Haiti-DR: Bocchit Edmond Calls for a Forum to Revive Bilateral Relations
By Wideberlin SENEXANT · 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
Amid persistent tensions between Haiti and the Dominican Republic, former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bocchit Edmond, proposes to the Presidential Transitional Council (PTC) an ambitious plan for normalizing relations, banking on dialogue, cooperation, and the experience of former Haitian Heads of State.
In a note addressed to the Presidential Transitional Council, a copy of which our editorial team received on Sunday, May 11, 2025, Bocchit Edmond, former Minister of Foreign Affairs and current Executive Director of OHRI, sounds the alarm on the need to deeply rethink Haitian-Dominican relations. Emphasizing the strategic importance of these ties for the island's stability, the director of a structure named “the Haitian Observatory of International Relations (OHRI),” a consulting think tank created in 2020, advocates for a serene and constructive approach to contemporary challenges: migration, trade, security, environment, and cultural cooperation.
A Strategic Forum Proposed
The diplomat proposes holding a high-level forum bringing together former Haitian Heads of State. Objective: to capitalize on their experience to formulate a common and pragmatic vision for relations with the Dominican Republic. This forum will be tasked with producing concrete recommendations, identifying good diplomatic practices, and strengthening Haiti's credibility on the regional stage.
Five Priority Areas of Cooperation
In his proposals, Bocchit Edmond outlines five major areas of action:
Institutionalization of bilateral dialogue, with the reactivation of the Joint Bilateral Commission and the involvement of independent experts.
Concerted border management, through joint technical committees and pilot cooperation projects.
Protection of the Haitian diaspora in the DR, by strengthening consular services and partnering with Dominican civil society.
Balanced cooperation, including discussions on regular migration and cross-border economic investments.
Mediation diplomacy, by creating an advisory council of former Presidents to support negotiation and good offices efforts. Towards Proactive and Inclusive Diplomacy For Bocchit Edmond, the revival of relations between the two countries must be based on the principles of dignity, permanent dialogue, and mutual interests. The inclusion of former leaders and independent experts would allow Haitian diplomacy to be rooted in a logic of continuity, responsibility, and shared sovereignty. This initiative, he asserts, could make the PTC more effective in its mission to rebuild Haiti's foreign relations, at a time when the island needs stability and regional cooperation more than ever. Recently, there has been a deterioration of relations with the Dominican Republic. Haiti, with an unending transition, sees its sons and daughters mistreated across the border. Their rights have been violated amidst the silence of Haitian chancellery officials who undertake endless, fruitless trips.
Institutionalization of bilateral dialogue, with the reactivation of the Joint Bilateral Commission and the involvement of independent experts.
Concerted border management, through joint technical committees and pilot cooperation projects.
Protection of the Haitian diaspora in the DR, by strengthening consular services and partnering with Dominican civil society.
Balanced cooperation, including discussions on regular migration and cross-border economic investments.
Mediation diplomacy, by creating an advisory council of former Presidents to support negotiation and good offices efforts. Towards Proactive and Inclusive Diplomacy For Bocchit Edmond, the revival of relations between the two countries must be based on the principles of dignity, permanent dialogue, and mutual interests. The inclusion of former leaders and independent experts would allow Haitian diplomacy to be rooted in a logic of continuity, responsibility, and shared sovereignty. This initiative, he asserts, could make the PTC more effective in its mission to rebuild Haiti's foreign relations, at a time when the island needs stability and regional cooperation more than ever. Recently, there has been a deterioration of relations with the Dominican Republic. Haiti, with an unending transition, sees its sons and daughters mistreated across the border. Their rights have been violated amidst the silence of Haitian chancellery officials who undertake endless, fruitless trips.
