Columbia International Affairs Online: Policy Briefs

CIAO DATE: 06/2010

The International Donors' Conference and Support for Haiti's Future

Casie Copeland, Robert Maguire

May 2010

United States Institute of Peace

Abstract

At the March 31, 2010 International Donors' Conference on Haiti some $10 billion was pledged in support of the government of Haiti's "Action Plan for National Recovery and Development of Haiti," with $5.3 billion earmarked for the next two years. A Multi-Donor Trust Fund, managed by the World Bank, will oversee the allocation of international resources toward activities approved by a mixed Haitian/international Interim Haiti Recovery Commission (IHRC). U.S. support will respond to critical needs in agriculture, security, energy, and sustainable healthcare, with strategic investments in governance and housing. Organization of American States (OAS) support will emphasize electoral process, a civil registry, and land titling, with building government capacity an underlying objective. International players are committed to support Haitian leadership, to improve coordination and to avoid building parallel structures that bypass the state. Direct financial allocations in support of the Haitian government's budget are a critical immediate need. This is a defining moment for achieving development through shared vision, greater inclusiveness, and significantly improved transparency and accountability in the allocation and management of resources.