In Bangkok, Minister Sandra Paulemon Looks to Japanese Cooperation to Create Jobs in Haiti

Planning and External Cooperation Minister Dr. Sandra Paulemon met on Thursday, October 15, 2026, in Bangkok, Thailand, with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Vice President Hara Shohei to discuss new avenues of cooperation focused on job creation and Haiti’s economic and social recovery.

A public works program to boost employment in Haiti

During the talks, the minister proposed a joint labor-intensive public works program (HIMO) to rehabilitate rural roads, maintain drainage and irrigation canals, fight erosion, reforest and improve community infrastructure. The initiative would particularly target women, unemployed youth and vulnerable households, including displaced people and host communities. Paulemon also cited Japan’s experience with urban rehabilitation work in Léogâne after the 2010 earthquake, saying it could serve as a model for designing a program suited to the country’s current needs.

Financial and technical support sought from JICA

To move the proposal forward, the head of the Ministry of Planning and External Cooperation (MPCE) requested possible financial support from JICA, technical assistance to design and oversee the work, and the exploration of co-financing arrangements with multilateral partners. Hara Shohei reaffirmed the Japanese agency’s willingness to continue working with Haiti. Technical meetings are planned to take the discussions further and define possible forms of support, notably under the 2026-2030 National Program for Stabilization and Economic, Social and Territorial Recovery (PNSREST).

Beyond the HIMO program, the talks also covered institutional capacity building, improving basic services, agricultural development and risk management. At this stage, the proposals remain to be fleshed out in technical discussions between the two sides.