Small steps pave the way for big change in Haiti
For sceptics in general and development agnostics in particular, the story of Les Irois bears telling. This town of 8,000 people stands at the very end of Haiti’s southern peninsula, a place so remote that up until the 1980s it could only be reached by sea. And until last year, Les Irois did not have any sort of water service.
Now, neighbours who once had to walk hours to find a stream are only minutes away from one of the town’s eight ‘water kiosks’, bright blue stands with two automatic shut-off taps that dispense crystalline water piped in from three mountain springs. Not only are they saving time and energy; clean water means their children are no longer under constant threat of diarrhoea and typhoid fever.
The change was brought about by a modest community project carried out by Haiti’s social investment fund, FAES, the government agency in charge of executing a $65 million local development loan from the IDB. The IDB loan finances projects directly selected by communities that support the delivery of basic services such as drinking water as well as small ventures to expand and diversify these communities’ meagre sources of income. That is why, in just a few months – and using just $70,000 – FAES brought safe water and fresh hopes to the people of Les Irois.
These small-scale initiatives, when replicated throughout the country, can have a big impact on the welfare of communities, and pave the way for much needed local solutions in the short term, while in the mid term, larger infrastructure projects are executed. By never closing its office in Port au Prince despite Haiti’s protracted crises, the IDB has been able to support a $400 million portfolio of projects that covers essential sectors such as roads and basic infrastructure, education, health, water and sanitation and agriculture.
Although Haiti’s development challenges cannot be solely solved through piecemeal projects, these investments are essential to rebuild its infrastructure and revive its economy after decades of turmoil and decline. In addition, Haiti needs social peace and political stability, which can only be guaranteed by a viable government.
Safety first
Security is a paramount issue for development, and both the Haitian government and the United Nations Stabilization Mission to Haiti have the daunting tasks of peacekeeping and rebuilding the national police force. Less visible, but just as urgent, is the need to strengthen the public sector so it can serve critical roles, such as implementing Haiti’s own development agenda, executing sound economic policies and providing basic services to its citizens.
News stories often use Haiti’s social and economic indicators to describe its plight: indigence at sub-Saharan levels, the highest incidence of HIV/AIDS in the Americas or deforestation fuelled by the demand for charcoal, which has denuded the countryside, affecting the availability of water and increasing the threat of flash floods and mudslides.
Nevertheless, international assistance is starting to pay off. Despite last year’s political crisis, two big natural disasters and an upswing in social unrest, many IDB-financed projects have reached a stage where significant disbursements can help Haiti transform key sectors and improve people’s quality of life. All of these projects, as do other programmes backed by the international community in Haiti, reflect the priorities established by the interim government in its two-year transition agenda, which seeks to get the country on a path to sustainable growth.
The IDB, in association with other partners, has given particular emphasis to supporting the Haitian government’s efforts to improve governance by strengthening its national capacities and institutions. Previous experiences in Haiti as well as in other post-conflict countries have taught donors the need to work in close coordination. That is why so much attention is being paid to institutional and governance shortcomings. And never before has there been such a strong commitment to standing by Haiti for the long term.
Haiti still has far to go to complete its transition. Fair and credible elections have to be held, and a new administration has to take office in 2006. Since legitimacy is essential for stability, the electoral process needs to be transparent and ensure broad participation of the population. This will only be feasible if all groups feel they have a genuine stake in their country’s future.
The case of Les Irois, along with the strong commitment shown by the government, demonstrates that Haitian society is ready for this transition. The IDB stands ready to play its role as one of Haiti’s major partners in development: in addition to its portfolio under execution, it plans to support 12 new projects, totalling $270 million. Between 2005 and 2006, these new projects will help modernize economic governance, upgrade poor neighbourhoods, expand job training, improve road infrastructure, develop rural economies and renovate environmental and watershed management.
Miguel Eduardo Martinez is manager of the IDB’s regional operations department 2, which covers Central America and the Caribbean