In a new report entitled "Has Aid Changed ? Channelling Assistance to Haiti Before and After the Earthquake", published Thursday, the United Nations Office of the Special Envoy for Haiti, believes that the financial flows of international aid should more transit through the Haitian State to accelerate the reconstruction, institution building, create jobs and improve public services. This report aims to understand how the aid was sent to Haiti before and after the disaster.

According to the report, about 99% of post earthquake emergency aid was disbursed towards bilateral and multilateral aid agencies, the Red Cross, and non-state service providers, including NGOs and private contractors. According to experts of the report, more funds should be channeled through the state so that the Haitians be able to dispose of these funds and strengthen the leadership of the Government.

Before the earthquake of January 2010, most aid to Haiti, took the form of direct grants and technical cooperation. After the earthquake, more than 60% of aid relief and of reconstruction from the bilateral and multilateral donors have been provided in the form of direct grants to various recipients. 14% additional aid for the reconstruction was channeled as grants through the Haiti Reconstruction Fund.

"After the earthquake, the international community has pledged substantial financial resources, both for relief and reconstruction efforts. However, many of us have been frustrated by the transition between these two phases. During the past year, donors have disbursed over $ 1.74 billion for reconstruction activities, but more than half [60%] of $ 2.84 billion they had promised for 2010 and 2011, remains in their hands"

In addition, the report states that the assistance of the bilateral and multilateral donors remains a resource much larger than the internal revenue of the Government of Haiti, approximately 130% of internal revenue of the government in 2009 and 400% of internal revenue of the government in 2010, according to estimates.

The United Nations Office of the Special Envoy for Haiti, Bill Clinton, pleads for an intensification of investment in local and national institutions particularly to create jobs. Finally, according to the experts of the report, tehe aid should "focus on the creation of a robust public sector and and a healthy private sector, in order to provide meaningful opportunities for citizens".

HL/ HaitiLibre