As part of her official visit to France, Minister of Foreign Affairs Raina Forbin, accompanied by Louino Volcy, Haiti’s Ambassador to France, met with Dimitri S. Kerkentzes, Secretary General of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE).

During the meeting, Minister Forbin emphasized the need to strengthen national capacity regarding the preparation, organization, and management of Haitian pavilions at international expositions. In response to her request, Dimitri S. Kerkentzes agreed to the proposal and pledged to ensure the training of a cohort of Haitian specialists as soon as possible.

He also provided an update on preparations for the Specialized Expo 2027 in Belgrade, welcoming Haiti’s announced participation, as well as its planned involvement in the international exposition in Riyadh in 2030. He reaffirmed his full support for the Haitian team tasked with these events, whose participation will be coordinated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Tourism.

Raina Forbin thanked the Secretary General for his guidance and highlighted the strategic importance of these international gatherings for Haiti. The Haitian government, led by Prime Minister Fils-Aimé, has made economic recovery a national priority. She noted that developing national expertise in this field will enable Haiti to better showcase its rich cultural and artistic heritage, promote its tourism and economic assets, and fully capitalize on the opportunities presented by these major international events.

It is worth noting that Haiti currently holds the Vice-Presidency of the BIE’s Executive Committee.

IH/ iciHaiti