Columbia International Affairs Online: Working Papers

CIAO DATE: 05/2010

Addressing Corruption in Haiti

Robert Klitgaard

March 2010

American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research

Abstract

In the aftermath of the disastrous earthquake of January 12, 2010, Haiti will receive unprecedented aid for reconstruction and for its promising economic strategy. But given the country's legacy of corruption, massive aid could simply result in another massive Haitian failure. Success hinges on facing corruption squarely and developing a hard-headed, politically sensitive anticorruption strategy. How this could be done, given Haiti's realities and lessons from fighting corruption around the world, is the subject of this paper.