Sandra Paulémon at the Ministry of Planning (MPCE): Profile, Political Networks, and the Challenges Facing a Ministry Under Pressure

In a sensitive and decisive political context, Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé appointed Sandra Paulémon as Minister of Planning and External Cooperation (MPCE) within his new government on March 3, 2026.

This appointment comes at a critical moment for Haiti, as the country attempts to revive its institutions, reorganize international cooperation, and lay the groundwork for a potential electoral process and national reconstruction.

The editorial team of Le Quotidien 509 obtained and reviewed the curriculum vitae of the new minister. Who is she? What is her background? And more importantly, will she be able to meet the challenges of this strategic ministry?

A profile at the intersection of finance, public policy, and international cooperation

Sandra Paulémon presents herself as a strategic leader and experienced manager, with more than 15 years of experience in finance, public policy, and international cooperation.

According to her professional profile, her expertise includes:

• fund management and financial planning

• public policy analysis and development

• economic and social development

• international negotiation and multilateral cooperation

• mobilization of international funding

She also emphasizes her ability to lead complex projects and coordinate institutional and international actors—an important theoretical asset for a ministry that sits at the center of relations between the Haitian state and international donors.

An international academic background

Sandra Paulémon completed most of her academic training in the United States, according to the curriculum vitae reviewed by our newsroom. She is currently a PhD candidate in Public Policy and Social Policy at Liberty University. Her academic credentials also include:

• Master of Science in International Relations – Liberty University

• MBA in Finance and Business Administration – University of Phoenix

• Bachelor of Science in Science Communication – University of Phoenix

She has also completed several certificates from well-known academic institutions, including:

• Yale University – Social Entrepreneurship

• Columbia University – U.S. Social Services Compared

• University of Michigan – Social Policy

• Michigan State University – Journalism

A career spanning the private sector, media, and public institutions

Sandra Paulémon’s professional trajectory reflects a hybrid career path, combining work in the U.S. financial sector, political communication, and public project management in Haiti.

She has held positions in the financial sector in the United States with several firms, including:

• Guardian Life

• New York Life

• Penn Mutual

• MassMutual

• World Financial Group

She is also the founder of SPA Financial Group LLC, a company specializing in financial consulting and wealth management. In Haiti, she has served as:

• communication consultant at the Presidency of the Republic

• project manager at the National Old-Age Insurance Office (ONA)

• senior consultant at the National Airport Authority

She was also co-founder and general director of Gazette Haiti News, an online media outlet.

A figure linked to certain political networks

Politically, Sandra Paulémon is the spouse of Haitian political figure Assad Volcy. The couple is also widely considered to be close to former President Jocelerme Privert, who led Haiti’s transitional government between February 2016 and February 2017 following the end of Michel Martelly’s presidency.

For some observers, this proximity reflects the political networks that continue to shape Haiti’s current transitional landscape.

A strategic ministry in the architecture of the state

The Ministry of Planning and External Cooperation (MPCE) is one of the central institutions of Haiti’s economic governance.

Its responsibilities include:

• national development planning

• coordination of international aid

• management of the Public Investment Program (PIP)

• coordination of projects funded by international donors

In a country heavily dependent on external assistance, the MPCE serves as the primary interface between the Haitian state and international partners.

Major structural challenges

The new minister inherits an institution facing significant structural challenges.

Structural and administrative reform

The ministry has long struggled with internal resistance to reform and persistent administrative weaknesses. A deep restructuring is widely considered necessary to strengthen departmental offices and anchor development planning at the territorial level—an objective frequently discussed but rarely achieved.

Coordination of international aid

The MPCE must also ensure that international assistance aligns with national priorities, while avoiding duplication with projects implemented by NGOs and international agencies.

Management of public investments

Improving transparency and efficiency in managing the Public Investment Program (PIP) remains a critical issue, especially in a context marked by political instability and weak institutional capacity.

Security and political environment

The growing power of armed gangs controlling large parts of the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area significantly complicates the implementation of public development projects and programs.

Administrative modernization

The ministry must also modernize its management tools, strengthen the technical capacity of its staff, and improve its systems for planning and evaluation.

Between expectations and uncertainty

Notably, Sandra Paulémon was among the few ministers personally installed in their offices by Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, a gesture widely interpreted as a strong political signal within the current governmental transition.

Her appointment comes at a time when Haiti’s credibility with international donors remains fragile, and when the country’s institutional reconstruction remains uncertain.

Her ability to mobilize international partners, reorganize the ministry’s administrative apparatus, and revive genuine national development planning will be decisive.

The challenge is therefore immense. Beyond political announcements and symbolic gestures, the coming months will determine whether this appointment marks a genuine turning point for the MPCE—or simply another reform attempt destined to collide with the structural realities of Haiti’s political system.

Brigitte Benshow

Read also: Valéry Fils-Aimé, Minister of the Environment

Note to readers:
The editorial team of Le Quotidien 509 continues its commitment to transparency by researching the biographies and curricula vitae of the ministers in Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé’s government. The objective is to allow citizens and Haiti’s partners to better understand their leaders and closely follow their actions in service of the country.

Documents can be sent to: lequotidien509@gmail.com, contact@lequotidien509.com