CANADA AND UNDP STEP UP SUPPORT FOR HAITI’S JUSTICE REFORM PROGRAMMEPort-au-Prince, 7 March 2006 – The Government of Canada and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have stepped up their commitment to building a new independent professional judiciary system in Haiti.
Today, the partners committed US$5.655 in new resources towards the Programme of Support for Reform of the Justice System in Haiti, which will include activities in the areas of institutional strengthening, reinforcement of case-management procedures (chaîne penale), the prison system, legislative reforms and training.
Of the total budget, estimated at US$11.6 million, an amount of US$5.655 million is currently committed (Can$5 million from Canada and US$1.5 million from UNDP). “The main aim of strengthening the rule of law, which will be a long-term undertaking, is to provide equitable access to justice and thereby to establish the essential conditions for the people of Haiti to be able to enjoy the benefits of a justice system that is professional, observant of the law, and capable of promoting a greater awareness in people of their rights and obligations”, said Canada’s ambassador to Haiti, Claude Boucher, who signed the agreement.
The programme is intended to make the justice system in Haiti more independent and effective, more transparent and more accessible to the people.
“Improving the justice system will undoubtedly have the effect of enhancing the Haitian people’s trust in this important institution, and thereby stimulating their interest in playing an active part in the processes of reform and strategies for sustainable development”, he went on.
The official in charge of the aid to Haiti provided by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), François Montour, added that “in the context of the Haitian people’s recent holding of historic elections in order to install a genuine democracy in their country, it is essential to re-establish a justice system capable of encouraging the resolution of conflicts and reducing, in the very short term, the grave problems which arise from a non-functioning judicial apparatus.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Port au Prince/Haiti: Chantal Roromme, tel. +509-244-9361 to 65,
e-mail: roromme.chantal@undp.org.
New York/USA: Victor Arango, tel. +1 (212) 906-6127,
e-mail: victor.arango@undp.org
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