A Haitian delegation from the Haitian Embassy in the Dominican Republic, led by Minister Counselor Ralph Giraldo Raphaël, accompanied by Hipólito Dolis, Head of Legal and Migration Affairs of the diplomatic mission; Stephen Junior Cherefant Consul General of Haiti in Santiago de los Caballeros; consul Fito Zephieren and vice-consul Marie Danielle Monday, met this week with Vice-Admiral Luis Rafael Lee Ballester, Director General of Migration (DGM), who was accompanied among others by General Juan Carlos Vicente Pérez of the Dominican Air Force and Colonel Manuel de Jesús Carrasco Guerrero, of the Dominican army responsible for defending the integrity and sovereignty of the Nation.

During this meeting, they examined the protocols governing the procedures for arrest, detention and deportation of Haitian migrants in an irregular situation with reference to the Protocol of December 2nd, 1999 on repatriation mechanisms, the San José Convention of 1978 and other normative instruments relating to migration operations.

Lee Ballester assured his interlocutors that these procedures are implemented in accordance with the General Migration Law No. 285-04 and its implementing regulations and affirmed that the actions of the institution, its staff and the military and police forces participating in these operations are carried out with respect and protection of the human rights of migrants in an irregular migratory situation.

Vice-Admiral Ballester reaffirmed that the Directorate General of Migration (DGM) will continue to carry out control and interception operations throughout the national territory, at different times, as part of an overall immigration control strategy. He also indicated that the DGM was willing to maintain dialogue and cooperation with the Haitian authorities on issues falling within its jurisdiction.

The two Parties expressed their desire to strengthen institutional coordination and committed to setting up a more fluid communication channel intended to facilitate better support for our compatriots. This working table will meet periodically on a regular basis.

HL/ S/ HaitiLibre