Fourth session of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent

Closing event: Haiti’s Independence Debt: 200 years later

The closing event will take place on Thursday 17 April from 15:00 to 16:30, before the reading of the conclusions and recommendations of the session.

The year 2025 marks the bicentennial of a pivotal moment in global history: France's imposition of an “independence debt” on Haiti, the world's first black republic. Haiti has a unique role in human history of anti-colonialism, anti-racism, the abolition of enslavement and the Pan-African and other movements for the human dignity, rights and self-determination of Africans and people of African descent across the world. Haiti’s rich cultural legacy—strongly rooted in African traditions—has long served as both a symbol of resilience and a framework for collective identity. But today, Haiti is in the midst of an unabated security, political, humanitarian and human rights crises where armed men and women perpetuate violence and human rights violations with impunity, resulting in fear, insecurity, instability, and a record 1.04 million internally displaced in January 2025.

The current crisis in Haiti is not a historically and geographically isolated event. Haiti’s history is deeply intertwined with the profound impact and legacy of French colonization and the institution of enslavement in the Caribbean. In 1791, the enslaved people of Haiti rose up in rebellion against French colonial rule and established the independent Republic of Haiti in 1804. For this courageous, unprecedented act, the country was severely punished. In 1825 (two hundred years ago this year) Haiti was forced into an agreement to pay 150 million gold francs to France to compensate French planters for “lost property” (land and enslaved people), an amount that was well in excess of the planters’ actual financial losses. By 1898, fully half of Haiti’s government budget went to paying France and the French banks. By 1914, that proportion climbed to 80 percent. The newly independent Haiti became financially dependent on foreign loans for its payments to France and for its very survival, resulting in mounting debt and insufficient investment in development institutions and processes for well over 100 years. The crushing debt load from interest payments created a devastating cycle of debt and entrenched poverty, alongside economic and political isolation lead primarily by proenslavement supporters, trade embargoes and nonrecognition, impeding its progress and stability. The invasion and occupation of Haiti by the USA between 1915 and 1934 placed a further burden on the country, leading to increased political unrest and had a profound impact on Haiti’s development. The treaty signed between Haiti and the United States in 1915 regarding the finances, economic development, and tranquillity of Haiti, served as a mechanism through which foreign powers continued to exert control over Haiti’s economic destiny, impeding the nation’s path to economic self-determination and sufficiency.

This event will be the opportunity to discuss the roots of Haiti’s current crisis, raise awareness on Haiti’s deep historical connections to the struggles of people of African descent, present the various Haiti advocacy efforts and coordinate their inclusion in the Second International Decade for People of African Descent.