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French economist Jacques Attali stressed the importance of cooperation between the European Union and Haiti during his participation in the first National Investment Forum.
Organized in Pétion-Ville on Monday, June 29, at Palm Résidence, this first edition of the National Investment Forum brought together several notable figures, including the European Union Ambassador to Haiti, Hélène Roos, Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, and the Minister of Economy and Finance, Serge Collin, among others.
In his speech, Jacques Attali emphasized the need for the European Union to support Haiti in its development.
“Europeans need to understand that helping Haiti is not an act of narcissistic generosity. It’s an act of enlightened self-interest. We Europeans have a stake in Haiti’s development,” he said.According to him, Haiti holds strategic importance for Europe.
“Haiti is very important for Europe because it is key to the stability of the region, the development of the French-speaking world in the Americas, and the democratic stability of an island that has the potential to unite,” he added.
The economist also highlighted the country’s potential, which he believes has been “wasted and squandered” due to various circumstances. Like the Dominican Republic, he sees the European Union as a neighbor of Haiti. This proximity, he says, should help the country’s development.
“All experiences have shown that a country develops more easily if it is surrounded by neighbors who are developing and if it maintains strong ties with developed countries,” he explained.However, he regretted that several opportunities to revive the country’s development had been missed, specifically citing the crises of 1991, 2010, and 2021.
“There were mobilizations from the international community, roadmaps were drawn up, but it didn’t work,” he lamented, while emphasizing the importance of building a climate of trust and enforcing the rule of law.
Later on, Jacques Attali stressed the need for Haiti to fully embrace technological advances, especially artificial intelligence.
“Haiti can become a country where the most advanced technologies are used for governance, fighting corruption, transparency, justice, education, health, economic development, and setting up a tax system,” he said.The economist concluded his speech by renewing his confidence in Haitian youth, whom he sees as the main driving force for the country’s future.
“I am convinced that Haiti can become a place of stability. The priority for me is the future of young people, which goes through education. If there is one area where we need to invest heavily, it is education, to help these young people understand that their future is not to carry a machine gun or become bodyguards for criminal leaders, but to become managers, engineers, doctors, or skilled farmers themselves,” urged Jacques Attali.
