- I hope that the governability pact that has now been concluded between the political parties in Haiti will ensure a successful transition to democracy in the country, said State Secretary Vidar Helgesen when the Haitian governability pact was launched in Port-au-Prince on 27 September.

Under the pact, the parties undertake to carry out democratic elections and political dialogue, and to establish a state governed by the rule of law. At the same time they renounce the use of violence. The governability pact marks the last stage in a process in which the parties have agreed among themselves on the rules of the game: first an electoral pact, then an all-party platform, and now a governability pact.

- The challenge now is to put these democratic rules into effect. Norway will continue its engagement in close dialogue with the parties. At the same time it is important for the international community to follow up the various actors and encourage them to abide by their commitments, said Mr Helgesen.

The situation in Haiti is still extremely tense. A total of four million Haitians will go to the polls this autumn. The first round of the elections for a president and a national assembly is scheduled for the end of November, and the second round for January. The local elections will probably be held in January. Since President Aristide was relieved of his presidential duties and sent into exile in February 2004, the country has been governed by an interim government supported by the multinational UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti. Norway has been a driving force in the efforts to establish a political dialogue and a code of conduct agreed on by the parties taking part in the elections. The Norwegian Government co-operates closely with Norwegian Church Aid in its engagement in Haiti.

The pact is the result of close consultations between the political groups in Haiti, which have been carried out by the Norwegian-financed Haitian Institute for Advanced Social and Political Studies (IPOS) in co-operation with the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.