A five-member delegation led by Alix Celestin, the Director General of the National Port Authority (APN), at the invitation of the Central Caribean American Action (CCAA), recently participated in the 36th Annual Conference of the Caribbean, which was held under the theme "The Greater Caribbean, a region at the crossroads of the Great World Maritime roads."

This conference had the following objectives :

• Underline the global nature of the Caribbean Basin linking the East and West via the Panama Canal ;

• Promote new business opportunities in this region created by the expansion of this Seaway ;

• Assess the challenges that countries in this region face in the commercial negotiation, of incentives for investment, safety and security, energy policy, transport and sustainable development ;

• Strengthen cultural ties between the Antilles and Louisiana.

The Caribbean and especially Haiti have always had a special place in New Orleans for having established historical ties, economical, commercial and cultural old nearly three centuries. Today more than ever, the National Port Authority wants to revive Haiti's historical ties with that state friend and signed during this visit several agreements.

Through the Peganus Program the APN and Sheriffs Association, have signed a partnership agreement aimed at strengthening the capacities of training in Safety and Security of Port.

The APN has also signed a twinning agreement with the Port of South Louisiana whose main objective is to share information in the following areas: research, data collection, technical and professional support for the port sector.

Has also been signed by: René Jean Jumeau Minister for Energy Security, Mr. Alix Celestin, Mr. Georges Andy René,Director General of CFI, Mr. Brook E. Smith, Director of Strategic Partnership, the Mayor of New Orleans, Mr. Denis Kelly, the mandate authorizing the Tak Force Haiti to work under the leadership of Mayor of New Orleans, Mr. Mitch Landrien, of the Haiti’s Presidential Advisory Council on economic Growth & Investment (PACEGI) and the Investment Facilitation Center (CFI) in its mission to accompany the Prime Minister's Office in areas such as education, infrastructure, health, energy, transport and agriculture.

HL/ HaitiLibre