(Ottawa) The Dominican Republic would never have given Canada permission to set up an office on its territory charged with supporting the Haitian National Police, according to the Dominican Foreign Minister – a claim the Canadian government has no hesitation in refuting.
Posted at 8:07pm, updated at 9:40pm.
Santo Domingo Foreign Minister Roberto Álvarez made the allegation in a tweet published on Friday morning, a day after an announcement by his Canadian counterpart Mélanie Joly, which he attended virtually.
“The Dominican government confirms that it has not discussed, agreed or approved the establishment of a coordination office in support of the National Police of Haiti on our territory, according to information ‘from a Canadian medium,'” he wrote in Spanish.
Minister Joly announced the forthcoming opening of the International Assistance Coordination Office during the 2023 Haiti Ministerial on Thursday morning. As she has often said, Canada’s chief diplomat has expressed a desire to develop solutions “by and for Haitians.”
“We want this coordination center to be operational this summer in the Dominican Republic,” she said at the opening of the meeting, thanking ” [s]Many thanks to dear colleague Roberto for the support and cooperation with us.”
In a statement sent out on Friday, Global Affairs Canada notes that “talks have been ongoing between partners for several weeks to bring this work to fruition.” […]including those aimed at establishing a site that will support the group’s work in geographical proximity to Haiti.”
Through the Canada-led Joint Coordination Cell, “more than 20 countries and international organizations will work together to help Haitians and the Haitian National Police meet the country’s security needs,” the ministry added.
“Our only interest is to help the Haitians,” a Canadian government source assured.
The political context in the Dominican Republic is perhaps no stranger to Minister Álvarez’s departure.
The day before, the opposite party’s presidential candidate, Abel Martínez Durán, reacted very negatively to Ottawa’s plan. “We oppose Canada’s intention to open offices in the Dominican Republic, ostensibly to coordinate aid to the neighboring country. Let them settle in Haiti! he tweeted.
Canada has been asked repeatedly, including by the United States, to lead a multinational intervention mission to restore order to the Caribbean country that had been mired in chaos for months. However, he always resisted.