Special to USAfrica magazine (Houston) and USAfricaonline.com, first Africa-owned, US-based newspaper published on the Internet.
Pillard, Haiti’s former Ambassador to the United Kingdom, is a Contributor on history and diplomacy to USAfricaonline.com. He gave this speech at the African University of Science and Technology in Abuja, Nigeria, on February 27, 2025.
Haiti and the African Union – A Return to the Family of Nations
President Onawulu, Excellencies, and Distinguished guests, all protocols observed.
As a very proud and engaged Haitian, it is both an honour and a profound privilege to stand before you today, as we approach the end of Black History Month—a time dedicated to reclaiming narratives that history has sought to erase. Today, we gather not only to reflect on the past but to actively restore the truth about Haiti’s deep, unbreakable connection to Africa.
A Defining Moment: The Sixth Region and Beyond
Just days ago, President William Ruto of Kenya made a historic call for the African Union to formally strengthen Haiti’s place within the Sixth Region. This marks a defining moment in our shared history—a recognition that Haiti is not merely a distant cousin of Africa but an inseparable part of its family.
His words reaffirm a truth that has never faded: Haiti belongs to Africa—not by decree, but by destiny.
We welcome this recognition wholeheartedly, but recognition alone does not restore Haiti’s rightful place. Haiti was not simply shaped by Africa—it was created by Africa. It is not just a country with African heritage; it is an African nation, forged in exile.
Haiti’s story is not one of detachment from Africa, but of Africa’s survival beyond its own borders.
A Question That Cannot Be Ignored
As you may be aware, over a decade ago, Haiti made a case to be admitted into the African Union. Many have asked:
Why would Haiti, a nation small in land but mighty in legacy, located thousands of miles away in the Caribbean, seek to join the African Union?
To some, the distance seems too great. The geography too disparate.
But I ask you to consider this: What truly defines an African state? Is it merely geography, or is it the shared history, struggle, and identity of a people?
If a nation is born from the blood, resilience, and cultural fabric of Africa, does it not remain African—no matter where history has placed it?
Consider this:
- Hawaii lies thousands of miles from the U.S. mainland, yet remains a state.
- American Samoa and Guam, though closer to Asia, are still politically tied to the United States—not by geography, but by history and identity.
- Even more telling, Martinique and Guadeloupe—two islands in the Caribbean—are fully integrated into the European Union. Their citizens carry European passports, vote in European elections, and benefit from European economic policies.
Yet Haiti, the first Black republic, remains politically distant from Africa—the very continent that gave birth to it.
If Europe can embrace its distant islands without question, should Africa not do the same for Haiti—a nation that fought for African dignity and liberation?
And beyond these global examples, the African Union itself has long recognized that African identity transcends geography.
Let us not forget: - Cape Verde, an island nation in the Atlantic, sits over 600 kilometers off the African mainland, yet it is a full member of the African Union.
- Madagascar, located across the Mozambique Channel in the Indian Ocean, is an AU member, despite its geographic separation.
Africa has already embraced its island nations. Why, then, should Haiti—whose people, culture, and history are undeniably African—be excluded?
Our ancestors never chose to leave this continent; they were forcibly taken—stripped of their names, languages, gods, and lands. They did not set sail on expeditions of conquest; they were carried across the Atlantic in chains.
Yet, even in bondage, Mother Africa remained alive within them. They whispered her name in the darkness, sang of Lòt Bò Dlo Nan Ginen—the other side of the water in Guinea—our motherland, where their souls and spirits would one day return.
They fought, bled, and defied empires to reclaim their humanity. And when they emerged victorious, they did not see themselves as anything but Africans in exile, forging an African nation on foreign soil.
So, I ask you:
If they never stopped being African…
If their revolution was an African revolution fought on Caribbean soil…Then does that not make Haiti an African state?
Haiti and the Meaning of Diaspora
The African Union has rightfully recognized the African Diaspora as the Sixth Region—affirming that Africa is not merely a landmass but a civilization that transcends geography.
This was a momentous declaration, ensuring that Africa’s sons and daughters, no matter where they stand, are never forgotten.
But Haiti’s story is unique. While the diaspora maintains cultural ties to Africa from afar, Haiti was not simply separated from Africa—it was built by Africa.
Haiti is not merely a nation with African heritage; it is an African nation, forged in exile. Its revolution was not a distant echo of African resistance; it was the first successful war of African liberation fought beyond the continent itself.
President Ruto’s recent call for Haiti’s formal recognition in the AU’s Sixth Region is a powerful step—one that acknowledges Haiti not as an outsider, but as an integral part of Africa’s extended family.
But is symbolic recognition enough?
Haiti is not merely part of the African Diaspora—it is an African nation in exile, forged from Africa itself.
If Haiti is to reclaim its rightful place, should it not be more than a regional symbol?
Should it not be welcomed as a full participant in the affairs of the continent?
So, the question before us is not whether Haiti belongs to Africa. The question is: Can Africa recognize what history has never erased?
The Haitian Revolution: Africa’s Victory on Foreign Soil
To understand Haiti’s rightful place in the African Union, we must go back to the most extraordinary event in the history of Black liberation—the Haitian Revolution (1791-1804). Haiti was not granted independence; Haiti tore its freedom from the jaws of empire, turning the impossible into destiny. Enslaved Africans, stolen from their homelands, rose against the most powerful empire of its time—Napoleonic France.
