Haiti’s President, Taiwan’s Vice President Discuss Cooperation

Above: Haiti President Michel Martelly and Haiti’s delegation in Santo Domingo (Photo:

By the Caribbean Journal staff

Haiti President Michel Martelly and Taiwan Vice President Wu Den-Yih held a private meeting Thursday in Santo Domingo.

Martelly and Wu were in the capital attending the inauguration of Dominican Republic President Danilo Medina.

The two sides discussed their desire to continue to implement cooperation plans between Haiti and Taiwan.

Martelly and Wu also spoke of what both saw as a need to improve university education and vocational training in Haiti.

“We must give young people the opportunity to receive adequate professional training to help them contribute to the reconstruction of [Haiti’s] society,” Martelly said.

A number of Haitian students are currently studying in Taiwan, as are students from around countries in the Caribbean.

Wu reportedly stressed Taiwan’s commitment to continue its plans to promote reconstruction in Haiti, something in which it has been active since the earthquake in January 2010.

The Taiwanese VP also pledged to work on helping to develop the energy sector in Haiti, which has been a major stated priority for Martelly.

Haiti and Taiwan have recently been collaborating in the field of health. Taiwan’s envoy to Haiti, Liu Bang-Zyh, helped inaugurate a new hospital in Vernet earlier this month.

Wu is is the former Premier of Taiwan. He was elected, along with current President Ma Ying-jeou, in Taiwan’s national vote in January.