The Bahamas Supports Enhanced Caribbean Coordination On Haiti

PANAMA CITY, Panama — 28 January 2026 — The Bahamas has reaffirmed its support for a new Association of Caribbean States(ACS) action plan to move Haiti from emergency assistance to sustainable recovery.

A Bahamian delegation, led by HE Jerusa Ali, Director General and Mr. Leslie St. Albord, First Secretary, Bahamas Embassy in Port au Prince, has just concluded high-level discussions with partners from the wider Caribbean in Panama City. The Association of Caribbean States (ACS) convened both Ad Hoc and Ministerial meetings, resulting in a strategy for practical co-operation and Haitian-led solutions.

The Bahamas participated in the meetings in its capacity as a founding member of the Ad Hoc Steering Committee on Humanitarian Assistance and Development of the Republic of Haiti.

While in Panama, the delegation worked with regional counterparts to finalise a plan structured around clear operational priorities in support of development.

Key pillars include:
1. Local Solutions: Recovery efforts will be led by Haitians and grounded in local knowledge and community leadership.
2. Technical Match-Making: Haitian institutions will be paired with Caribbean experts to facilitate skills transfer and institutional capacity-building.
3. Business and Government Engagement: Public- and private-sector actors will be mobilised to restart economic activity and support job creation.
4. Protection of the Vulnerable: Assistance will be directed to populations most at risk, with further focus on victims of violence.

The Bahamas continues to play a leading role in CARICOM, OAS, and ACS regional responses to the situation in Haiti, underscoring the need for coordinated regional support that avoids duplication and is efficient, transparent, and focused on long-term success for and by the Haitian people.

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