On October 12, 2023, the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States (OAS) received, in an extraordinary session, Roberto Àlvarez, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Dominican Republic, to address the latest developments around the Massacre River in the territory Haitian.

Ambassador Léon Charles, Permanent Representative of Haiti to the OAS, firmly displayed the position of the Haitian Government by speaking out categorically against stopping the construction of the Massacre River canal, emphasizing that this only constituted the first irrigation point on the Haitian side compared to already twelve irrigation points on the Dominican side.

However, Ambassador Charles encouraged the continuation of dialogue to find an understanding between the two parties.

Let's rmember that the Massacre River has its source in the Central Cordillera at Pic de Gallo in the Dominican Republic under the name of "río Dajabón" and flows into the Atlantic Ocean west of the Dominican town of Pepillo Salcedo. Its length is 55km, only 2km of which is entirely on Dominican territory, the area in which the irrigation canal is built. Another 9 km are adjoining and serve as a border between the 2 countries.

Image thumbnail : River Massacre, Ambassador Léon Charles

S/ TB/ iciHaiti