Laurent Lamothe facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Laurent Lamothe
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| 16th Prime Minister of Haiti | |
| In office 16 May 2012 – 14 December 2014 |
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| President | Michel Martelly |
| Preceded by | Garry Conille |
| Succeeded by | Florence Duperval Guillaume (acting) |
| Minister of Planning and External Cooperation | |
| In office 6 August 2012 – 14 December 2014 |
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| Preceded by | Josefa Gauthier |
| Succeeded by | Florence Duperval Guillaume (acting) |
| Minister of Foreign Affairs | |
| In office 24 October 2011 – 6 August 2012 |
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| Prime Minister | Garry Conille |
| Preceded by | Marie-Michèle Rey |
| Succeeded by | Pierre-Richard Casimir |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Laurent Salvador Lamothe
14 August 1972 Port-au-Prince, Haiti |
| Political party | Independent |
| Alma mater | Barry University St. Thomas University |
Laurent Salvador Lamothe (French pronunciation: [lɔʁɑ̃ salvadɔʁ lamɔt]; born 14 August 1972) is a Haitian businessman and political leader. He served in the government of Haiti as the Foreign Minister starting in October 2011. Later, he became the Prime Minister after being chosen for the role on 4 May 2012. Lamothe left his position as Prime Minister on 14 December 2014.
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Early Life and Education
Laurent Lamothe was born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. His father, Louis G. Lamothe, started the Lope de Vega Institute. His mother, Ghislaine Fortuney Lamothe, is an artist.
Laurent's older brother, Ruben, was once the captain of Haiti's Davis Cup tennis team. Laurent himself was also a tennis player and represented Haiti in the Davis Cup in 1994 and 1995.
His Studies
When he was 19, Lamothe moved from Haiti to Florida to continue his education. He earned a bachelor's degree in political sciences from Barry University in Miami. In 1996, he went on to Saint Thomas University in Miami Gardens, Florida, where he earned a master's degree in business management.
Political Career
In 1998, Lamothe helped start a telecommunications company called Global Voice Group.
He began his political journey by becoming a special advisor to the Haitian President Michel Martelly. In September 2011, Lamothe and former United States President Bill Clinton worked together. They led a group called the Presidential Advisory Council for the Economic Development and Investment in Haiti. This group was started by President Martelly to help Haiti grow by attracting foreign businesses and investors.
Later that year, Lamothe was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs. He gave his first speech as the new Minister of Foreign Affairs on 26 October 2011.
Becoming Prime Minister
On 1 March 2012, after the previous Prime Minister, Garry Conille, resigned, President Martelly chose Lamothe to take his place. Lamothe was given the important job of helping to rebuild Haiti after the big earthquake in 2010.
During his time as Prime Minister, more money from other countries was invested in Haiti. This was the highest amount since the 1980s. Under his leadership, the government made changes to make Haiti a safer and better place for businesses. For example, they offered a 15-year tax break to companies that invested in the country.
He also worked to increase the number of police officers by 30 percent. He led a program that provided free education and worked to improve good governance by fighting corruption. A study by the World Bank in 2014 showed that from 2012 to 2014, the number of people living in extreme poverty in Haiti went down. This was thanks to a social program called EDE PEP, which helped two million people.
Lamothe resigned from his role as Prime Minister on 14 December 2014, after serving for 31 months.
After His Time in Office
In July 2015, Lamothe created LSL World Initiative. This is a private company that helps governments find ways to fund their own programs for sustainable development. These programs are designed to meet their country's specific needs and goals.
In December 2015, Lamothe started the Dr. Louis G. Lamothe Foundation. He named it in honor of his father. The Foundation focuses on strategies to help Haiti become a more developed country by 2041. After Hurricane Matthew hit Haiti, the Foundation worked in Anse du Clerc to help the town recover. They aimed to rebuild the fishing village and restart its economy by repairing homes and helping people get fishing equipment. The Foundation also helps farmers by providing different kinds of seeds for agriculture.
Personal Life
In 2013, Laurent Lamothe was in a relationship with Czech model Petra Němcová. They were no longer together as of 2015.
Awards and Recognition
In 2015, Lamothe received the National Alliance for the Advancement of Haitian Professionals Golden Honors Award for his work. He also won the Social Media Person of the Year award in 2015 from the Social Media Association of Haiti. In March 2016, Lamothe was added to the Sunshine State Conference Hall of Fame for his achievements in tennis.
Lamothe has spoken about blockchain at important events. These include the 2018 World Economic Forum in Davos, the Transform Africa Summit, and the Berlin Economic Forum.
A book about him, called The Hands of the Prime Minister, was written by photojournalist Philip Holsinger in 2021.
See also
In Spanish: Laurent Lamothe para niños
