In a meeting with Haitian Minister of Foreign Affairs Jean-Victor Harvel Jean-Baptiste on Tuesday, President William Lai (賴清德) vowed to continue providing aid to Haiti.
Taiwan supports Haiti with development in areas such as agriculture, healthcare and education through initiatives run by the Taiwan International Cooperation and Development Fund (ICDF).
The nation it has established itself as a responsible, peaceful and innovative actor committed to global cooperation, Jean-Baptiste said.
Testimonies such as this give Taiwan a voice in the global community, where it often goes unheard. Taiwan’s reception in Haiti also contrasts with how China has been perceived in countries in the region that have switched diplomatic ties from Taipei to Beijing. For example, Honduras has witnessed the collapse of its white shrimp industry — which it developed jointly with the ICDF — following its diplomatic switch in 2023.
The US is also interested in seeing countries maintain or re-establish ties with Taiwan, which is preferred to China gaining a foothold in the US’ backyard through its Belt and Road Initiative.
Taipei’s aid efforts in Haiti are crucial, as the administration of US President Donald Trump cut funding to the US Agency for International Development, which has been active in Haiti for nearly 50 years. Its withdrawal from the country will put more pressure on the ICDF.
Much remains to be done in Haiti, which faces challenges to governance and the rule of law, economic growth and employment, critical infrastructure, and access to basic services such as healthcare and education.
The Associated Press on Thursday last week reported that Haiti’s gangs have gained control of an estimated 90 percent of the capital, Port-au-Prince, and authorities are unable to stop violence across the country from escalating.
Given the problems Haiti faces, aid partners struggle to make headway. Gang activity hinders economic growth, but lack of economic growth fuels gang activity, trapping the country in a deadly downward spiral. Spurring economic growth also relies on improving education and training, but those efforts, too, are hindered by gang violence.
Lifting Haiti out of the crisis will require a multifaceted approach, involving the liberation of the capital from gangs and work opportunities for young people as an alternative to gang activity. Taiwan would not be able to tackle these massive undertakings on its own, but by playing a key role in the efforts as part of an international team, it would demonstrate its competence and reliability as a development partner.
Taiwan should remain in close contact with US officials to spur continued action in Haiti, which would be in Washington’s interest, as Haiti is a transshipment point for drugs and weapons to Puerto Rico, Florida and elsewhere in the US.
In Haiti, Taiwan has a unique opportunity to be a catalyst for real and lasting change. The ICDF has already made great strides in helping farmers with rice cultivation, training medical personnel and improving access to financial services for women.
If international partners could help Haiti eliminate gang violence and improve social stability, Taiwan could expand the scope of its development projects there to help it unlock its economic potential.
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