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USIP examines why efforts to stimulate Haiti's economy have so far proven unsuccessful, and recommends options to achieve sustainability and growth in the impoverished country.
Latest from USIP on Haiti
- October 14, 2009 | Event
On October 13, the mandate for United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) was renewed. A panel of experts discussed the U.N.'s future in Haiti and the continuing need for peacekeeping forces.
- October 5, 2009 | Resource
USIP examines why efforts to stimulate Haiti's economy have so far proven unsuccessful, and recommends options to achieve sustainability and growth in the impoverished country.
- September 10, 2009 | Event
At least 3,000 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are operating in Haiti. Struggling with insufficient capacity in the face of overwhelming poverty and environmental disasters, the government has been unable to coordinate or capitalize on what some in Haiti refer to as a “Republic of NGOs."
- August 19, 2009 | Resource
A new USIP report on Haiti's criminal laws examines the shortcomings of the impoverished country's criminal code – and finds promising opportunities to modernize and reform the laws. Despite Haiti's numerous challenges, the report concludes that new laws in Haiti will usher in a new era where the criminal justice system serves all people of Haiti, including the poor, vulnerable and marginalized, and upon which respect for the law and legitimacy of a stronger judicial system overall can be built.
Haiti appears to be moving toward economic recovery after a series of violent political shocks and terrible hurricanes. In 2009, Haiti has seen a "surge" of diplomatic star power from the United Nations and the United States. Haiti seems intent on making as much progress as possible before presidential elections scheduled in 2011. USIP's work supports these efforts and engages with Haitians in the diaspora and on the ground.
Current Situation
Haiti has recently been the recipient of an unprecedented diplomatic initiative by the United Nations. Within the past month, Haiti has received visits from the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and former US President Bill Clinton in addition to a UN Security Council fact-finding mission. The visits were aimed to highlight recommendations made in a study by Paul Collier, the Oxford University development economist and bestselling author of “The Bottom Billion.” Collier identified specific steps and policies to create jobs for genuine economic development, breaking Haiti out of the poverty cycle. In 2008, a series of crises severely tested Haiti’s fragile recovery. In September 2008, four major storms – Fay, Gustav, Hannah, and Ike - slammed into Haiti with devastating force. In April, a fifty percent rise in the cost of basic commodities sent demonstrators into the streets in several cities to protest the governmental failure to deal with the rising cost of living. Following the April disturbances, Haiti’s Prime Minister received a noconfidence vote in parliament, touching off a four-month political crisis. The new prime minister, Michele Duvivier Pierre-Louis, was in the process of forming a government when Haiti was devastated by the storms.
USIP in Haiti
The U.S. Institute of Peace’s Haiti program is aimed at:
- Reducing societal conflict
- Promoting the rule of law
- Training Haitian activists and leaders
- Informing the Washington foreign policy community about Haiti
2008 saw a major expansion in the Institute’s involvement in Haiti. Beyond the public forums hosted by the Haiti Working Group, the Institute conducted its first conflict resolution training in Haiti, utilizing a Haiti specific scenario developed by USIP. A Rule of Law team visited Haiti to consult with Haiti’s Minister of Justice on legal reform. The Senior Fellows program selected two scholars who will focus on Haiti during their fellowship year. USIP conducted extensive consultations with the UN’s Department of Peacekeeping Operations and hosted a conference on “Enforcing UN Mandates Against Illegally Armed Groups” that focused on the UN’s experience in Haiti. The Institute also published a Special Report entitled Haiti: Confronting the Gangs of Port au Prince.
Model Codes for Post-Conflict Criminal Justice in Haiti
Haiti is currently experiencing chronic serious crime problems, including drug trafficking, street crime, organized crime, and corruption. Many of these crimes have both a domestic and transnational flavor. The criminal laws in place that deal with the investigation, prosecution and trial of such crimes have not been amended since the 1860’s and are inadequate. Moreover, the laws do not reflect contemporary criminal justice standards and international human rights norms and standards (deriving from the many human rights treaties that Haiti has signed but not transformed into domestic law). On December 9, 2008 USIP hosted the Haitian Special Advisor to President Preval, Rene Magloire, in a public forum to discuss the challenges and opportunities of reforming Haiti’s criminal code. USIP will work closely with the Haitian government on future reform efforts.
Conflict Analysis and Resolution Training
In 2007, USIP held its first conflict resolution training program for members of the Haitian Diaspora in Washington, DC and New York in cooperation with the Association of Haitian Professionals. Many of the participants expressed the hope that USIP might be able to conduct similar training programs in Haiti. Several participants suggested partner organizations; others volunteered to help develop Haiti specific training materials. Subsequently, USIP requested that some of the participants develop a training scenario for use in Haiti. In August 2008, USIP partnered with the Haitian Institute of Peace and conducted training in conflict resolution skills, focusing on negotiation, mediation, and dialogue facilitation. The participants included local government officials and civil society representatives, as well as a small number of staff from international organizations. At the conclusion of the course, participants requested advanced training in conflict resolution skills as well as training in conflict analysis and strategic planning for conflict resolution interventions. USIP trainer Mary Hope Schwoebel, Ph.D. will conduct a second training with the Haitian Institute of Peace. The 2009 training will include two back-to-back workshops: the first will be a training of trainers (TOT) workshop on conflict resolution skills for community security for civil society organizations and local government officials. The second will be training on conflict resolution skills for security personnel, police and military, during which participants in the TOT will have the opportunity to conduct the training sessions.