Friday, the Prime Minister, Laurent Lamothe, also Minister of Planning and External Cooperation, had an important meeting with the Ambassador of Switzerland accredited in Haiti, Ms. Edita Vokral around the cooperation between the two countries.

The Head of Government, particularly stressed the necessity for the state structures to have precedence over NGOs, particularly as regards the management of development programs underway across the country. The Prime Minister also insisted, to ensure that the aid granted to Haiti is focused on priority areas identified by the Government, so that the results are tangible and especially beneficial for the population.

For his part, the Ambassador Switzerland, who recalled that his country's commitment towards Haiti has increased since the January 2010 earthquake, said that his country had focused on the implementation of programs in the long-term protection of the pine forest and the support to the National Directorate of Water Supply and Sanitation (DINEPA), for the installation of ten laboratories of water treatment to combat cholera. She pointed out that Switzerland is also committed to rebuild school infrastructure in several regions of the country, together with the Ministry of National Education.

The Prime Minister Lamothe, who has reaffirmed his commitment to work towards the improvement of living conditions of the Haitian people and to ensure an environment conducive to foreign direct investment, pleaded for the international aid is channeled through the Coordination framework of the External Aid for Development (CAED) recently established by the Haitian government.

HL/ HaitiLibre