Jacky Lumarque, rector of the Université Quisqueya in Haiti: “The measures adopted by President Abinader, in particular the military mobilization on the border, in response to the construction of the Haitian canal are hasty, excessive and legally unfounded. These measures, harmful to both economies, hamper the use of a diplomatic arrangement. They will also be ineffective because the construction of the canal has become a fait accompli that no force, internal or external, can stop. It has become a national issue, through a surge of exceptional solidarity mobilizing all segments of the Haitian society, including the Haitian government itself, initially reluctant to follow through on this canal project whose construction was interrupted by the assassination of President Moïse in July 2021. The canal represents an important agricultural lifeline for the Maribahoux plain, made unproductive by drought, contributing to our dependence on Dominican imports. But all in all, it is a trivial project compared to the 11 diversions carried out by the Dominicans on their side on the river. That such a modest public infrastructure project can create…”