustible throughout the history of both countries' existences, reaching their lowest points in the Haitian invasion of the Dominican Republic, the aftermath of the Parsley Massacre, related Haitian-targeted ethnic cleansing campaigns by the Rafael Trujillo dictatorship and the 2010 earthquake in Port-au-Prince. The periodic influxes of Haitian economic (and, in times past, political) migrants across the border have also strained relations between the two countries at various recent times.
|
Ecuador | 14 November 1949 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 14 November 1949 when has been appointed Mr. Jorge Concha Enriquez as Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of Ecuador to Haiti with residence in Costa Rica.[27]
|
Guyana | 6 October 1970 |
|
Jamaica | 26 August 1981 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 26 August 1981[110] |
Mexico | 11 July 1929 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 11 July 1929[12]
|
Panama | 11 October 1945 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 11 October 1945[113]
|
Paraguay | 2 October 1956 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 2 October 1956 when has been appointed first non-resident Minister Plenipotentiary of Paraguay to Haiti Manuel Montanaro.[114] |
Trinidad and Tobago | 31 January 1974 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 31 January 1974 when first Ambassador of Trinidad and Tobago to Haiti Mr. Charles H. Archibald presented his credentials[115] |
United States | 1 October 1862 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 1 October 1862[116]
See Haiti–United States relations
|
Uruguay |
| |
Venezuela | 10 June 1864 | See Haiti–Venezuela relations
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 10 June 1864.[119]
|
Country | Formal relations began on | Notes |
---|---|---|
Bangladesh | See Bangladesh–Haiti relations
The relations between the two countries have been largely influenced by the role of Bangladeshi peace keepers in Haiti. | |
China |
Haiti does not recognize China.
| |
India | 27 September 1996 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 27 September 1996[120] |
Israel | 11 September 1958 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 11 September 1958[125]
Haiti recognized Israel's independence on 17 March 1949.
|
Pakistan | 10 January 2014 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 10 January 2014 when Ambassador of Pakistan M. Qazi M. Khalilullah has presented his credentials to President of Haiti Michel Martelly.[82] |
Philippines | 3 April 1984 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 3 April 1984 when first Ambassador of Haiti to Philippines Mr. Raymond Perodin presented his credentials[126]
|
Taiwan | 25 April 1956 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 25 April 1956[35]
|
Turkey | March 23, 1943[127] | See Haiti–Turkey relations
|
Country | Formal relations began on | Notes |
---|---|---|
Belgium | 15 January 1902 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 15 January 1902 when has been appointed C. Renoz as Consul General and Chargé d'Affaires of Belgium to Haiti.[8]
|
France | 12 February 1838 | See France–Haiti relations
|
Germany | See Germany–Haiti relations
| |
Holy See |
| |
Italy | 24 February 1898 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 24 February 1898 when has been accredited Minister Resident of Italy to Haiti Chicco Enrico.[133]
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Netherlands | 21 November 1912 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 21 November 1912 when has been accredited first Chargé d'Affaires of Haiti to the Netherlands Mr. Stenio Vincent.[10]
|
Poland | See Haiti–Poland relations
| |
Russia |
| |
Spain | 20 December 1939 | See Haiti–Spain relations
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 20 December 1939 when first Chargé d'Affaires ad interim of Spain to Haiti (Resident in Ciudad Trujillo) Mr. Rafael de los Casares Moya presented his credentials.[134] |
Sweden | 31 March 1941 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 31 March 1941 when first Chargé d'Affaires ad interim of Sweden to Haiti (Resident in Havana) Mr. Erik Wisen presented his credentials.[136] |
Switzerland | 29 September 1941 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 29 September 1941 when accredited first Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of Haiti to Switzerland Mr. Constantin Fouchard[19] |
United Kingdom | 13 May 1859 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 13 May 1859 when has been appointed first British Chargé d'Affaires and Consul General to Haiti Thomas Neville Ussher.[137]
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Country | Formal relations began on | Notes |
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Australia | 2000 |
|
New Zealand | 4 September 2014 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on 4 September 2014 when first Ambassador of New Zealand to Haiti Mrs Caroline Beresford presented his credentials to President Michel Martelly[83]
|
President Michelle Bachelet leaves Wednesday for a tour of Haiti, Jamaica and the Dominican Republic and a visit to the United States, where she will meet with President George W. Bush, Chile's foreign ministry said.
Chilean policemen participating in the United Nations peace mission in Haiti could return to their home country in 2011, local press quoted National Police official Javiera Blanco as saying Wednesday.