22327: (Hermantin)Miami-Herald-Donors wary of aid to Haiti (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: leonie hermantin <lhermantin@hotmail.com>

Posted on Wed, Jun. 09, 2004


LATIN AMERICA ADVISOR


Donors wary of aid to Haiti


Question: While receiving some pledges of aid for reconstruction following a
widespread revolt and the resignation of former President Jean-Bertrand
Aristide in February, Haiti has reportedly not received any major, long-term
donation pledges to fund the government or prepare for elections in 2005.
How vital is long-term aid to Haiti's future? Will the international
community come through?

Answer from Robert Maguire, director of international affairs and Haiti
programs at Trinity College in Washington: The U.S., EU, Canada, France,
World Bank and Inter-American Development Bank have indicated their
intention to resume and increase assistance to Haiti and its interim
government. A donor's conference in July will provide an opportunity for
long-term commitments to Haiti. That long-term aid is vital to Haiti's
future is doubtless. If foreign aid by itself were the solution to Haiti's
innumerable problems, the billions disbursed since the late 1970s would have
given greater results. Aid must be matched with transparency in its
allocation and management and increased with private sector investment, both
from within Haiti and from overseas.

>From Steve Johnson, Latin America policy analyst at the Heritage Foundation:
Past experience suggests that Haiti is not a promising destination for
assistance or financing. Instead of building democratic institutions,
President Aristide resisted doing so. He took U.S. and international largess
as license to rule as he pleased. You can't blame other governments and
multilateral institutions for not making greater pledges of aid. Now, to
stem a humanitarian crisis and establish a functioning government, Haiti
needs outside help. While huge amounts are not forthcoming, confidence in
the interim government -- composed of technocrats and politicians from
across the political spectrum -- may help it rebuild and get ready for new
elections. Haiti has promise as a tourist destination and as a base for
light industry to compete with China.

>From Anthony Bryan, a senior scholar at the Center for Strategic and
International Studies: Long-term critical care in the form of aid and
assistance from Haiti's international partners is necessary. The U.S. for FY
2005 has proposed $150 million in aid for reconstruction in Haiti and $40
million for tackling the problem of HIV/AIDS. Much more is needed from
Haiti's other international partners. Haiti's future will be decided partly
by elections due at the end of 2005. But the country's history demonstrates
that it is difficult to choose democracy where a political culture is in
need of transformation. The democratic process will have to emerge over time
among the Haitian people. Non-Haitians can contribute by helping to maintain
public security and stability, and by providing aid and economic investment
(from the world at large and from the Haitian diaspora) that might foster
the conditions for that emergence. Most importantly, for democracy to be
cultivated in Haiti the 'winner-take-all' tradition of Haitian politics must
cease.

Portions of Inter-American Dialogue's Latin America Advisor run each
Wednesday and Saturday.

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