Wednesday, at the Prime Minister’s Office, the Prime Minister, Laurent Lamothe met Michaëlle Jean, the UNESCO Special Envoy for Haiti. On the agenda, among other things, the new Campus of Limonade and the role of Ms. Jean as Special Counsel in this case. A warm and friendly meeting, described as “very, very, very successful” by Ms. Jean.

The Prime Minister welcoming Ms. Jean declared “This is a great honor to welcome the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean to the Primature today, that comes as a friend of Haiti, to help the Haitian people, that helps Haiti in all areas, especially in the field of education with the University of Limonade […] we thank her from the depths of our heart for everything she does […] I want to thank you for all your efforts, energy and perseverance and also to tell you now, we have a government that works in the interest of the population […] who has the welfare of Haiti in his heart.

You’re welcome here all the time, you are at home to the Primature, to the Presidency and everywhere […] I know you are at home, but I want that you feel even more in an official way. On behalf of the Haitian people, I thank you for all the efforts made and perhaps that you could talk a little about the mission and especially the University of Limonade, what we managed to do together and where we go .”

Michaëlle Jean “Okay, first thank you very much to the Prime Minister of Haiti, of the Republic of Haiti, for welcoming me so warmly. I think that we just leave a meeting and a work session that was very, very, very successful. We were able to return on files and projects on which we work together and which are important in the country’s recovery strategy, among others, on the issue of education. It is very clear, as UNESCO Special Envoy for Haiti, that it is a field of competence of UNESCO. We work very long on the Haiti operational plan for restructuring the education system, of the higher education in Haiti and a very important objective, is that in the fall, no later than October, hopefully, the new Campus of Limonade is really open, that students will be greeted with well-defined programs, with a vocation, with teachers also ready to go to work.

What’s great is that the State University with the Haitian government, are really came to a well defined structure, on the management of the University, and I agree to play a supporting role in this regard, by working within a consulting body, to accompany all the thinking and all the work, for the imminent opening of this Campus. That is to say, I do not work at the level of the administration, of the management of the University, but the level of a council instance, to bring my backing, my support, bringing partners and work as Special Adviser on the issue. It’s great, because everyone speaks, and it will happen, it will be done we are very, very happy.”