Haiti proposes job creation program to JICA

Haitian Minister of Planning and External Cooperation, Sandra Paulemon, met with Hara Shohei, Senior Vice President of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), in Bangkok to discuss strengthening bilateral cooperation.

Paulemon proposed a new phase of partnership centered on a labor-intensive public works (HIMO) program. This initiative aims to create jobs for vulnerable populations, including women, unemployed youth, and displaced persons, while addressing critical community needs. Proposed projects include the rehabilitation of rural roads, maintenance of drainage and irrigation canals, reforestation, erosion control, and minor repairs to schools and health centers.

The Minister highlighted Japan’s existing contributions to Haiti’s education, water supply, infrastructure, and agriculture sectors. She cited the successful urban rehabilitation work conducted by Japanese cooperation in Léogâne following the 2010 earthquake as a model for this proposed employment and social recovery program.