European Union - Haiti Observer Blog

The English dictionary has an new work. It is called Brexit or a shortened from "British exit" to Brexit. British withdrawal from the European Union was a political goal that has been pursued by various individuals, advocacy groups, and political parties since the United Kingdom joined the European Union (EU) in 1973.

The European Union or the EU is an economic and political partnership involving 28 European countries. It has grown to become a "single market" in Europe, allowing goods and people to move freely around. A single currency, the euro, is in use in 19 of the member countries. The European Union has its own parliament responsible to create rules in a wide range of areas

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This last week at President Michel Martelly's office, the National Palace, he was in receipt of official papers testifying to the qualifications of Vicent Degert, European Union (EU) in Haiti's newly appointed ambassador, to perform the job of liaison between the EU and Haiti. Degert is replacing the outgoing ambassador, Javier Nino Perez.

Degert repeated the UE's pledge to continue assisting the government of Haiti (GOH) through checking up on reconstruction projects in progress across the island. He shared with Martelly as well his enthusiasm to facilitate and fortify the ties of cooperation that bind the EU and Haitian governments.

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A political position important to the Martelly-Lamothe government is decentralization. An example of this philosophy has been the creation of a program called Katye Pam Poze. Essentially a speak-out forum, community members meet at local coffee houses to discuss the needs of the community. Government officials then take their concerns and address them at either the local or state level.

Last week Prime Minister Lamothe and Interior Terrotoriales Communities (MICT) Minister Bazile, along with European Union (EU) Ambassador to Haiti, Perez, came together to inaugurate another decentralization project, Investment Fund of Local Authorities (FICT).

FICT is subsumed under Appui à la Gouvernance et à l'Investissement Local en Haiti (AGIL), which has received funding from the EU in the amount of $5.5 million Euros. Of this amount, FICT will be apportioned 120 million gourdes to be used for 16 impoverished communities in North and North East Departments. MICT will add an extra 12 million gourdes for the project.

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The non-profit Haiti Jazz, in collaboration with Caracoli and Haiti Music, came together to launch the new media library in downtown Port-au-Prince recently. The House of Music (kay mizik la in Créole) was built as an archival storage space to house collections of Haiti's music history, its recordings, documented history, and music artifacts.

The European Union (EU) has subsidized the project with a five million gourdes gift. The motivation to create the media library was to develop awareness, knowledge, and appreciation of Haiti's cultural contribution to music arts. The EU's Cultural Secretary, Leandro Medeot, on hand at the launch, commented on the importance of developing and carrying forward the artistic and social influences of Haitian music. The House of Music will provide a forum for music industry artists, musicologists, and technology specialists to gather, share, explore, and define the evolution and impact of Haitian music on the cultural landscape.

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