WASHINGTON, CMC – The World Bank says as of May this year, its portfolio in Haiti amounts to US$1.25 billion comprising 18 active projects, of which 38 percent is allocated to the infrastructure sector, supporting territorial balances and climate change adaptation.
The announcement by the Washington-based financial institution follows the last week of a high-level delegation visiting the French-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM), holding discussions with Prime Minister Dr. Ariel Henry and other stakeholders.
According to a World Bank statement, the delegation led by Ayat Soliman, Regional Director for Strategies and Operations, and including Lilia Burunciuc, Country Director for the Caribbean, renewed the continued commitment of the World Bank Group (WBG) to the socio-economic development of Haiti and also discussed future engagements with the country.
It said consultations were held with the various stakeholders, including representatives of the Haiti Central Bank, on the potential priorities under a new Country Partnership Framework (CPF) that will guide WBG support to Haiti’s development efforts over the next five years.
The Framework builds on the achievements and lessons from the ongoing programs of the World Bank Group.
“Thanks to significant financial and technical support from the World Bank Group, we have made remarkable progress in the areas of governance, agriculture, education, health coverage, and disaster management, and access to basic infrastructure such as rural transport, water, and sanitation,” said Finance Minister, Michel Patrick Boisvert.
“This new partnership framework should enable the World Bank Group to continue to engage effectively with the country for the next five years. For us in the government, these consultations ensure that the new partnership framework is well aligned with the needs of the country and our identified priorities,” he added.
The World Bank says Haiti faces profound structural challenges that are difficult to solve in a protracted political and institutional crisis.
It said Haiti’s deteriorating political, economic, social, and security situation requires a significant and concerted effort among key stakeholders to address urgent governance deficits and improve transparency.
“There is also the need to improve basic key services and economic opportunities, restore some degree of macroeconomic stability and public security while identifying entry points for longer-term strategic engagements to address the fundamental drivers of fragility and opportunities for growth.”
The Worlds Bank said the combination of political crises, escalating gang violence, successive natural disasters, and disease outbreaks in recent years have deepened Haiti’s fragility.
Burunciuc said the dialogue between Haitian authorities and development partners is necessary to explore pathways to breaking out of the crisis-fragility trap, adding, “Together, we should identify opportunities to help Haiti address its challenges for the benefit of its people.”
The overarching goal of the Framework is to support Haiti at this critical juncture in its history in identifying pathways for restoring effective governance, sustaining essential public services, and resuming growth.
“An important short-term priority in the current fragile context is preserving the livelihoods of vulnerable groups while supporting the government to initiate reforms to address core drivers of fragility and other binding constraints to development and growth,” said Soliman, who visited Haiti for the first time since her new appointment.
“The restoration of stability in Haiti is a critical first step in a broader transition process to rebuild trust between the population and the government, break the cycle of chronic crises and unrest, and engage civil society, youth, and the private sector to move the country toward a more stable and prosperous future.
“Supporting Haiti’s development and improving the livelihood of the most vulnerable is a priority for the regional vice-presidency of the World Bank in charge of Latin America and the Caribbean,” Soliman added.
The World Bank delegation also made a plea for international partners to support the government in re-establishing security, the absence of which is the main challenge faced by Haitians in their daily lives and which is creating unmeasurable costs for the country in the form of violent deaths, kidnappings, lost jobs, and the departure of many skilled and professional people.
The visit was also an occasion for the World Bank to sign the US$ 80 million grant agreement with the Haitian government for the Decentralised Sustainable and Resilient Rural Water and Sanitation Project, which is aimed at increasing access to inclusive, resilient, and sustainable potable water services and increased access to essential sanitation services in the country’s small towns and rural communities.
“World Bank support in infrastructure is paramount in Haiti as it contributes to improved access to essential services and goods, all-weather connectivity, and sustainable growth,” said Public Works, Transport and Communication Minister Rosemond Pradel.
“The construction and rehabilitation of road and airport infrastructure, improved access to water and sanitation, renewable energy and digital development, are among the priority actions supported by the World Bank, and these are key transformative sectors for revitalizing the local economy,” said Pradel.
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