{"id":31431,"date":"2026-03-22T14:17:45","date_gmt":"2026-03-22T18:17:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lequotidien509.com\/?p=31431"},"modified":"2026-03-22T14:17:45","modified_gmt":"2026-03-22T18:17:45","slug":"haiti-diplomacy-raina-forbin-dominican-republic-test","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lequotidien509.com\/en\/haiti-diplomacy-raina-forbin-dominican-republic-test\/","title":{"rendered":"Haiti Diplomacy: Raina Forbin Sets Priorities as Dominican Republic Test Looms"},"content":{"rendered":"<p data-start=\"97\" data-end=\"320\"><strong data-start=\"97\" data-end=\"131\">Port-au-Prince, March 22, 2026<\/strong> \u2014 Less than three weeks after taking office, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Religious Affairs, <span class=\"hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline\"><span class=\"whitespace-normal\">Raina Forbin<\/span><\/span>, has stepped up diplomatic efforts on multiple fronts.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"322\" data-end=\"815\">Officially installed on March 4, 2026 by Prime Minister <span class=\"hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline\"><span class=\"whitespace-normal\">Alix Didier Fils-Aim\u00e9<\/span><\/span>, in the presence of her predecessor <span class=\"hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline\"><span class=\"whitespace-normal\">Jean-Victor Harvel Jean-Baptiste<\/span><\/span>, the new chancellor outlined key government priorities as early as March 5: restoring security, organizing credible elections, reviving the economy, and reshaping Haiti\u2019s diplomacy. These priorities were reiterated during a series of meetings with the diplomatic corps accredited in Haiti, as well as with the Prime Minister.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"817\" data-end=\"1164\">On March 6, she took part in the launch of the Francophonie Fortnight alongside French Ambassador <span class=\"hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline\"><span class=\"whitespace-normal\">Antoine Michon<\/span><\/span>. On March 8, marking <span class=\"hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline\"><span class=\"whitespace-normal\">International Women&#8217;s Day<\/span><\/span>, she paid tribute to women working within the ministry. On March 13, she initiated dialogue with religious leaders on issues related to social cohesion.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1166\" data-end=\"1449\">On the bilateral front, consultations intensified starting March 17. The minister successively met with Peru\u2019s Consul General, Dimitri L\u00e9ger, and Spain\u2019s Ambassador, Marco Antonio Pe\u00f1\u00edn Toledano, focusing on strengthening cooperation, particularly in humanitarian and security areas.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1451\" data-end=\"1618\">On March 18, she held talks with U.S. Charg\u00e9 d\u2019Affaires Henry T. Wooster. Discussions focused on the security situation, anti-gang operations, and electoral prospects.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1620\" data-end=\"1845\">In the same vein, the chancellor met with the head of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH), Carlos Ruiz Massieu, to discuss the UN\u2019s role in supporting the transition, particularly in security and governance.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1847\" data-end=\"2180\">Diplomatic engagements continued on March 20 with meetings involving Colombia\u2019s Ambassador Vilma Vel\u00e1squez and Mexico\u2019s Ambassador Jes\u00fas Cisneros. Talks centered on concrete areas of cooperation, including training, agriculture, <a href=\"https:\/\/lequotidien509.com\/sandra-paulemon-raina-forbin-stephanie-smith-defi-gouvernement-haiti\/\">security, and economic exchanges, according to official statements from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.<\/a><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2182\" data-end=\"2607\">Meanwhile, Minister Forbin accompanied Prime Minister <span class=\"hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline\"><span class=\"whitespace-normal\">Alix Didier Fils-Aim\u00e9<\/span><\/span> to Chile for the inauguration of President-elect <span class=\"hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline\"><span class=\"whitespace-normal\">Jos\u00e9 Antonio Kast<\/span><\/span>. On the sidelines of this visit in Santiago, discussions were also held with the Secretary General of the <span class=\"hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline\"><span class=\"whitespace-normal\">Organization of American States<\/span><\/span>, <span class=\"hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline\"><span class=\"whitespace-normal\">Albert Ramdin<\/span><\/span>, focusing on security challenges and Haiti\u2019s electoral process.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2609\" data-end=\"2980\">At the same time, <span class=\"hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline\"><span class=\"whitespace-normal\">Raina Forbin<\/span><\/span> is participating in the <a href=\"https:\/\/lequotidien509.com\/raina-forbin-faire-de-la-diplomatie-un-instrument-au-service-des-priorites-nationales\/\">CELAC\u2013Africa High-Level Forum held on March 20\u201321 in Bogot\u00e1, under the framework of the Community<\/a> of Latin American and Caribbean States. On the sidelines of the forum, she met with Mexico\u2019s Foreign Minister Juan Ram\u00f3n de la Fuente and Colombia\u2019s Foreign Minister Yolanda Villavicencio Mapy.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2982\" data-end=\"3206\"><a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/MAE_Haiti\/status\/2033932106594971957?s=20\">In parallel, Haiti has formalized its accession to the International Mobile Satellite Organization (IMSO),<\/a> an initiative dating back to 2024 aimed at strengthening maritime security and modernizing vessel monitoring systems.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"3208\" data-end=\"3357\">At the same time, several Haitian ambassadors have been recalled, signaling an ongoing strategic repositioning of the country\u2019s diplomatic apparatus.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"3359\" data-end=\"3844\">However, the real test remains the resumption of relations with the <span class=\"hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline\"><span class=\"whitespace-normal\">Dominican Republic<\/span><\/span>. Amid persistent tensions and deadlock, Haiti\u2019s diplomacy is expected to address key issues: migration, trade imbalances at the border, the resumption of flights, and the reopening of border crossings. These pressing challenges will serve as a benchmark for the chancellor\u2019s ability to reestablish a constructive dialogue with President <span class=\"hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline\"><span class=\"whitespace-normal\">Luis Abinader<\/span><\/span>.