MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Haiti formally accepted back to regional group

The leaders of the 15 nation Caribbean Community began their annual summit in St Kitts, Monday welcoming Haiti back into the regional fold.

Although the agenda includes trade, economic development and cooperation on crime-fighting, the main element of this year's three days summit is the reincorporation of Haiti after an absence of two years.

Haitian President Rene Preval attended the summit to register the return of the hemisphere's poorest country to the bloc after having been excluded following the abrupt flight into exile of then-President Jean-Bertrand Aristide in February 2004.

At the time Caricom leaders declared the interim U.S./France backed government that took over in Haiti when Aristide fled, "unconstitutional".

However following last February's general election which were described "free and fair", Haiti has been re-accepted to the regional block.

President Preval was one of six regional leaders to deliver a speech at the summit's official opening ceremony Monday evening at the headquarters of the St Kitts and Nevis Caribbean Central Bank.

Caricom comprises 15 countries, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Lucia, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago, with a combined population of roughly 14 million.

Former president Aristide is living in exile in South Africa.