Sunday, in the context of South-South technical cooperation between the Ministries of Environment Haitian and Cuban, a delegation of experts from the National Center for Protected Areas (CENAP) of Cuba has completed a technical mission to Haiti started September 30. This mission was supported by the Ministry of the Environment (MDE) with support from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Swiss Cooperation.

Cuban experts were received and assisted by the National Agency for Protected Areas (ANAP) of Haiti in developing a signage for protected areas of Haiti as well as in the development of a reference methodology for the development of marine and terrestrial protected areas management plans.

During their stay the Cuban experts visited in the South peninsula of Haiti, some of the first marine protected areas declared (August 2013) : Ile à Vache, Port Salut, Abacou, La Cahouane, Cave Marie Jeanne, as wall as the Parc Macaya and the Pine Forest.

Onellys Borrero Campos, head of the Cuban delegation, stressed that this experience was a very important step for Haiti with the system of protected areas. "Cooperation between Cuba and Haiti, which is the result of an agreement between the two Ministries of Environment, had for objective of providing two methodologies for the National System of Protected Areas in Haiti; one for the development of management plans for protected areas and the other for the development of signaling systems for protected areas. These two methodologies were successfully achieved and now Haiti has these two very important resources for the development of protected areas, which represents a great first step for the National System of Protected Areas in the country."

Antonio Pereira, the UNDP Country Director, has renewed the UN commitment to support the development of tools for the Haitian government, through the ANAP and MDE, can realize management plans for

the terrestrial and marine protected areas of the country. He stressed the importance of developing the natural Macaya National Park Management Plan according to the methodologies issued by the South-South cooperation with Cuba ""This is the first time a management plan has been achieved in Haiti and this will serve to inform the development of management plans for other protected areas in the country. The reference resources that we have developed with South-South cooperation with Cuba provide a basic methodology to help the ANAP in the efficient development of other management plans."

Ematel Belance, the Representative of the ANAP, indicated "The ANAP hope to continue these interactions and strengthen collaboration between Haiti and Cuba, not only in terms of biodiversity but also the human side. Through this exchange, Haiti will be able to enjoy the experience already gained in Cuba in relation to the management of protected areas and ensure a coherent approach based on reality and experience already experienced."

HL/ HaitiLibre