They fought not just for themselves but for every African ever shackled in chains. Against all odds, these sons and daughters of Africa, led by Toussaint Louverture, Jean-Jacques Dessalines, and Henry Christophe, shattered the myth of white supremacy, defeated Napoleon’s mighty army, and established the first Black republic. Imagine the courage it took—men and women, broken in body but unbroken in spirit, rising as one to declare: We will be free. Haiti became the first nation to permanently abolish slavery, inspiring every struggle for Black liberation, from the African independence movements to the civil rights battles in the United States.
Haiti was not just a breakaway colony—it was an African nation in exile. Its 1805 Constitution affirmed this truth. Article 14 declared that “All Haitians shall be known only by the generic appellation of Nègres” (French word for Negroes)—a radical and deliberate act of defiance at the time.
This was not simply a racial label but a unifying identity, reclaiming the dignity that slavery and colonialism had sought to erase.
In today’s context, the term carries different connotations outside of Haiti, but in 1805, it was a declaration of African solidarity and sovereignty. Article 12 forbade any white man from owning property in Haiti, ensuring that European rule could never return. By that, Haiti legally defined itself as an African state, affirming its sovereignty and rejecting European domination.
Haiti’s Ransom:
The Price of Freedom Haiti’s triumph over colonial rule was unprecedented, but the struggle for true independence did not end on the battlefield.
This year marks 200 years since Haiti, having secured its sovereignty through blood and sacrifice, was confronted with an impossible ultimatum: pay a financial indemnity or face renewed military aggression and re-enslavement. The cost was 150 million francs— (The equivalent of tens of billions of dollars in today’s money)- a sum so exorbitant that it would take Haiti more than a century to repay, shaping its economic trajectory for generations. This was not merely a financial obligation; it was an unjust economic constraint deliberately imposed on a free nation—one that hindered Haiti’s ability to chart its own future.
The long-term effects of this indemnity mirrored the financial constraints placed upon newly independent African nations, whose economic sovereignty was often tied to external debts and conditionalities that limited their capacity for self-determined growth. If history teaches us anything, it is that freedom, once won, should never come with a price tag. The consequences of such imposed financial burdens are not unique to Haiti; they mirror the economic challenges faced by many newly independent nations, underscoring the need for collective solutions and solidarity.
These histories call for reflection, reconciliation, and an honest global conversation about economic justice. For Haiti, and for Africa, this moment is not just about remembering history—it is about ensuring that past injustices do not define future possibilities. As we stand in unity today, let us reaffirm a shared commitment to self-determination, economic sovereignty, and the principle that no nation should ever be forced to pay for the right to be free.
The Unbreakable Bond with Africa
Haiti’s connection to Africa is not merely historical; it is spiritual, cultural, and unbreakable.
And this connection is felt in our daily lives—in our rituals, traditions, music, and food.
The same food that nourishes West Africa nourishes Haiti.
- In Nigeria, you have Fufu. In Haiti, we call it Tonmtonm—except that instead of yams, we pound breadfruit.
- The Moi Moi of West Africa? We have our own version, just as rich, just as flavorful.
- We eat the same boiled yams and fish in the morning, just like in the villages of Ghana and Benin.
- The bitter leaves of Africa? In Haiti, we have our Lalo—cooked into the same stews that our ancestors prepared on the other side of the Atlantic.
Even in our darkest moments, Haiti has looked to Africa as its spiritual and cultural homeland. When our ancestors sang of “Lòt Bò Dlo Nan Ginen”, they were not just dreaming of a distant land—they were affirming their unshakable identity as Africans.
This bond is not just a matter of heritage; it is a call to action.
If Haiti is Africa, then Africa must embrace Haiti—not as a distant relative, but as a long-lost sibling returning to the family of nations.
A Vision of Unity
Let us not be defined by the borders drawn by others, but by the bonds we choose to forge.
Let us welcome Haiti home—not as a distant relative, but as a long-lost sibling returning to the family of nations.
The spirits of our ancestors, who crossed the Atlantic in chains, now call us to reunite.
Let us answer their call.
Some may ask, “Why now? Why Haiti?”
To them, I say:
If not now, when? If not Haiti, who?
Haiti’s story is Africa’s story—a story of resilience, courage, and unyielding hope. It reminds us that no matter how far we are scattered, we are never truly apart.
I am reminded of a Haitian proverb:
“Dèyè mòn, gen mòn.”
Beyond the mountains, there are more mountains.
For Haiti, the journey has been one of endless challenges, but also of endless strength.
From the mountains where our ancestors fought for freedom, to the fortresses they built to defend their hard-won liberty, Haiti has always stood as a testament to the unbreakable African spirit.
Haiti has never abandoned Africa.
But will Africa finally reclaim Haiti?
The time for hesitation is over.
The time for unity and action is now.
Let the African Union take the step that history demands—recognizing Haiti, not as a distant relative, but as a long-lost sibling.
One who never left in spirit.
One who has fought for Africa’s honour and liberation for over two centuries.
The African Union has a choice. It can hesitate, or it can lead. It can wait, or it can act. History will remember what Africa chooses to do in this moment.
Haiti has always been, and will always be, African.
