PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Japan and the Organization of American States signed a deal Tuesday to award Haiti a $3 million grant to help it register voters as the troubled country prepares to hold general elections for the first time in more than a decade.
The money will help Haiti’s government update its voter lists and procure 350,000 blank identification cards, the OAS said in a statement.
Gang violence has displaced a record 1.5 million people across Haiti, with many leaving their IDs and other important documents behind when fleeing their homes under attack by armed men in Port-au-Prince and beyond.
The OAS said the grant also would help reduce the backlog of Haitians awaiting identification, expand services in rural communities and improve power and internet connections in decentralized offices.
Last month, Haiti’s government began voter registration in Port-au-Prince, where an estimated 70% of territory is controlled by gangs.
The first round of elections is scheduled for Dec. 13, although experts have said ongoing gang violence could push back the date once again.
Haiti hasn’t had a president since Jovenel Moïse was killed at his private residence in July 2021. Moïse became president following the November 2016 elections.
OAS and Japan Sign New Cooperation Agreement to Provide ID cards to Haitians and Support Improved Access to Social Services
August 18, 2026
The General Secretariat of the Organization of American States (OAS) and the Government of Japan today signed a new cooperation agreement at the headquarters of Haiti’s National Office of Identification (ONI) to expand access to identification services and support the Improvement of Access to Social Services in Haiti project through a US$3 million grant from Japan.
The agreement establishes the framework for Japanese financial cooperation to be implemented by the OAS in support of Haiti’s economic and social development. It was signed by OAS Secretary General Albert R. Ramdin and Ambassador of Japan to Haiti Nishiuchi Kazuhiko, in the presence of Haiti’s Minister of Justice and Public Security, Patrick Pélissier, and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Worship, Raina Forbin, during a ceremony held at ONI headquarters in Port-au-Prince in the framework of a high-level Inter-American delegation’s visit to Haiti.
“Japan and the OAS share a simple conviction: Haiti’s long-term stability must be built from the inside by Haitians, one citizen, one identity, one vote at a time. Japan has articulated this principle consistently in its diplomatic engagement on Haiti and its support for providing Haitians with national identification cards clearly demonstrates that this vision is being translated into action. This agreement further underscores the OAS’s steadfast support for Haiti and its efforts to advance Haitian-led initiatives that promote the country’s stability and development,” said Secretary General Ramdin.
“Through this project, Japan is pleased to support Haiti’s efforts to strengthen legal identity, improve access to essential public services and enhance the operational capacity of national institutions. By working with the OAS and Haitian authorities, we aim to ensure that citizens, particularly those in remote and vulnerable communities, can obtain the identification documents they need to participate fully in society and exercise their rights,” said Ambassador Nishiuchi Kazuhiko.
Under this new cooperation, the Government of Japan will provide financial support for facility rehabilitation, equipment installation, capacity building, and operational needs. The project aims to update Haiti’s voter roll by ensuring uninterrupted citizen registration and the production and delivery of National Identification Cards. It will also reduce the backlog of citizens awaiting identification, expand mobile registration services in remote and vulnerable communities, and strengthen coordination between the ONI and the Provisional Electoral Council.
Funding will support the procurement of 350,000 blank biometric ID cards; continued deployment of ONI mobile units; public awareness campaigns on legal identity and the electoral process; improvements to joint ONI and electoral facilities; transportation assistance; and other operational needs. The initiative will strengthen institutional capacity and public-service delivery, improve electricity and internet connectivity at decentralized offices, and expand access to identification services for underserved populations across Haiti.
This new phase builds on the initiative’s first phase, launched in 2023 with a US$8 million grant from the Government of Japan. The funding enabled the registration of more than1.07 million Haitian citizens in the national identification system, bringing the ONI database to approximately 6.55 million registered individuals. During the same period, more than 1.22 million National Identification Cards were delivered, increasing the number of Haitians with a valid national ID to approximately 5.8 million. These results have strengthened Haiti’s civil identification system, expanded access to essential public services, and laid the foundation for greater citizen participation in national life.
Japan became the first Asian country to join the OAS as a Permanent Observer in 1973, marking the beginning of a strategic partnership grounded in shared principles and a commitment to peace, democracy, and development.
Reference: E-090/26