Above: Haiti President Michel Martelly and Costa Rica President Laura Chinchilla

By the Caribbean Journal staff

Haiti President Michel Martelly met this weekend with Costa Rica President Laura Chinchilla on the sidelines of the EU-CELAC Summit in Chile.

The talks focused on several topics, including environmental issues, according to a statement from the National Palace, including proposed environmental cooperation between Haiti and Costa Rica.

Costa Rica is currently the rotating Chairman of the Central American Integration System, a body which Martelly has previously said Haiti would consider joining.

Martelly’s trip also featured a meeting with Eamon Gilmore, the Deputy Prime Minister of Ireland, over development issues in Haiti, including job creation and agricultural rehabilitation.

Ireland currently holds the Presidency of the Council of the European Union for the first half of 2013.

Gilmore said Ireland renewed its commitment to cooperate with Haiti, following the visit by Martelly to Ireland in January 2012, the first visit to Ireland by a sitting President of Haiti.