After their meeting Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Michel Joseph Martelly praised the good relations between the two countries.

The Chancellor applauded two historical events: firstly, the first visit of a President of the Republic of Haiti for 20 years, and secondly the sixtieth anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

The Chancellor welcomed the President of the Republic of Haiti with military honours at the Federal Chancellery, before they met to discuss the situation in Haiti four and a half years after the terrible earthquake, bilateral relations and the situation in Latin America.

Reconstruction progressing

At the joint press conference Angela Merkel cast her mind back to the dreadful earthquake in 2010, which cost more than 200,000 lives and left the country’s infrastructure in ruins. In the meantime a great deal has been achieved, she said, and most of the 1.7 million people who were left without a roof over their head have been given assistance to find new accommodation.

Germany will continue its active involvement in multilateral development work, and will provide help where this is necessary. Investment in the private sector and energy supply, and in schooling and vocational training, for instance, is needed. Germany is willing to help here, stressed the Chancellor.

Grateful for German assistance

Haiti’s President thanked the German people for the help they have already given. "Germany was always there when we needed help." He also underlined the fact that the two sides had agreed to expand bilateral relations.

President Martelly proposed stepping up investment in Haiti. He also announced that elections would be held in his country within the next five to six months.

Bilateral relations between Germany and Haiti have traditionally been good but there is room for improvement. The two countries work together closely within the United Nations and other international bodies.

Germany supports the democratisation process in Haiti and contributes to the country’s stabilisation and development through bilateral development cooperation funding as well as via the European Development Fund and the UN budget. Priority areas of bilateral development cooperation with Haiti are agriculture, resource conservation, disaster preparedness, energy supply and HIV/AIDS prevention.

In 2013, Haiti’s trade with Germany (imports and exports) was worth approximately EUR 24 million, putting the country in 171st place among Germany’s trading partners. Germany’s main imports from Haiti are essential and vegetable oils and citrus fruits. Germany’s main exports to Haiti are machinery, paper goods and printed matter and foodstuffs.