Haiti and Colombia Strengthen Cooperation with Joint Border Commission
, March 21, 2026 — On the sidelines of the tenth CELAC Summit, Haitian Foreign Minister Raina Forbin met her Colombian counterpart, Yolanda Villavicencio Mapy, for a working session focused on reviving bilateral cooperation.
By Jean Wesley Pierre · Port-au-Prince
· 2 min read · Updated 24 April 2026
Translated from French — AI-assisted and reviewed by the editorial team. The French version is authoritative. Read the original · About our translation policy
Bogotá, March 21, 2026 —
On the sidelines of the tenth CELAC Summit, Haitian Foreign Minister Raina Forbin met her Colombian counterpart, Yolanda Villavicencio Mapy, for a working session focused on reviving bilateral cooperation. The two foreign ministers signed a joint declaration creating a Colombia-Haiti Joint Border Integration and Cooperation Commission. This mechanism, unprecedented between the two countries, aims to structure cooperation on more concrete and visible foundations, beyond the declarations of intent that have long characterized the bilateral relationship. Colombia also formulated a new offer of support to the Haitian agricultural sector, a proposal that Minister Forbin will submit to the government upon her return to Port-au-Prince. Agriculture, a key sector for Haiti's food sovereignty, would benefit from a technical and potentially financial partnership with Bogotá. Discussions also focused on commemorating the 210th anniversary of Simón Bolívar's arrival in Haiti, a foundational episode of solidarity between the two nations. Both parties agreed to organize joint activities to highlight this historical legacy. This meeting comes as Haiti seeks to diversify its international partnerships beyond the traditional circle of North American and European donors. Colombia, a major player in Latin America, constitutes a strategic ally, especially as the two countries share common challenges in security and migration management. The creation of the joint commission and the commitment to establish a cooperation monitoring mechanism reflect a desire to move from an essentially commemorative relationship to operational cooperation. It remains to be seen whether these instruments will lead to tangible results on the ground, given Haiti's immense needs and the fact that previous cooperation announcements have not always been followed by action.
On the sidelines of the tenth CELAC Summit, Haitian Foreign Minister Raina Forbin met her Colombian counterpart, Yolanda Villavicencio Mapy, for a working session focused on reviving bilateral cooperation. The two foreign ministers signed a joint declaration creating a Colombia-Haiti Joint Border Integration and Cooperation Commission. This mechanism, unprecedented between the two countries, aims to structure cooperation on more concrete and visible foundations, beyond the declarations of intent that have long characterized the bilateral relationship. Colombia also formulated a new offer of support to the Haitian agricultural sector, a proposal that Minister Forbin will submit to the government upon her return to Port-au-Prince. Agriculture, a key sector for Haiti's food sovereignty, would benefit from a technical and potentially financial partnership with Bogotá. Discussions also focused on commemorating the 210th anniversary of Simón Bolívar's arrival in Haiti, a foundational episode of solidarity between the two nations. Both parties agreed to organize joint activities to highlight this historical legacy. This meeting comes as Haiti seeks to diversify its international partnerships beyond the traditional circle of North American and European donors. Colombia, a major player in Latin America, constitutes a strategic ally, especially as the two countries share common challenges in security and migration management. The creation of the joint commission and the commitment to establish a cooperation monitoring mechanism reflect a desire to move from an essentially commemorative relationship to operational cooperation. It remains to be seen whether these instruments will lead to tangible results on the ground, given Haiti's immense needs and the fact that previous cooperation announcements have not always been followed by action.
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