The devastating earthquake which struck Haiti on 12 January 2010 was the greatest disaster to hit the country in more than 200 years, killing more than 230,000 people and destroying swathes of the capital, Port au Prince. Among the survivors, more than 1.5 million people were made homeless and forced to take refuge in makeshift camps.
Almost two years on, while the international relief effort has made good progress, the humanitarian situation across the country remains fragile, with the sheer scale of the devastation wrought by the 2010 quake leaving a lasting legacy of displacement and destruction. While the number continues to decrease, approximately 550,000 people remain displaced in the country and large quantities of rubble remain. The quantity of rubble caused by the earthquake was estimated at more than 20 times that left behind following the attack on the World Trade Centre in New York in 2001, which itself took more than 18 months to remove.
Against this backdrop, Ireland pledged funding of €13 million for Haiti for the period 2010-2012 at a donor conference in New York in March 2010. By the end of this year, €11.5 million of this will have been disbursed and it is intended that the entire pledge will be met by early 2012.
In allocating financial support for Haiti, Ireland has prioritised the needs of the most vulnerable populations, including women and children as well as the basic humanitarian needs of the population more generally. This follows the recommendations of an assessment mission which visited the country following the earthquake, which advocated an Irish focus on protection, as well as clean water and sanitation, early recovery and shelter. Support has been provided to UNICEF, Concern, Goal, Plan, World Vision and Haven for the provision of clean water, shelter and sanitation to the affected population. Funding of €1 million has also been provided to the Haiti Reconstruction Trust Fund for projects managed by the World Bank in line with priorities agreed with the Haitian authorities.
In addition to financial support, Irish Aid has carried out 18 deployments from its Rapid Response Corps to Haiti following the quake and these experts have been able to assist UN and other agencies to work in areas such as logistics, engineering and water and sanitation.
Looking ahead, it is vital that the international effort, led by the Interim Haiti Reconstruction Commission, steps up its efforts to ensure adequate progress in recovery and reconstruction while simultaneously addressing the immediate humanitarian needs of the population, particularly vulnerable groups such as women, children and people with disabilities. Ireland will continue to play its part in encouraging and assisting in this recovery.