Port-au-Prince, 16 September 2025.- On the occasion of the International Ozone Day, the Ministry of the Environment, via the National Ozone Office (BNO), recalled the importance of this vital shield for life on Earth. Under the theme « 40 years of the Vienna Convention: from science to global action »the authorities and their international partners highlighted the progress made under the Montreal Protocol and renewed Haiti ' s commitment to eliminate harmful substances.
International Ozone Day, commemorated on 16 September, provided an opportunity for the National Ozone Office to raise awareness among the Haitian population of the dangers of ozone-depleting substances.
« This layer filters ultraviolet rays incompatible with life and remains vital for humanity »recalled Ms. Marie Lourdes Maura, coordinator of the BNO.
It welcomed the achievements of the Montreal Protocol, which resulted in the elimination of 99% of ozone-depleting substances through global cooperation involving governments, scientists and industries.
On behalf of Minister Moses Son John Peter, Director General, Ing. Agronomist Joseph Emmanuel Philippe presented ozone as « an invisible shield » It is essential for all forms of life, stressing the efforts made by Haiti since 2000, when the Vienna Convention and the Montreal Protocol were ratified. The country has put in place a progressive plan for the elimination of harmful substances and a strictly supervised import permit system.
Speaking online, the representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Haiti, Sylvain Merlen, conveyed the message of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, welcoming « exemplary global success » and calling for the continuation of this dynamic through the Kigali Amendment, which also aims at reducing greenhouse gases.
W.A.
