France to cancel Haitian debt

PARIS (AP): France’s Finance Minister says she has asked creditors of earthquake-ravaged Haiti to speed up plans to cancel its debt.

Christine Lagarde says she “made contact with all Paris Club members so we accelerate the cancellation of the government of Haiti’s debt”.

France is president of the Paris Club of creditor nations, an informal group of industrialised countries.

Lagarde said Friday she is also asking non-members Venezuela and Taiwan, who are owed significant amounts by Haiti, to help in debt reduction.

France was owed €58 million (US$84 million), of which €4 million was already cancelled. The rest was due to be cancelled in stages over several years until 2014. This will now be sped up.

Jamaica -Gleaner.com

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14 Comments

  1. February 26, 2011

    actually appreciated what you have written . it really is not that easy to find good posts to read (you know.. READ and not just browsing through it like some zombie before going to yet another post to just ignore), so cheers man for really not wasting my time on the god forsaken internet. ;)

  2. January 28, 2010

    It is really very difficult to manage with the debt problems. Instead of approaching directly to the creditors, it is always better to take the help of professional companies. In order to settle your debts you need to locate a top performing debt settlement company. The Association of Settlement Companies is the best way by which you can find the best company who acts on your behalf and are consistently giving the best results. These companies are the member of this organization and are certified. Don’t run for the companies that are not a part of this organization as they may not have a professional attitude.

  3. itwasn'tme
    January 25, 2010

    Evil history is always swept under the rug. Europe and America only share the history that make them look good. Slavery happened. Usery happened. Murder happened. Rape happened. Theft and pilliage happened. Racism Happened. Economic warfare happened. But we’ll never really realize just how bad these these things compounded the progress of the various shades of colored people on a global level. Africian, Asian, Carrib, Native American, Inuit…….all treated as less than human by Europe and her offspring……this world is miserable because of the superior mindset of the European and her offspring.

  4. Wait A Minute
    January 18, 2010

    Hey you French voleurs, what 84 million you talking about? you owe the Haitian people more than 21 billion dollars in reparations (plus interests accumulated over all those years) and you have the guts to talk bout forgive debt? the 84 million dollars should be just the downpayment…..we are expecting the rest soon.

  5. just a thought
    January 18, 2010

    the world has a guilty conscience boy… wow.

  6. January 18, 2010

    Cancel Haiti’s debt?! But i hearing things we! France raped and plundered Haiti’s resources for years.( I did my thesis on this so i know!) It’s because of greedy capitalist countries like France Haiti is in so much poverty and suffering now. Cancel debt?! stupes!

    Only now they find their g_dd_mn conscience?!

  7. Heh
    January 18, 2010

    you call the plague of evil and bad omen in haiti and for haitians african god working in mysterious ways ? wonders to perform? Im confused here? care to further elaborate?

  8. observer
    January 17, 2010
  9. claire
    January 17, 2010

    It look like the pack the Haitian people made with their African God is working, France is now doing what she should ahve done years ago. Voodoo African true religion does work in mysterious ways, wonders to perform.

  10. LMAO
    January 17, 2010

    i guess it had to take a tragedy of such proportions to turn the world’s gaze towards Haiti and finally concede that the country and her people need a break.

    PEACE!!

  11. precious stones
    January 17, 2010

    France has all right to do what they are doing there conscience start kicking them, they have a great part in Haiti suffering. But God is good Haiti will rise from the ashes, keep the faith my brothers and sisters light is at the end of the tunnel. Our prayers are with you all.

  12. Thoughtful
    January 17, 2010

    Finally France has decided to cancel Haiti’s debt.

    Wow, Let us remember it was France who forced Haiti to pay the enormous sum of 150 million francs in gold in exchange for diplomatic recognition after the Haitian Revolution. It took till 1947 for Haiti to finish paying that sum despite the fact that the sum was reduced to more than half in 1830. It took Haiti over a hundred years to pay France that enormous sum. This wrecked havoc on the Haitian economy as the country had to take loans at very high rates to pay it.

    So while France’s gesture is a good one, I think they should repay Haiti some of that money they unjustly took from that nation.

    The only reason France placed that enormous burden on Haiti was because they just could not accept the fact that they were beaten by a bunch of black slaves. Hence they deliberately did that to make sure that Haiti would never fully recover from the ashes of the brutal war of independence the Haitians fought so hard for. France’s tactic worked, and that with a combination of other factors made Haiti what it is today.

  13. DA MAN IN BOSTON
    January 17, 2010

    OPPS!!!!
    There goes one of the dark stain on Haiti.a little piece of the curse easing up.
    Lets continue to pray and work to help Haiti come out of this curse.God is GOOD all the TIME.

  14. Prophet2
    January 17, 2010

    It’s about time and hopefully others will follow, those unfortunate people need a fresh start, they need a break.

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