Haiti–Spain relations

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Haiti–Spain relations are the ties between Haiti and Spain. Haiti has an embassy in Madrid, and Spain has an embassy in Port-au-Prince.

A brief history
- In 1492, Christopher Columbus reached La Española, an island later part of the Spanish Empire. It was inhabited by Arawaks, Caribs and Taínos before Europeans arrived.
- In the early 1600s, to curb informal Creole trade, the Spanish governor ordered depopulation of the island’s central and western areas. Buccaneers and filibusters then settled parts of the west, and the western part of the island came to be claimed by France.
- In 1697, Spain ceded the western part to France by the Treaty of Ryswick, creating the French colony of Saint-Domingue.

Modern relations
- Relations between Spain and Haiti have generally been good, especially in the 20th century.
- Haiti recognized the Franco government in 1939. In 1946, Haiti briefly withdrew its ambassador from Madrid following a UN resolution, but restored its diplomatic representation in Spain in 1949.
- Spain opened its embassy in Haiti in 1951, and since then the two countries have maintained close ties.

Economy and development
- Haiti has around 10 million people, with a large portion living in poverty. The country serves as a platform for exports to nearby markets, especially textiles.
- All imports from Haiti to Spain are duty-free and quota-free, except for arms, under the Everything but Arms initiative of the EU.
- Spanish cooperation intensified after the 2010 earthquake, totaling about 346 million euros in subsequent years. Priority areas include water and sanitation, education, production, rural development, and fighting hunger. Spain focuses its support in the West Department (including Port-au-Prince), as well as the Central and Southeast regions.

Visits and engagement
- Haitian President Michel Martelly visited Spain twice as head of state (July 2011 and November 2012, the latter for the Ibero-American Summit in Cádiz).
- In early 2014, Tourism Minister Stephanie Balmir Villedroin visited Spain to promote Haiti as a tourist destination.