Haiti urges revival of Bilateral Commission and reopening of airspace

Haiti.- Fritz Alphonse Jean, president of Haiti’s Transitional Council, has expressed his desire to revive diplomatic talks with the Dominican Republic through the Dominican-Haitian Joint Bilateral Commission. The dialogue was suspended in September 2023 due to tensions over Haiti’s construction of an irrigation canal diverting water from the Massacre River.

In an interview with Listín Diario, Jean stressed Haiti’s commitment to preventing further crisis escalation and highlighted the importance of communication in avoiding past diplomatic breakdowns. Despite the canal’s completion in March 2024, formal discussions between both nations have yet to resume.

Jean also criticized the Dominican Republic’s ongoing suspension of flights to Cap-Haïtien, arguing that the measure, implemented amid rising gang violence in March 2024, should not apply to areas outside Port-au-Prince. Additionally, he addressed Haiti’s recent ban on importing foreign goods through Dominican borders, clarifying that the move targets illegal arms and drug trafficking rather than Dominican exports.