Above: Haiti Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe

By the Caribbean Journal staff

Haiti Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe held talks Wednesday with Taiwanese Foreign Minister David Yung-Lo during the latter’s two-day trip to Haiti.

Taiwan has reportedly provided $48 million in aid to Haiti over the last five years.

The talks focused on ways the two sides can strengthen their cooperation, including on the development of agriculture and seed provision.

“We appreciate this brother country, for its contribution to the recovery effort in Haiti, especially after the earthquake of Jan. 12, 2010,” he said. “[Taiwan] is a partner on which the government of Haiti can count.”

Taiwan is already working on a project to increase rice production in Plaine des Cayes, particularly in Torbeck.

Combating food insecurity, and enhancing local agricultural production has been a major stated goal of Haiti’s government, particularly in light of Hurricane Sandy, which reportedly destroyed 70 percent of the country’s crops.

Lamothe also pointed to Taiwan’s support in helping to rebuild public buildings in Haiti. Thus far, Taiwan has helped contribute studies to support reconstruction, and has actually helped with the direct construction of one of those buildings.

Haiti is Yung-Lo’s last stop on a four-country Caribbean tour.