Statement by Sir Ronald Sanders Ambassador of Antigua and Barbuda and Chair of the CARICOM Group of Ambassadors on Behalf of CA

Statement by Sir Ronald Sanders Ambassador of Antigua and Barbuda and Chair of the CARICOM Group of Ambassadors on behalf of CARICOM at Special Meeting of Permanent Council of Organization of American States on Haiti Friday, 20th August 2021

Mr Chairman We thank the Prime Minister of Haiti, the Honourable Ariel Henry, for making the time, amid all his pressing duties, to address this Permanent Council on the humanitarian crisis being faced by his country – a member of our Caribbean Community (CARICOM). It was beneficial to hear his first-hand account of what we already knew were troubling conditions. The member states of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) stand in solidarity with the people of Haiti in the wake of the disastrous effects of yet another earthquake which killed almost 2,000 people, injured 10,000 and rendered about 40,000 homeless. The Chair of the CARICOM Heads of Government and Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Gaston Browne, spoke with Prime Minister Ariel Henry early on the morning of the earthquake and conveyed our readiness to provide assistance in any ways possible. We are greatly troubled that the misery caused by this disaster was intensified by tropical storm, Grace, which generated widespread flooding and landslides. When this double calamity occurred over the last few days in Haiti, the country was already confronting a humanitarian crisis, including a grave strain on its medical facilities that were overwhelmed by several essential demands, including coping with the COVID-19 pandemic. There is clearly an urgent need for the entire global community to respond swiftly and meaningfully to the dire situation of the Haitian people within a framework of transparency and accountability. We in CARICOM, urge international development and finance institutions and governments to help to the fullest extent of their capabilities, making sure that assistance is provided to the needy and vulnerable in a fair and equitable manner. We deeply appreciate the support for Haiti expressed by Speakers this morning. As an area that is subject to natural disasters that regularly decimate our countries particularly as a consequence of Climate Change, we understand the impact on lives and livelihoods, For our part, we have begun to act both alone and in tandem with other hemispheric and international organisations. On the morning of the earthquake, the Chair of CARICOM, the Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Gaston Browne, immediately spoke by telephone with the Haitian Prime Minister, Ariel Henry, assuring him of the Community’s readiness to assist Haiti in addressing both its immediate emergency needs and its longer-term development imperatives.

Several responses were immediately triggered. The Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility (CCRIF) agreed to pay out $40 million to Haiti. A first instalment of $15 million is being paid to the government early next week, and the remaining $25 million will be paid within the next 14-days. Mr. Chairman, it is significant that this current payment to Haiti represents the largest one-time payment from CCRIF to date. It should also be noted that, since its inception in 2007, CCRIF has made five payments to Haiti, in the sum of $78.3 million or 32% - the largest single portion of the benefits paid out to its 22 subscribing states. Further, the Caribbean Development Bank has given support to Haiti by paying, in whole or in part, Haiti's insurance premiums for earthquakes, tropical cyclones, and excessive precipitation. Haiti will continue to receive earthquake coverage for the remainder of this policy year under a special feature of the earthquake policy known as the Reinstatement of Sum Insured Cover. Mr Chairman, Haiti’s Minister of the Economy and Finance, Michel Patrick Boisvert, has stated that “The payout from CCRIF to the Republic of Haiti, will help finance rapid and tangible government activities geared towards the poor and vulnerable affected by the earthquake in the Grand Sud region”. The Caribbean Development Bank continues to explore all available options for providing immediate and longer-term support to improve conditions for the people of Haiti. Additionally, the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) is even now deploying a team to provide operational support to the National Emergency Operations Centre in Port-Au-Prince. Several organs of CDEMA are alert and activated, awaiting indications from Haitian authorities that they are ready to receive teams of specialist relief groups. CDEMA has also established a Haiti Relief Fund for monetary donations and CARICOM member states are promoting contributions to it from the Caribbean peoples and business sectors. Beyond the need for emergency assistance, Mr. Chairman, CARICOM recognises that Haiti is prone to earthquakes because it lies on tectonic plates whose shifting occurs intermittently provoking quakes. Haiti needs the establishment and implementation of codes that will ensure its buildings are resilient and able to withstand inevitable earthquakes in the future. Such building codes, and attendant regulation of, and adherence to standards, should form part of a medium to long term development plan, formulated by elected authorities in Haiti, that the international development community should support. Mr Chairman, CARICOM is doing all in its power with its limited resources to respond to the crucial emergency needs of the Haitian people. We are heartened by commitments that we have heard today from previous speakers, and we encourage them to turn words to action. Thank you.