Above: Haitian President Michel Martelly and Dominican Republic President Leonel Fernandez (Photo: CIG)

By the Caribbean Journal staff

Haitian President Michel Martelly made an official visit to Santo Domingo Monday, beginning with a working meeting with Dominican Republic President Leonel Fernandez.

The two leaders, joined by Foreign Ministers Carlos Morales Troncoso and Laurent Lamothe, signed a group of agreements, including a technical cooperation pact on social programmes, a cooperation framework on international planning and a Memorandum of Understanding on trade and investment, among others.

Martelly, who received a 21-gun salute, was decorated by Decree 131-12, receiving the Order of Merit of Duarte, Sanchez and Mella, the principal order of the Dominican Republic.

He received the grade of Grand Cross with Gold Breast Star, which is awarded to foreign heads of state.

The Haitian President was accompanied on his trip by Lamothe, who is also the country’s Prime Minister-Designate, along with Interior Minister Thierry Mayard-Paul, Agriculture Minister Hebert Docteur, Tourism Minister Stephanie Villedrouin and several other cabinet officials.

Fernandez hosted Martelly and the delegate for a luncheon in the Green Room of the National Palace in Santo Domingo.

Martelly departed Monday afternoon.