Port Salut – The Norwegian Ambassador, Ingrid Mollestad is visiting Southern Haiti to support green recovery and environmental rehabilitation efforts carried out by Haitian institutions with the support of UN Environment and International Labor Organization, in the wake of the devastating passage of Hurricane Matthew.
"I am pleased to see the tremendous efforts deployed by the Haitian people with the support of UN Environment, ILO and their partners. After Matthew, the population in the South of Haiti is experiencing a decisive period. Environmental and economic resilience must go hand in hand. Green recovery is and will continue to be at the heart of Norway's response," the Ambassador declared.
On March 27th, the Delegation visited the Pointe Abacou Marine Protected Area, which was declared in 2013 by the Government with the support of Norway and UN Environment. During her visit, the Ambassador had the opportunity to visit several recovery initiatives underway through the support of UN Environment. Under the leadership of Ministries of Environment and Agriculture, these activities include immediate green jobs creation in coastal reforestation, apiculture around mangroves, and boat rehabilitation for fishermen. Sustainable income diversification will increase the economic resilience of the Pointe Abacou community and also reduce pressures on mangroves, which serve as fish spawning grounds and the main protection barrier against coastal hazards.
According to the UN Environment representative, Asif Zaidi: "Considering the vast impact of Matthew, it is urgent to both think the long-term and to act accordingly in the short-term: key natural functions such as water, food and fuel provisioning as well as erosion and fire control are of first importance". Without urgent environmental rehabilitation, the trend of environmental degradation would simply continue and get worse. A snowball effect would put the population in a permanent state of alert: declining yields, water shortages and contamination, landslides, floods, loss of natural protection barriers, uncontrollable forest fires and increased exposure to natural hazards.
On 28 March, Ms. Mollestad also met with the officials of the Coteaux Electricity Co-operative (CEAC). Established with the support of Norway and UN Environment in 2015, this electric cooperative is the first in the country and uses solar power. Heavily impacted by Matthew, the autonomous mini-grid is being rebuild for re-connecting its former customers.
Finally, the Norwegian delegation went to Port-à-Piment to visit sites of agricultural recovery efforts supported by the Organization for the Rehabilitation of the Environment (ORE), UN Environment and the International Labor Organisation (ILO). Energy woodlots, grafting of fruit trees and grain storage are all activities funded here by Norway that directly contribute to restoring the resilience of local communities through good environmental management. "The objective is to associate the creation of green jobs with training, occupational safety and the rehabilitation of natural ecosystems," said ILO Representative Ramiro Pizarro.
On 30 March, the Norwegian Government will participate with other members of the international community for the Grand Sud Green Table, supported together with UN Environment. This Regional Coordination Table for the Grand Sud has been organized regularly since 2013 by the Departmental Delegations of Grand’Anse and Sud Departments in collaboration with the Inter-ministerial Committee for Territorial Development (CIAT). The CIAT Executive Secretary, Michèle Oriol, said that "the Green Table is an opportunity to bring actors and actions together for the wellbeing of the population in the Grand Sud. Our immediate objective is to find promising sectors for agriculture, finance the recovery of the economy, restore the marine and terrestrial ecosystems destroyed by Matthew, take risks into account in the reconstruction and expansion of cities, and bridge long-term action with the ongoing emergency and humanitarian actions. Coordination of recovery is only possible at decentralized regional level ".
Together, the Ambassador of Norway, UN Environment and the International Labor Organisation renewed their commitment to accompany the Government in the resilient development of the Grand Sud region - for reactivating regional development trends that are economically viable, ecologically sound and socially just.
