"France is in a period of pre-electoral presidential campaign. In such moments, the internal policies prevail, " emphasised former senator Edgard Leblanc.

French President Jacques Chirac (R) welcomes his Haitian counterpart Rene Preval, 30 June 2006 at the Elysee Palace in Paris, prior to their meeting. AFP PHOTO PATRICK KOVARIK

According to Leblanc, the leader of a principal political party within Parliament, Haiti would greatly benefit if bureaucratic constraints which limit development aid to Haiti were reduced.  According to the coordinator of the Organization of People Fighting (OPL), France can act on two levels to increase support, bilaterally as well as on the level of the European Union (EU).

President Préval's delegates included several former presidential candidates, which many hope will enhance international cooperation and support. The social democrat Micha Gaillard believes this conciliatory image will increase international partners’ confidence and will specifically push France and the EU to consolidate their cooperative efforts with Haiti.

The spokesman of the ‘Fusion of the Social Democrats’ hopes that France and the EU place Haiti on "the list of the priority countries to help."  Gaillard discussed establishing a Joint French Haitian Committee which would unite experts of the two countries in order to define characteristics of cooperation with Haiti and implement actions accordingly.

Pierre Emile Rouzier, local businessman and former president of French Haitian Commerce Chamber (FHCC), hopes the meetings between the Haitian presidential delegation and leaders of France will encourage increased investment in Haiti.

The FHCC approached the French Embassy in Port-au-Prince to facilitate discussions between the Haitian President and members of the French employers organisation called "MEDEF," said Rouzier.

Rouzier expects the Haitian delegation to convey to the private sectors of local and international communities details of reform in the fields of justice and security which may attract capital, creating more employment and prosperity in Haiti.

"There is not enough national capital to develop the country. We need technicians and consistent capital to develop the country," stated Rouzier.

In an interview to the French daily newspaper "Le Monde", President Préval, who began his official visit to Paris last Thursday, expressed hopes for some debt forgiveness from France on the bilateral level (between France and Haiti).  This (bilateral) debt amounts to some 65 million US dollars, and Haiti’s total debt is over 1 billion dollars.

When the French Minister for Foreign Affairs, Philippe Douste-Blazy, visited Haiti for President Préval's swearing-in on May 14, he announced that his country planned to increase aid to Haiti by 50 to 60 percent within the next few months.

The bilateral assistance of France primarily covers technical functions and the provision of equipment for the Haitian Criminal Investigation Department.

Paris also contributes in excess of 41 million dollars to the financing of the Interim Cooperation Program which was defined during the 2004 International Conference of donors and further developed in March 2005 during the Conference of Cayenne.

According to the French foreign ministry, France is the leading contributor of the European Development Funds (23.4% of the some 310 million dollars of the 9th EDF).

At the close of the Conference of Vienna in May 2006, President Jacques Chirac promised to work towards increased solidarity between France and Haiti.  President Chirac made the announcement in the presence of representatives of the European Union, Latin America and the Caribbean.
 
Since taking office, this was the first trip abroad of the Haitian Head (of State). Préval left Port-au-Prince on June 25, stopped in Miami where he attended the end of an international conference on tourism and then flew to Brussels, before arriving in Paris.

Before returning to Port-au-Prince, President Préval is visiting St Kitt and Nevis between July 3 – 5 to participate in the annual Summit of the Heads of State and Government of CARICOM.  After two years of frozen relations, this participation marks the official return of Haiti within this important economic and political organisation.