Above: Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos (UN Photo/Susan Markisz)

By the Caribbean Journal staff

Haiti received support this weekend from Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos at the Sixth Summit of the Americas in Cartagena.

“We must improve our cooperation with Haiti,” Santos said at the summit, calling on countries to collaborate in their efforts to support the country, rather than doing so individually.

Haitian President Michel Martelly had to cancel his visit to the summit on advice of his doctors, following surgery on his right shoulder earlier this month.

“President Santos has shown has shown that he is concerned about the situation of our country,” Martelly said. “He showed a great political vision in proposing joint action of all the countries in the Americas to join us for the reconstruction and development of our country, and the improvement of the conditions of the Haitian people.”

Santos said that, in the past, the priorities of the Haitian people have, at times, been missed.

“We must take ownership of the agenda of [Haiti’s] government and integrate it into our actions,” the Colombian leader said. “We must work together in unity with the government of Haiti to be able to overcome its problems.”

Prime Minister-Designate and current Foreign Minister Laurent Lamothe, whose nomination was recently approved by the Senate, is representing Haiti at the summit.