CDB Officially Opens Office In Haiti

PORT-AU-PRINCE – The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) on September 21 officially opened its Country Office in Haiti, the first outside its headquarters in Barbados.To commemorate the occasion, Dr William Warren Smith, president of the Bank, hosted an inauguration event, which First Lady of the Republic of Haiti, Her Excellency Martine Moïse; Apostolic Nuncio, Ambassador Eugène Martin Nugent; Ministers of Government; and representatives from the diplomatic community in Haiti attended.“The opening of the new Country Office here is timely, as we seek to advance Haiti’s development and to assist with its further integration into the Caribbean Community,” said Smith during the event.“Be assured that CDB stands ready to provide further support and to continue improving the quality of programmes and services to enhance the livelihoods of the people of Haiti,” he added.

Speaking to the gathering at the Royal Oasis Hotel in Pétion-Ville, the President noted that since 2007, CDB has committed approximately US$134 million in grants to Haiti from the Bank’s Special Development Fund (Unified). CDB’s new Country Office will become the focal point for the implementation of its country strategy for Haiti for the period 2017 to 2021, he said.“This Office represents the Caribbean Development Bank’s deep and unwavering commitment to continue working with the Government of Haiti to deliver positive development results for the people of Haiti,” said Monica La Bennett, vice-president (operations), CDB during a ribbon-cutting ceremony held during the inauguration of the new location.The First Lady; Minister of the Economy and Finance, His Excellency Ronald Décembre; and the Apostolic Nuncio joined the Bank’s management for the private ceremony.On February 27, 2018, CDB signed a Country Agreement with the Government of Haiti to establish the Office. The Bank’s ongoing work in the Republic includes projects in education, climate resilience, community-based agriculture, and rural development. In addition, since May 2013, CDB has paid the country’s catastrophic insurance premiums to CCRIF SPC.The Bank’s resident country representative in Haiti is Stephen Lawrence. A civil engineer by training, he is also a development practitioner whose career has included posts in Africa and the Caribbean. (PR)By:NATASHA BECKLES for NationNews.com | September 22, 2018

Caribbean Development Bank to Establish First Country Office in Haiti This Year

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, Thursday March 15, 2018 – The Barbados-based Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) will establish its first country office in the Republic of Haiti later this year.Minister of Foreign Affairs Antonio Rodrigue and the Bank’s Vice-President (Operations), Monica La Bennett, recently signed the Country Agreement to pave the way for that to become reality.La Bennett said the signing of the agreement further cements the strong partnership between CDB and Haiti.“Last year, CDB, in collaboration with the Government of Haiti, developed a country strategy plan for the period 2017 to 2021, with an indicative resource envelope of US$100 million to help Haiti meet its development priorities. The strategy focuses on three main themes: agriculture and community development, sustainable energy development and education and training. It is this deepening engagement between CDB and the Government of Haiti that has led us to conclude that there is a need for a country office,” she said.“We expect that this will lead to the development of closer relationships with the Government and the people of this country, enabling CDB to be a more proactive, responsive development partner.”Haiti became a member of CDB in 2007. Since joining the Bank, the country has been allocated grant resources from CDB’s most concessional resource pool, the Special Development Fund (Unified). In 2017, an allocation of US$45 million was approved under the ninth cycle of the Fund.To date, a total of US$133 million has been committed to Haiti. Projects supported included the Education for All Phase II Project; the Technical and Vocational Education and Training Project II; interventions in agriculture and rural development; technical assistance for micro, small and medium enterprise development, and improving the quality of, and access to basic education.CDB’s ongoing work in Haiti includes projects in education, including technical and vocational education and training; climate resilience; and community-based agriculture and rural development. In addition, since May 2013, the Bank has paid the country’s insurance premiums to CCRIF SPC. The payments cover Haiti’s earthquake, tropical cyclone and excess rainfall policies. Under this arrangement, the country has received three major payouts, most recently following the passage of Hurricane Matthew in October 2016.By: Carribean360.com | March 15, 2018