Speeches of the Ambassador

Remarks on the Occasion of United States Independence Day
Ambassador Janet A. Sanderson
July 3, 2008

Your Excellency, the Minister of Foreign Affairs;
Distinguished Representatives of the Government of Haiti;
Colleagues of the diplomatic corps;
Honored guests;
My fellow Americans;

I am delighted to welcome you to this celebration of the 232nd anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence of the United States of America. This year, we are proud to welcome you to our new Embassy compound.

For us, this building is more than just concrete and marble.  It symbolizes the continuity of our relationship with Haiti and the enduring strength of the ties between our two countries.  As you tour the building, and I hope that you will, remember our shared history, history we celebrate here tonight.

That history comes alive in the portraits on the second floor of the chancery of more than 40 American Ministers and Ambassadors who have served in Haiti since 1862. This gallery is a vivid illustration of the long history of friendship and cooperation between our two countries.

I am particularly drawn to the portrait of Ebenezer Don Carlos Bassett – the first African-American diplomat to be appointed as chief of a U.S. diplomatic mission abroad. Minister Bassett, who died 100 years ago this November, had long, fruitful relationship with Haiti.  He arrived here in 1869, sent by President Grant, and during his eight years in Haiti, Minister Bassett faced political strife, hurricanes, disease, and violence.  Nonetheless, he maintained a deep affection for Haiti throughout his life. He later returned to Haiti as an aide to his friend, Frederick Douglass, who also served as Minister of the United States here.  Bassett made a further contribution to our longstanding partnership, serving as Haiti’s consul general in New York after he left his own country’s public service.  He is truly a legacy of both our nations, a man of principal who stood for values important to the United States and to Haiti.

We – Haitians and Americans - have much in common beyond Minister Bassett.  We share the ideal of democracy and a desire for a better world for our children.  In my country, those dreams are being played out right now, as they are every four years, in our presidential election campaign.  While our discussions in this campaign may be raucous at times, we relish the openness of the debate, the focus on the future, and the opportunity to hold our leaders accountable at the ballot box.  It is this commitment to democratic ideals and to a government responsive to its people which lies at the heart of our July 4 celebrations.

It should come as no surprise to you, therefore, that your friends in the United States are closely watching how the democratic ideal, in accordance with the Haitian constitution, develops here in Haiti.  We believe that the difficult work that the Haitian people began so courageously two years ago is not yet finished.

We believe that it is time to act quickly and responsibly to consolidate Haiti’s fledgling democracy.

We believe that it is time to put aside personal agendas and political ambitions.

We believe that it is time to work together even more intensively for the good of the Haitian people.

We believe that there is no other option.

As Haiti moves forward, the United States will stand at its side, as we were under Minister Bassett and for many years since.  The web of friendship, the partnership, which unites the American and Haitian peoples is a powerful tool in this effort. Individually and collectively, Haitian and American, you here tonight represent the day-to-day dimensions of that partnership; the effort to reclaim neglected areas such as Cité Soleil, and our partnership in the battle against HIV/AIDS are just two areas where Haitians and Americans are working side-by-side each day.

Whatever your field of endeavor, I thank you for your involvement in helping shape a better future for Haiti and for the United States. You, like those diplomats on the wall, represent the best of our relationship. You do follow in the footsteps of Minister Bassett and his colleagues and we are all better for it.  I am pleased you have joined us today to celebrate our past and look forward to our future.  And I wish you the very best for the 4th of July.

Thank you.