Two years after January 12, 2010, the long-term success of the reconstruction of Haiti, "requires ownership by citizens," asserts Rebeca Grynspan, UN Development Program (UNDP) Associate Administrator.

"You cannot rebuild a country project by project," explained Ms. Grynspan during a presentation session for members of Congress of the United States. "You have to create conditions so that the citizens can rebuild it themselves—the most important part of this new phase is to make that happen. The international community must be a platform, for the citizens of Haiti to own the future [...] Now we have to shift resources to recovery and reconstruction" she added, while calling for substantial capacity-building and decentralization in government, strengthened rule of law, and investments that will help to create jobs.

"That means the development of transparent procurement processes, clear land title procedures, and the creation of conditions that encourage investment," she also delcared during a panel along with Edmond Mulet, Assistant Secretary General for peacekeeping operations for Peace, Thomas Adams, Special Coordinator of the United States for Haiti, and Victoria Holt, Deputy U.S. Secretary of State Bureau of International Organization Affairs.

As pointed out Rebeca Grynspan, a large number of rural people who migrated in the city have been returned to their home provinces. Unfortunately, international support was long in coming and these people have returned home to recover poverty and unemployment, they hoped to leave.

"We were able to do more on the environment and in risk reduction in the provinces," she explained, adding that the complex work of recovery and reconstruction require "that we have to do many things at the same time," from humanitarian aid and early recovery to long-term development.

With the new government in Haiti, whose 10 million people were living in chronic poverty before the January 12, 2010, is again "at a turning point" of its history, she asserts, "in a context of ongoing political tensions and divisions, improving the functioning of institutions of democratic governance is a fundamental prerequisite for stability" recalls the Associate Administrator of UNDP and it must be accompanied "with genuine, meaningful, democratic dialogue."

HL/ HaitiLibre