Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 22 January 2015
173. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the degree to which commitments entered into in the wake of the natural disaster in Haiti have been honoured to date; the number of countries that have already contributed to the extent indicated; the countries that have not; the extent of reconstruction/recovery recorded to date in that country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3244/15]
View answerOn 12 January 2010, Haiti was struck by one of the most devastating earthquakes in recent history, causing some 230,000 deaths and 300,000 injuries. The earthquake destroyed much of Port-au-Prince and the surrounding areas, left about 1.5 million people homeless and caused losses and damage estimated at approximately €5.9 billion.
Two months after the earthquake, an international donor conference was held in New York, at which US $4.5 billion worth of assistance was pledged by the international community over two years in response to a UN appeal for $1.5 billion. UN figures indicate that, by the end of 2012, $2.38 billion of this had been disbursed, and $3.52 billion by the end of 2014.
Since 2010, the European Commission has provided €248 million to address humanitarian needs such as basic services and protection to those living in camps. In addition, cholera treatment and prevention measures were delivered through water, sanitation and hygiene activities complementing Haitian institutions’ efforts.
Ireland has met its commitments to the people of Haiti. By the end of 2012, Ireland’s pledge of €13 million had been honoured and exceeded, with support totalling almost €14 million.
In addition to this humanitarian support, Irish Aid works to provide longer-term development assistance to the Haitian people through Concern Worldwide and the missionary organisation, Misean Cara. Since 2012 almost €1.65 million of Irish Aid funding has been channelled through civil society organisations for long-term development work in Haiti.
Ireland has a proud record of meeting our pledges and will continue to use all opportunities to urge our fellow donors to ensure that they meet their humanitarian commitments in full. In order to promote the importance of ensuring that donor aid pledges are credible, achievable, and properly monitored, the OECD has published a ‘Recommendation on Good Pledging Practice’. This comprises a set of principles relating to pledging practice for financial undertakings to developing countries and is designed to serve as a benchmark to help OECD Member States frame future aid pledges in terms that are clear, practical, realistic, and capable of being monitored. Ireland is fully supportive of this important initiative.
Five years on from the devastating earthquake, most of the 1.5 million people who were displaced by the earthquake and who found themselves living in makeshift tents now live in acceptable housing. Haiti’s reconstruction programme is fully under way and massive infrastructure programmes are visible including roads, bridges and social housing.
The efforts of the Haitian people and their partners in the international community are yielding promising results, including four consecutive years of positive GDP growth, rising agricultural exports, and increasing tourist numbers. There is still much more to be done to create the capacity for long-term development that relies less on foreign aid and more on the talent, enterprise, and resilience of the Haitian people.
