The Club de Madrid and the EU support the Haitian leaders in their dialogue for democratic reform

The first mission of the Club de Madrid is taking place this week in Haiti February 18th and 21st 2014. The delegation is led by Cassam Uteem, President of Mauritius (1992-2002) and Carlos Westendorp , Secretary General of the organization and former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Spain. They will share their experience and expertise with leading Haiti’s political leaders to provide them with strategic political opinions. Never directly participating in the dialogue between Haitians, the challenge is to help, based on the demand from the Haitians, to define their own solutions to a number of major challenges the country is facing. The topics on the agenda are constitutional reform, the electoral process, social cohesion and promoting investment.

The program’s first mission includes meetings with Haitian President Michel Martelly, the Prime Minister, the presidents of the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies, the Episcopal Conference of Haiti and other religious organizations, as well as representatives of MINUSTAH, the Organization of American States and the Inter-American Development Bank.

Context

The first project of the Club de Madrid in Haiti in 2010-2012 “Global Leadership for Haiti Reconstruction” organized seven high-level missions in 20 months. The initiative, also funded by the EU, supported the institutional reconstruction of the country and encouraged democratic reform.

The Club de Madrid is an independent non-profit organization composed of more than 90 former presidents and prime ministers from 60 democratic countries. The Club de Madrid responds to a growing demand for support from leaders to address a number of challenges in democratic governance by providing experience and expertise valuable leadership of its members.

Contacts:

Luis Pérez Gil, Communications Officer, + 34 91 154 82 30 ● portable: +34 630 26 52 32 ● lperez@clubmadrid.org

Susana Mañueco,  Communications Coordinator, +34  91 154 82 36 ● smanueco@clubmadrid.org