Haitian government assures that it has “full right” to extract water from the Masacre River

Haiti .- The Haitian government has asserted its right to extract water from the Masacre River, emphasizing its sovereignty to make decisions about the utilization of its natural resources. In response to the Dominican Republic’s decision to close the border, Haiti stated that, like its neighbor, it has full rights to access water from the river, as stipulated in the 1929 Agreement signed between the two countries.

Haiti expressed a preference for dialogue with the Dominican Republic to resolve the ongoing dispute over the river. It noted that the dialogue had been progressing well between the Haitian delegation, authorized by the government, and their Dominican counterparts in the Binational Commission. However, the announcement of the border closure was made unilaterally by the Dominican president.

The Haitian government called on both nations to protect the lives and property of their populations along the entire border and urged the adherence to international conventions on the matter. Additionally, Haiti affirmed its commitment to ensuring the proper irrigation of the Mawibabou plain under the supervision of its ministries responsible for agriculture, natural resources, rural development, and the environment.

The dispute over the Masacre River’s water diversion remains a contentious issue between the two nations, and their governments continue to grapple with finding a resolution.