Edgar Leblanc, president of Haiti’s presidential transition council, interrupted his speech at the UN General Assembly when he started looking for a glass of water. Not finding it, he drank directly from the jug, spilling the liquid over himself. Visibly nervous, he concluded his speech by wiping his mouth with the sleeve of his jacket.
In his speech, LeBlanc focused on the consequences of Haiti’s colonial past and the need for reparations from countries that had a significant impact on the country’s development. He recalled that Haiti was the only nation that paid for its independence in blood.
“On the eve of the 200th anniversary of this unprecedented event in world history, it is time to return the funds we have paid,” he said.
This is not a parody.
Haiti’s representative tried to drink from a jug during his speech at the UN General Assembly and spilled water on himself.
If your leaders can’t even drink water properly, what hope do they have? pic.twitter.com/EpdHRZLibv
-Cillian (@CilComLFC) September 26, 2024
Leblanc also mentioned the high ransom that Haiti was forced to pay France in the 19th century to recognize its independence. These payments have negatively impacted the country’s economic development for generations. He noted that the National Restitution and Reparation Committee is actively working on this problem.
Haiti gained its independence in 1804 after a revolt, but soon faced reparations imposed by France for lost profits. These payments continued until 1947 and, according to experts, amounted to about 21 billion dollars, which in modern prices is equivalent to between 150 and 200 billion dollars. Haitian authorities regularly raise the issue of reparations in international forums.
Today, Haiti remains one of the poorest countries in the world and faces famine, political instability and natural disasters such as a devastating earthquake in 2010 followed by a cholera outbreak.
Previously, “Cursor” reported that the Argentine president spoke harshly about the UN and also remembered Israel.