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"3359\" data-end=\"3844\">Brigitte Benshow<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Port-au-Prince, March 22, 2026 \u2014 Less than three weeks after taking office, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Religious Affairs, Raina Forbin, has stepped up diplomatic efforts on multiple fronts. Officially installed on March 4, 2026 by Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aim\u00e9, in the presence of her predecessor Jean-Victor Harvel Jean-Baptiste, the new chancellor outlined key government priorities as early as March 5: restoring security, organizing credible elections, reviving the economy, and reshaping Haiti\u2019s diplomacy. These priorities were reiterated during a series of meetings with the diplomatic corps accredited in Haiti, as well as with the Prime Minister. On March 6, she took part in the launch of the Francophonie Fortnight alongside French Ambassador Antoine Michon. On March 8, marking International Women&#8217;s Day, she paid tribute to women working within the ministry. On March 13, she initiated dialogue with religious leaders on issues related to social cohesion. On the bilateral front, consultations intensified starting March 17. The minister successively met with Peru\u2019s Consul General, Dimitri L\u00e9ger, and Spain\u2019s Ambassador, Marco Antonio Pe\u00f1\u00edn Toledano, focusing on strengthening cooperation, particularly in humanitarian and security areas. On March 18, she held talks with U.S. Charg\u00e9 d\u2019Affaires Henry T. Wooster. Discussions focused on the security situation, anti-gang operations, and electoral prospects. In the same vein, the chancellor met with the head of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH), Carlos Ruiz Massieu, to discuss the UN\u2019s role in supporting the transition, particularly in security and governance. Diplomatic engagements continued on March 20 with meetings involving Colombia\u2019s Ambassador Vilma Vel\u00e1squez and Mexico\u2019s Ambassador Jes\u00fas Cisneros. Talks centered on concrete areas of cooperation, including training, agriculture, security, and economic exchanges, according to official statements from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Meanwhile, Minister Forbin accompanied Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aim\u00e9 to Chile for the inauguration of President-elect Jos\u00e9 Antonio Kast. On the sidelines of this visit in Santiago, discussions were also held with the Secretary General of the Organization of American States, Albert Ramdin, focusing on security challenges and Haiti\u2019s electoral process. At the same time, Raina Forbin is participating in the CELAC\u2013Africa High-Level Forum held on March 20\u201321 in Bogot\u00e1, under the framework of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States. On the sidelines of the forum, she met with Mexico\u2019s Foreign Minister Juan Ram\u00f3n de la Fuente and Colombia\u2019s Foreign Minister Yolanda Villavicencio Mapy. In parallel, Haiti has formalized its accession to the International Mobile Satellite Organization (IMSO), an initiative dating back to 2024 aimed at strengthening maritime security and modernizing vessel monitoring systems. At the same time, several Haitian ambassadors have been recalled, signaling an ongoing strategic repositioning of the country\u2019s diplomatic apparatus. However, the real test remains the resumption of relations with the Dominican Republic. Amid persistent tensions and deadlock, Haiti\u2019s diplomacy is expected to address key issues: migration, trade imbalances at the border, the resumption of flights, and the reopening of border crossings. These pressing challenges will serve as a benchmark for the chancellor\u2019s ability to reestablish a constructive dialogue with President Luis Abinader. Brigitte Benshow<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":31432,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"give_campaign_id":0,"_crdt_document":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":{"format":"standard","override":[{"template":"4","parallax":"1","layout":"right-sidebar","sidebar":"default-sidebar","second_sidebar":"default-sidebar","sticky_sidebar":"1","share_position":"topbottom","share_float_style":"share-monocrhome","show_featured":"1","show_post_meta":"1","show_post_author":"1","show_post_author_image":"1","show_post_date":"1","post_date_format":"default","post_date_format_custom":"Y\/m\/d","show_post_category":"1","show_post_reading_time":"1","post_reading_time_wpm":"300","post_calculate_word_method":"str_word_count","show_zoom_button":"0","zoom_button_out_step":"2","zoom_button_in_step":"3","show_post_tag":"1","show_comment_section":"1","number_popup_post":"1","show_inline_post_related":"1"}],"image_override":[{"single_post_thumbnail_size":"crop-500","single_post_gallery_size":"crop-500"}],"trending_post_position":"meta","trending_post_label":"Trending","sponsored_post_label":"Sponsored by","disable_ad":"0","subtitle":"Haiti\u2019s Foreign Minister Raina Forbin steps up diplomatic efforts, but restoring relations with the Dominican Republic remains the key test."},"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"jnews_post_split":{"post_split":[{"template":"1","tag":"h2","numbering":"asc","mode":"normal","first":"0","enable_toc":"0","toc_type":"normal"}]},"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[3220],"tags":[4060,3463,5047],"class_list":["post-31431","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-national","tag-diplomacy","tag-haiti","tag-raina-forbin"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lequotidien509.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/rainaactivites.webp?fit=1366%2C768&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lequotidien509.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31431","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lequotidien509.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lequotidien509.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lequotidien509.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lequotidien509.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=31431"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/lequotidien509.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31431\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":31433,"href":"https:\/\/lequotidien509.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31431\/revisions\/31433"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lequotidien509.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/31432"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lequotidien509.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=31431"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lequotidien509.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=31431"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lequotidien509.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=31431"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}