President Martelly in Spain - Video Report of Europe tour

MADRID, Spain - President Michel Martelly increased diplomatic ties with Spain on Thursday after meeting with Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Trinidad Jiménez.

Following the meetings, President Martelly joined the Spanish Prime Minister for a joint press conference in which the plans to increase cooperation between the two governments were explained.

Spain has offered 407 million euros or $578 million to Haiti for reconstruction and development for the period of 2010-13. Spain is the third largest bilateral donor-investor in Haiti.

The Spanish government has granted to Haiti a teacher training school to assist in realizing the goal of the president to provide free education to all children. Spanish investment continues with a $50 million injection of capital to Haitian financial institutions. Overall the cooperation of the two states will focus on education, water and sanitation, agricultural development and tourism.

President Martelly would say of the latter, "we have the hottest sun and the world's most beautiful beaches." The president said, "be assured that Haiti will become a country open to investment, to change the system based on humanitarian assistance."

Zapatero added saying "Haiti is a country that needs more commitment from the world, which has led us to be a partner, as it was before the massive earthquake of January 12 and after in a very special way." The Spanish prime minister added, "Spain is in Haiti to remain through the reconstruction effort."

President Michel Martelly assured diplomats that he is "ensuring a legal framework" to facilitate and protect the arrival of foreign capital. "The state I'm going to lead is ready to accompany these investments," he added.

Before leaving Haiti, President Martelly designated his choice for the next Prime Minister, Bernard Gousse and told a crowd that "since the earthquake, more than $4 billion has been spent in Haiti. Today, I can't see what it has done or what it has brought."

Haiti is in the midst of trying to ratify a new prime minister and install new government officials. It is a contentious struggle with the parliament but the president is determined to lead a state without corruption.

The Spanish Prime Minister expressed his "full support" for completing "a peaceful and democratic transition, which is in the process for forming a government in Haiti to launch the policy of reconstruction."

Following the press conference Martelly attended a luncheon where 500 of the top business leaders met on the topic of investing in Haiti.

Michel Martelly au stade Bernabeu à Madrid

Le président haïtien Michel Martelly a visité le stade Bernabeu vendredi matin où il a été reçu par le président du Real de Madrid, Florentino Perez. Michel Martelly a pu admirer les nombreux trophées du club de la capitale espagnole conservés dans la Salle du Conseil. Le chef de l’Etat haïtien qui a reçu un maillot dédicacé du président Perez a profité de l’occasion pour fouler la pelouse de Bernabeu bal au pied.

« Je suis impressionné de voir ce stade que je regarde à la télévision depuis des années. Etre ici, en ce moment, me donne la chair de poule. Le Real Madrid est impliqué en Haïti dans le domaine de l'éducation bien avant le séisme. Et après le tremblement de terre, il a aussi fourni une aide humanitaire », a-t-il déclaré. Je tiens à remercier le peuple de Madrid et le peuple du Real, le peuple haïtien les apprécie beaucoup et ne les oubliera jamais »

Michel Martelly a remercié Florentino Perez, le Réal de Madrid et le peuple de Madrid pour leur soutien au peuple Haïtien avant et après le tremblement de terre de janvier 2010.

Le Réal de Madrid a organisé en début de semaine un levée de fonds en faveur d’Haïti

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President Martelly Speech Before Leaving To Spain

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Haiti is a country of opportunities (By Haiti libre)

The President Michel Martelly, just completed his first working visit to Spain. During two days, he shared experiences and participated in professional meetings during which he transmitted the gratitude of the Haitian people to all the Spain for the aid received, especially after the earthquake of January 2010.

His Majesty the King of Spain Don Juan Carlos de Borbón, granted an audience to the President of Haiti. During this meeting, very warm, the King has informed the President Martelly that the Queen of Spain, Doña Sofía, will visit Haiti in September.

Michel Martelly also met the President of the Spanish Government, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, which has ensured his support to the Haitian people and stressed the good relations between the two countries. During his speech, the President of Spain also expressed "the highest support, our proximity and our esteem for the Haitian people."

It is in this same spirit that Trinidad Jiménez, Minister of Foreign Affairs, spoke during a private lunch in Madrid, and that the Secretary of State for International Cooperation Soraya Rodriguez, made a moving presentation of the President Martelly during the conference organized by "Nueva Economía Fórum."

It was during the "Nueva Economía Fórum" that The President Michel Martelly gave his most striking speech, repeatedly interrupted by many applause from the audience. He spoke for a long time of the needs of Haiti, among others, in education, tourism, energy, ports, airports, water distribution, sanitation... adding that "weaknesses can be turned into opportunities" Martelly President explained that all these projects, need the confidence of the Spanish investors and the rest of Europe "I open the doors of Haiti to Europe via Spain [...]" insisting on the creation and the establishment in Haiti of an environment conducive to all investments that the country needs, with an emphasis on the physical and legal security for investors.

The Haitian President also met the opposition leader, the president of the Partido Popular, Mariano Rajoy, and other leaders at European and regional level.

The program for these two days also included a visit to the AECI, Spanish Agency for Development Cooperation whose Michel Martelly signed the Book of Honor, and to the Ibero-American Secretariat General and a meeting with Haitian students in Spain.

The President of the Republic also met with the president of Real Madrid, Florentino Pérez, he thanked him for all the beneficial actions done in favor of Haiti. For his part, Florentino Perez offered to the President of Haiti a team jersey printed TET KALE.

The Head of State has concluded his visit by numerous interviews with the major media during which he scored his "commitment to the Haitian people" and stressed that Spain was the third largest donor in the world for Haiti. The President has invited the Spanish companies to invest in his country in these terms: "We will make of Haiti a country open to investment, this opportunity must be seized."
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Europe Tour Report - Part 1

Part 2