February 11, 2022
The Central Financial Intelligence Unit (UCREF) of the Haitian government and the Project for Institutional Strengthening in the Fight against Corruption in Haiti (OEA|RILCH, for its acronym in French) of the Organization of American States (OAS), today signed a Memorandum of Understanding that will serve as a framework for inter-institutional dialogue and collaboration between UCREF and the GS/OAS on anti-corruption matters.
The agreement was signed by the Director General of UCREF, Michelin Justable, and the General Coordinator of OEA|RILCH, Ana María Calderón Boy.
The Memorandum of Understanding establishes that OAS|RILCH will provide training and carry out joint work with UCREF staff to facilitate the development of their capacities and the transfer of skills between OAS experts and UCREF staff members. The legal framework in the fight against corruption will also be consolidated.
“The signing of this agreement is a momentous event for UCREF and for the OAS, as it means the start of joint work by both institutions; and the possibility of strengthening the investigative capacities of Haitian officials through the modality of integrated investigations in which our experts transfer skills and best practices used successfully in other countries, in cases of corruption” said the General Coordinator of OEA|RILCH, Calderón Boy during the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding.
The Project for Institutional Strengthening in the Fight against Corruption in Haiti (OEA|RILCH) arises at the request of the Government of Haiti, which requested support for the creation of anti-corruption infrastructure in the country. OEA|RILCH aims to strengthen the institutions that make up the Haitian anti-corruption system, improving existing institutional systems and processes, through training and active collaboration, and ensuring that the personnel of these institutions have the necessary skills to prevent and combat corruption on an ongoing basis.
The project also includes supporting the improvement of the use of information and telecommunications technologies (ICT) within the framework of the digital government policy, including open data, in the fight against corruption. Lastly, OEA|RILCH also aims to strengthen the capacities of civil society organizations to monitor the anti-corruption efforts of government institutions that fight corruption in the country.
This is the second Memorandum of Understanding that OEA|RILCH signs with an institution that is part of the Haitian anti-corruption system. The first was signed on July 30, 2021 with the Anti-Corruption Unit – ULCC, with which joint activities are already being carried out.