by the Center
for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR)
A new paper from the Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR)
and the Haiti Advocacy Working Group (HAWG) reviews reports released by the
U.S. State Department on contracts for Haiti aid and finds significant
omissions and deficiencies, including incomplete data, a failure to link
projects and outcomes, and a failure to adequately identify mistakes and
lessons learned. The State Department reports are intended to comply with the
Assessing Progress in Haiti Act (APHA), which was signed into law in August
2014. CEPR and HAWG incorporated Haitian civil society feedback in their review
of these reports.
and the Haiti Advocacy Working Group (HAWG) reviews reports released by the
U.S. State Department on contracts for Haiti aid and finds significant
omissions and deficiencies, including incomplete data, a failure to link
projects and outcomes, and a failure to adequately identify mistakes and
lessons learned. The State Department reports are intended to comply with the
Assessing Progress in Haiti Act (APHA), which was signed into law in August
2014. CEPR and HAWG incorporated Haitian civil society feedback in their review
of these reports.
“The Assessing Progress in Haiti Act
represents a significant, bipartisan effort by the U.S. Congress to shed light
on how effectively U.S. taxpayer dollars are being used to assist Haiti with
its ongoing rebuilding efforts years after its devastating 2010 earthquake,”
CEPR analyst and report coauthor Alexander Main said. “Unfortunately, while
State is releasing some information, there is still a great need for additional
clarity and detail to obtain the transparency and accountability that people in
both the U.S. and Haiti deserve.”
represents a significant, bipartisan effort by the U.S. Congress to shed light
on how effectively U.S. taxpayer dollars are being used to assist Haiti with
its ongoing rebuilding efforts years after its devastating 2010 earthquake,”
CEPR analyst and report coauthor Alexander Main said. “Unfortunately, while
State is releasing some information, there is still a great need for additional
clarity and detail to obtain the transparency and accountability that people in
both the U.S. and Haiti deserve.”
“Nearly seven years after the
earthquake, much of the Haitian population still struggles to meet basic needs;
there has been improvement in some sectors, but key national indicators such as
food security and economic growth have actually worsened,” Jasmine Huggins,
paper coauthor and Senior Policy and Advocacy Officer for Church World Service,
said. “As Haiti addresses future development challenges in the aftermath of
Hurricane Matthew, it is critically important that we all understand how past
U.S. aid was spent, who benefitted and what lessons we have learnt from
projects implemented.”
earthquake, much of the Haitian population still struggles to meet basic needs;
there has been improvement in some sectors, but key national indicators such as
food security and economic growth have actually worsened,” Jasmine Huggins,
paper coauthor and Senior Policy and Advocacy Officer for Church World Service,
said. “As Haiti addresses future development challenges in the aftermath of
Hurricane Matthew, it is critically important that we all understand how past
U.S. aid was spent, who benefitted and what lessons we have learnt from
projects implemented.”
Among the shortfalls that CEPR and
HAWG identify:
HAWG identify:
• Incomplete information: There is a
significant quantity of missing data at the subprime level, equivalent to 34%
of the $300 million awarded to subprime partners.
significant quantity of missing data at the subprime level, equivalent to 34%
of the $300 million awarded to subprime partners.
• No clear links between projects and
outcomes: The report fails to provide information about what benchmarks and
goals have and have not been met at the project level.
outcomes: The report fails to provide information about what benchmarks and
goals have and have not been met at the project level.
• No clear picture of who the beneficiaries
of U.S. assistance are.
of U.S. assistance are.
• Scant information on U.S. coordination with
Haitian and international entities.
Haitian and international entities.
• No information on non-governmental capacity
building.
building.
• A failure to identify mistakes and lessons
learned.
learned.
CEPR and HAWG
also noted:
also noted:
Haitian [civil society] groups are
largely unaware of the APHA reports, suggesting that USAID and the State
Department have done little to familiarize groups with the reports. In
addition, no part of the report has been translated into French or Kreyòl,
rendering them inaccessible to the vast majority of Haitians.
largely unaware of the APHA reports, suggesting that USAID and the State
Department have done little to familiarize groups with the reports. In
addition, no part of the report has been translated into French or Kreyòl,
rendering them inaccessible to the vast majority of Haitians.
“As organizations that partner with
local Haitian civil society, we continually push the U.S. government to more
and better consultation with Haitians to make international aid more
accountable to the people it is intended to reach,” noted coauthor Charissa
Zehr of the Mennonite Central Committee U.S. Washington Office.
local Haitian civil society, we continually push the U.S. government to more
and better consultation with Haitians to make international aid more
accountable to the people it is intended to reach,” noted coauthor Charissa
Zehr of the Mennonite Central Committee U.S. Washington Office.
The paper’s authors attempted to
remedy this by sharing selections of the State Department reports with Haitian
civil society organizations, and included their feedback and questions in the
CEPR/HAWG review.
remedy this by sharing selections of the State Department reports with Haitian
civil society organizations, and included their feedback and questions in the
CEPR/HAWG review.
The Assessing Progress in Haiti
Act’s key actionable component is its reporting requirement instructing the
U.S. State Department to produce four annual reports with detailed information
on the status of US aid programs in Haiti. CEPR and HAWG reviewed the 2014 and
2015 reports released by the State Department.
Act’s key actionable component is its reporting requirement instructing the
U.S. State Department to produce four annual reports with detailed information
on the status of US aid programs in Haiti. CEPR and HAWG reviewed the 2014 and
2015 reports released by the State Department.
The Haiti Advocacy Working Group is
comprised of international development, faith-based, human rights, and social
justice organizations advocating on issues related to U.S.-Haiti policy.
comprised of international development, faith-based, human rights, and social
justice organizations advocating on issues related to U.S.-Haiti policy.
