Haiti

The international community and Haiti

Preparation for the Donors’ Conference Towards a New Future for Haiti: France is mobilized

(16 and 17 March 2010)

In preparation for the Donors’ Conference Towards a New Future for Haiti in New York on 31 March, France is mobilized alongside Haiti’s other key partners and the multilateral institutions.

The preparatory technical meetings at senior official level are taking place on 16 and 17 March in Santo Domingo. France is participating in these meetings, and is being represented by Ambassador Pierre Duquesne and his team from the Interministerial Mission for the Reconstruction of Haiti (MIRH). The aim of these meetings is to ensure the consistency of the initial conclusions provided on 12 March by the “Post Disaster Needs Assessment” (PDNA) joint mission (World Bank, IMF, Inter-American Development Bank and European Union) with the “National Strategic Development Plan” drafted by the Haitian authorities, with a view to the publication of a “Strategic Development Plan for Haiti” at the conference in New York.

Within this same preparatory framework, and at President Sarkozy’s initiative, an “International Conference of World Cities and Regions for Haiti” will take place in Fort-de-France (Martinique) on Tuesday, 23 March. This conference will bring together the the Haitian State and local government authorities committed to the equitable and sustainable development of Haiti.

Our fundamental position on reconstruction is well known: it should be driven by the Haitians, for the Haitians; it should be based on a long-term vision, with a view to a different kind of development for Haiti, backed by a well-coordinated group of donors.

President Sarkozy’s visit to Haiti

(17 February 2010)

French reconstruction aid to Haïti

On 17 February, Haitian President René Préval welcomed President Sarkozy as he stepped off the plane which had brought him to Haiti. The two Heads of State flew by helicopter over the disaster areas, and then President Sarkozy visited the French sécurité civile (emergency services) field hospital, located on the site of the French lycée, manned by 70 people, which was the central base for the French medical assistance. He also met the French teams who had helped in the relief, French community, representatives of NGOs and civil and military heads of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) at the French Embassy

In his speech to the French community and during his joint press conference with the Haitian head of State, President Sarkozy reaffirmed France’s place at Haiti’s side. He also extended his condolences to the earthquake victims and paid tribute to the devotion of the rescuers, health personnel, armed forces, NGOs and French companies.

Over and above the emergency relief, the Head of State stressed that France’s aid for Haiti’s reconstruction would be based on three principles:
 reconstruction driven by the Haitians for the Haitians. It’s for the Haitians to take control of their future by defining a national project and creating a global consensus, supported by France and the international community;
 reconstruction based on a long-term vision with a view to changing the criteria for town and country planning in Haiti. The very high concentration of the population and economic activity in the capital was one of the main reasons why the earthquake seriously affected the whole country. Haiti’s reconstruction will have to be based on strengthening decentralization and sharing wealth. The aim must also be to promote sustainable and endogenous economic development allowing the Haitians to express their creativity and deploy their energy within their own country. Support must be given to the Haitian private sector in order to re-establish a dynamic economy and free Haitians from dependence on international aid;
 reconstruction supported by a group of highly coordinated donors

For the aid to be effective, consultation and coordination between the international community must be improved. France intends working closely with the other key partners: the UN, World Bank, IDB, European Union, United States, Canada, Spain and Brazil.

the Donor’s Conference Towards a New Future for Haiti is scheduled for 31 March 2010 in New York. An interministerial mission, led by Pierre Duquesne, is tasked with coordinating and implementing the French aid. In the run-up to this conference, it has been decided to hold five outreach consultations with Haitian civil society on the following topics: “Haitian Diaspora”, “the private sector”, “Haitian State and local government, “stakeholders to MINUSTAH” and “NGOs”. France has been tasked with organizing the Haitian State and local government meeting, which will be held on 23 March in Fort-de-France (Martinique).

French plan to assist in the reconstruction of Haiti, announced by President Sarkozy in Haiti on 17 February 2010

Financial aid: €326 million of financial aid over two years
 Cancellation of Haiti’s debt to France (€56 million)
 Resources allocated by Ministries in their 2010 and 2011 budgets (€40 million including €5 million of redeployed funding)
 Emergency aid (€24 million)
 French share of EU €330 million allocation (€65 million)
 Equipment transfers (€40 million)
 New resources (€100 million)

Security, civil protection (1) and support for the administration
 260 police and gendarmerie vehicles, ambulances and fire engines
 Training of senior and rank-and-file police and fire officers and emergency doctors
 Placing at the Haitian authorities’ disposal of a one-hectare plot of land in the centre of the city to rehouse some of the administrative services
 Provision of long-term technical assistance
 Training of civil servants

Education and health
 Supply of 1,000 tents, 16,000 tarpaulins, nearly 2,500 beds and several hundred sets of lighting equipment for 200,000 people.
 Announcement of the rebuilding of Port-au-Prince’s State University Hospital
 Sending of 150 young people doing their civil national service to help get pupils and students back in school.
 Admission of a further 700 Haitian students to universities in the French West Indies and French Guiana

Economic development
 Budgetary aid of €40 million
 Supply of several dozen tonnes of fertiliser and seeds

Town and country development
 Cooperation in seismology
 Flood protection
 Assistance in compiling a land register
 Support for decentralization Culture
 Restoration and conservation of Haiti’s cultural heritage

(1) Includes disaster and emergency services and civil defence in wartime

(Source: Direction générale de la Mondialisation, du Développement et des Partenariats)