Enzo di Taranto, head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Haiti has shown concern about the humanitarian crisis in Haiti, which is aggravated by climate change.

Concerning Health "We are in a cholera outbreak phase, in the first months of 2015 there was an increase of 300% compared to the same period in 2014," he said. https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-14861-haiti-health-important-and-alarming-cholera-outbreaks.html adding that on an estimated population of 10 million, "approximately 3 million Haitians continue to drink poor quality water."

"The devaluation of the gourde, which determines an increase in prices of basic products such as medicines, food and water, the drought that severely hit several departments of the country and also the repatriation of Haitians from the Dominican Republic," are factors aggravating the country's humanitarian situation explained Enzo di Taranto .

Speaking about the Haitian returns from the Dominican Republic he indicated that this migratory flow "exerts a demographic pressure on the already very weak health system in Haiti and on the supply of food and water..." and that makeshift camps are developing https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-14859-haiti-humanitarian-the-government-unable-to-meet-the-needs-of-haitians-returning.html

About the drought felt in Haiti, Mr. di Taranto indicated "We need to launch public programs for rural development that can deal with these climate dynamics on which we have no control," Haiti, lost 98% of its forest cover, and sees its agriculture decline with soil erosion, because of this vulnerability, the hot air stream "El Niño" hit Haiti more than other countries in the region. https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-14894-haiti-agriculture-the-drought-in-the-country-raises-concerns.html

"To address the immediate humanitarian emergency, OCHA estimates that would be required about $25 million in the next 4-6 months," he concluded.

S/ HaitiLibre