This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 PARIS 001310 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED 
 
STATE FOR WHA/CAR, EB/IFD/ODF AND EUR/WE 
 
STATE PASS USAID FOR LAC 
 
BRUSSELS FOR USEU 
 
E.O.  12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID HA FR
SUBJECT: Haiti Reconstruction: Paris Preparatory Meeting for 
Cayenne Ministerial 
 
REFS:  A) Paris 1001 
 
       B) State 29300 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary:  On February 24, representatives of State, 
Treasury and USAID attended a French-hosted preparatory 
meeting in Paris in preparation for the ministerial 
conference on Haiti reconstruction to be held on March 18, 
2005, in Cayenne, French Guiana.  The French presented the 
Cayenne Conference as a pre-electoral opportunity for the 
international community to concretely demonstrate to the 
Haitian people that aid is flowing and conditions will soon 
improve in Haiti.  Participating countries, the UN, and IFIs 
described their current and projected development work in 
Haiti, and stressed the importance of collaboration among 
parties in order to maximize development efforts. 
Particular focus was placed on the concept of "quick wins" 
and the need for additional visibility through coordinated 
public relations activities.  The USDEL noted that the 
United States has been the fastest country to disburse 
assistance, and the major donor to Haiti to date.  USDEL 
also warned France that the Cayenne Conference would have to 
be more focused if it was to successfully achieve its stated 
aim of making international aid more visible.  End Summary. 
 
¶2.  (U) The meeting, hosted by the French Ministry of 
Foreign Affairs, was attended by the following countries and 
organizations: Argentina, the World Bank, the Inter-American 
Development Bank, Brazil, Canada, Chile, the European 
Commission, Spain, France, Haiti, Mexico and the United 
Nations Development Program.  Mosina Jordan, USAID Senior 
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Latin America and the 
Caribbean, headed the United States delegation.  Beth 
Cypser, USAID Director of Caribbean Affairs, Maureen Wafer, 
Treasury's Latin America Office, and Andrew Erickson, 
State's Office of Caribbean Affairs deputy director for 
Haiti, also attended.  The agenda was organized around the 
four pillars of the Interim Cooperation Framework: (1) 
strengthen political governance and promote national 
dialogue, (2) strengthen economic governance and contribute 
to institutional development, (3) promote economic recovery 
and (4) improve access to basic services.  Presentations by 
each delegation focused on current and planned development 
projects. 
 
¶3.  (U) Delegation Presentation Summaries 
----------------------------------------- 
 
Brazil - Discussed how Brazil's experience as a developing 
country gives it unique competency to assist Haiti, 
especially in the areas of health care and industrial 
development. Brazil highlighted its contributions to 
peacekeeping, as well as development projects in 
agriculture, water resource improvement and assistance with 
upcoming elections, and also stressed how recent 
undertakings in conjunction with Canada and the World Bank 
show that Brazil would be an effective contributor to joint 
initiatives, such as Argentina's Pro-Huerta project (see 
below). 
 
European Commission - Emphasized the urgency of the Haitian 
crisis, and the need to ensure that international 
interventions promote sustainable development.  The 
Commission has eleven projects currently underway in areas 
that include road-construction, election support, 
agriculture, education and cartography, and has also 
cooperated with the Dominican Republic on financing 
development efforts.  The Commission delegate also voiced 
concern about a lack of consultation among donor parties. 
 
Chile - The Chilean delegation stated its desire to augment 
its peacekeeping contribution to Haiti with social aid 
initiatives that are commensurate with Chile's limited 
funds, particularly projects to promote sustainable 
agriculture, build schools and provide drinking water 
access.  The Chilean representative also expressed interest 
in collaborating with Spain, and recommended more aid 
coordination to help identify potential areas for 
contribution. 
 
U.S. - USDEL highlighted USAID funding of fuel for 
electricity generation in Port-au-Prince, waste management 
and canal cleaning, assistance to farmers, short-term 
employment initiatives and post-flood infrastructure 
rebuilding.  DAA Jordan emphasized the need for additional 
funds for further projects in election assistance, provision 
of electricity, employment creation, and improved health 
care.  She also noted the need for clear benchmarks and a 
unified reporting mechanism that would not put additional 
unnecessary burdens on the Haitian Government. 
 
Canada - The Canadian representatives discussed their 
economic development aid carried out in collaboration with 
the Dominican Republic, as well as projects in sanitation, 
AIDS prevention and vaccinations.  (The Canadians noted the 
important relationship of the Dominican Republic vis a vis 
Haiti and requested that they be included in the Cayenne 
Conference.  The French concurred and noted that they had in 
fact already been invited.) Canada is utilizing the Haitian 
diaspora community in efforts to promote economic 
governance. 
 
Argentina - Made a proposal for implementing the Pro-Huerta 
project in Haiti.  This program involves small-scale food 
development in family gardens and farms, accompanied by 
agricultural training of at-risk, rural populations.  It has 
been carried out in Argentina to considerable success, and 
Argentina is now looking for partners who could assist them 
in transferring it to Haiti. 
 
Mexico - Representatives gave a preview of the projects that 
Mexico intends to highlight at the Cayenne conference, 
including technical assistance for providing drinking water 
(in conjunction with Spain), clinic training in Port-de- 
Paix, and training police services, particularly in forensic 
techniques for crime investigation. 
 
Inter-America Development Bank - The IADB stated that it was 
the primary financial source for long-term development 
projects in Haiti.  It supports projects in all four ICF 
pillars, including a fiscal reform program, rural economic 
development and vocational training.  Eleven new operations 
are planned for 2006-2007, and currently US$ 270 million has 
been allocated for current and forthcoming projects. 
 
Spain - Work is being carried out with the Haitian 
government to ensure food security and to provide economic 
governance training.  With a 400,000 euro budget for 2005, 
Spain is conducting a two-year literacy program and water 
and sanitation programs, and wishes to launch a micro-credit 
operation. 
 
World Bank - Through a mixture of grants and loans, the 
World Bank has financed solid-waste management programs, 
water treatment and local community development, and has 
provided food to schools.  Bank delegates stressed the 
importance of collaboration between donors and the Haitian 
government to increase public awareness of aid efforts and 
to promote rapid distribution of development funds. 
 
France - France will implement fifty-seven projects by the 
end of 2005.  French operations are distributed over all 
four ICF pillars, and 15 of them involve collaboration with 
a third party. 
 
Haitian Response:  The delegation from Haiti expressed a 
wish for more efforts to be made cooperatively prior to 
implementation in order to both increase effectiveness and 
lower implementation costs.  They stressed a need for 
greater coordination among contributing countries and 
organizations.  The Haitian delegation presented a catalog 
of project proposals, which was distributed to the delegates 
at the conference. 
 
U.S. Concerns 
------------- 
¶4.  (SBU) In extensive discussions with the French on the 
margins of and after the meeting, USDEL stressed to the GOF 
the U.S. Government's desire to see a productive and focused 
meeting in Cayenne on March 18.  USDEL suggested that France 
carefully reexamine the current agenda, with a view towards 
moving the agenda away from a sterile recitation of project 
summaries in favor of a more dynamic review of a short list 
of "quick wins" and of the most successful projects underway 
in Haiti.  The GOF reps promised to look into USDEL's 
concerns.  USDEL also asked the World Bank representative to 
work with the French and other donors in Port-au-Prince to 
focus the Cayenne agenda in this way and shape donor 
expectations accordingly. 
 
¶5.  (U) A representative of the U.S. delegation has cleared 
this message. 
 
LEACH