Presentation made during yesterday’s (Mar 26) Ask World Bank Caribbean webinar on Haiti. And  link to the recorded session.

Outline

Haiti in crisis: Looking forward…

…and creating solutions: WBG Response

• Lessons learned

• Country partnership strategy

• Rapid Crisis Impact Assessment

Haiti’s crisis is multidimensional

▪ Shocks: Over the past decade, a series of shocks (politicalcrises, escalating social violence, successive earthquakes, hurricanes, and disease outbreaks) and vulnerabilities (weak institutions, widespread corruption, and extreme inequality)

▪ Violence: Since 2021, a significant surge in violence committed by armed gangs, as well as conflicts between gangs and the police.

o Centered on Port-au-Prince o Government loss of control of key infrastructure

Violence remains focused in Port-au-Prince (for now)

▪ While violence remains concentrated in PAP, Artibonite has

increasingly become a focal point for gang activity.

▪ Secondary cities (Cap-Haitien, Gonaives) are increasingly

experiencing violence.

▪ Gangs rely on extortion as their main “business model,”

making control over main roads connecting the north and

south a priority.

Security crisis led to significant economic losses

▪ Lost Economic Growth: Significant decline in

economic activity, particularly due to looting and

transport disruptions. Production level 39% below

the level for 2024 as forecast before the crisis in

2018, equivalent to US$9.7 billion in output loss.

▪ Regions affected: Other economic activity (e.g.

nighttime lights) indicators confirm that Port-au-

Prince and Artibonite are the most affected.

Social impacts are devastating

▪ Poverty: 36.4% of people living in extreme poverty in 2024 in Port-au-Prince (less than 2.15 USD/day PPP 2017), compared to 29.9% in 2020.

▪ Food security: 50% of the assessed population, or nearly 5 million people, are in a situation of acute food insecurity, an increase of more than 600,000 people since August 2023.

▪ Access to services: Of the 93 health facilities assessed in Port-au-Prince, 42% are partially functional, 37% are fully functional and 18% are not functional.

Despite challenges, Haiti remains resilient

▪ Political: Political factions agreed to establish a Transitional Government in April 2024 and prepare for elections.

▪ Security: During 2024 the United Nations Security Council authorized the deployment of the Muti-national Security

Support Mission to support the Haitian National Police to reestablish security.

▪ Economic: Despite serious disruptions, the private sector retains some resilience; macroeconomic environment stable amid sustained support from the international community.

Photo credit: The Star/Kenya

Establishing the analytical foundation for recovery

Recognizing that improvements in infrastructure and services must accompany progress in the political process, the government requested support for a ‘rapid crisis impact assessment’ (RCIA).

▪ Launched in June and completed in October

▪ Led by the Ministry of Finance

▪ Collaboration between four partner institutions (WBG, IADB, EU and UN)

▪ Supporting the transition process

▪ For the Port-au-Prince and Artibonite regions

▪ Content:

o Impact assessment

o Investment Plan

o Institutional arrangements for the implementation of the investment plan

The WB facilitates donor and partner coordination

Grouped into four Axes:

▪ Axis 1: Economic recovery & diversification

▪ Axis 2: Rehabilitation of Infrastructure

▪ Axis 3: Access to basic services

▪ Axis 4: Rule of law and security

Most of the resources are needed for infrastructure rehabilitation, while security and social services require about a third of the resources.

Donor roundtable for improving donor coordination, efficiency and raising of funds

Merci