Press Releases

On February 6 and 7, Mr. Kentaro Sonoura, State Minister for Foreign Affairs, visited the Republic of Haiti in order to attend Haiti’s presidential inauguration ceremony.

1. Courtesy call on President Jovenel Moïse

On February 6, ahead of the presidential inauguration ceremony, State Minister Sonoura paid a courtesy call on H. E. Mr. Jovenel Moïse, President of the Republic of Haiti. State Minister Sonoura handed a personal letter from Mr. Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan, to President Moïse, and congratulated him on his appointment as President. In addition, State Minister Sonoura confirmed that Japan will continue to strengthen its cooperative relationship with Haiti under the new Moïse Administration also, and explained that Japan will continue providing support to Haiti in order to promote agriculture and improve the food situation in the country, which is working to recover from Hurricane Matthew struck in October last year.
President Moïse expressed his gratitude for Japan’s support thus far, along with stating that he hopes to strengthen the cooperative relationship as a partner country in the future also.

2. Dinner hosted by Provisional President Jocelerme Privert

On the evening of February 6, State Minister Sonoura attended a dinner hosted by H.E. Mr. Jocelerme Privert, Provisional President of the Republic of Haiti. State Minister Sonoura took this opportunity to exchange views on strengthening the relationship between the two countries with Provisional President Privert, Mr. Cholzer Chancy, Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies of the Republic of Haiti, H.E. Mr. Enex Jean-Charles, Prime Minister of the Republic of Haiti, and H.E. Mr. Pierrot Delienne, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Worship of the Republic of Haiti.

3. Presidential inauguration ceremony

On February 7, State Minister Sonoura attended a presidential inauguration ceremony held at the National Palace following a swearing-in at the National Assembly.

4. State Minister Sonoura took the opportunity to hold short exchanges of views with the following officials:

• Daphnée Benoit Delsoin, Minister for Public Health and Population of the Republic of Haiti
• The Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of International Development and La Francophonie of Canada
• The Honorable Thomas Shannon Jr., Under Secretary for Political Affairs of the United States of America