CRS Report Reviews Haiti Aid Legislation

The largest earthquake ever recorded in Haiti devastated parts of the country, including the capital, on January 12, 2010. The quake, centered about 15 miles southwest of Port-au-Prince, had a magnitude of 7.0. A series of strong aftershocks have followed. The damage is severe and catastrophic. It is estimated that 3 million people, approximately one third of the overall population, have been affected by the earthquake. The Government of Haiti is reporting an estimated 112,000 deaths and 194,000 injured. In the immediate wake of the earthquake, President Preval described conditions in his country as "unimaginable," and appealed for international assistance. As immediate needs are met and the humanitarian relief operation continues, the government is struggling to restore the institutions needed for it to function, ensure political stability, and address long-term reconstruction and development planning.

Prior to the earthquake, the international community was providing extensive development and humanitarian assistance to Haiti. With that assistance, the Haitian government had made significant progress in recent years in many areas of its development strategy. The destruction of Haiti's nascent infrastructure and other extensive damage caused by the earthquake will set back Haiti's development significantly. Haiti's long-term development plans will need to be revised.

The sheer scale of the relief effort in Haiti has brought together tremendous capacity and willingness to help. The massive humanitarian relief operation underway in Haiti has been hampered by a number of significant challenges, including a general lack of transportation, extremely limited communications systems, and damaged infrastructure. The relief effort is expected to last for many months, and recovery and reconstruction to begin as soon as possible.

President Barack Obama assembled heads of U.S. agencies to begin working immediately on a coordinated response to the disaster. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) through the Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) is the lead agency within the U.S. government responding to this disaster. On January 14, the Administration announced $100 million in humanitarian assistance to Haiti to meet the immediate needs on the ground. The Department of Homeland Security has temporarily halted the deportation of Haitians and granted Temporary Protected Status for 18 months to Haitian nationals who were in the United States as of January 12, 2010.

Congressional concerns include budget priorities and oversight, burden-sharing, immigration, tax incentives for charitable donations, trade preferences for Haiti, and helping constituents find missing persons, speed pending adoptions, and contribute to relief efforts. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee is holding a hearing, Haiti: From Rescue to Recovery and Reconstruction, on January 28.

The focus of this report is on the immediate crisis in Haiti as a result of the earthquake and the U.S. and international response to date. Related legislation includes P.L. 111-117, P.L. 111-126, H.R. 144, H.R. 264, H.R. 417. H.R. 1567, H.R. 3077, H.R. 4206, H.Con.Res. 17, H.Con.Res. 165, and S. 2949.

 Contents

The largest earthquake ever recorded in Haiti devastated parts of the country, including the capital, on January 12, 2010. The quake, centered about 15 miles southwest of Port-au-Prince, had a magnitude of 7.0. A series of strong aftershocks have followed.¹ The damage was severe and catastrophic. Communication services were cut off by the quake, so detailed information was initially difficult to come by. Initial reports indicate that thousands of buildings collapsed, leaving unknown numbers of people trapped, and hundreds of thousands of people homeless in the streets. Early estimates of casualties are constantly being updated, but already reach into the hundreds of thousands. According to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, "[o]f Haiti's 9 million people, initial reports suggest roughly a third may be affected by the disaster."²

Aftershocks have the potential to cause further damage, especially to structures weakened by the initial large earthquake; 14 aftershocks greater than magnitude 5 and 36 greater than magnitude 4 were felt within one day, and they could continue for weeks. In addition, steep slopes and rugged topography near the epicenter increase the chances for earthquake- and aftershock-triggered landslides, which pose a further hazard to structures and people down slope from landslide-prone regions.³

Recovery efforts have been made extremely difficult by the loss of personnel and infrastructure that would be part of a recovery effort. Among the missing and dead are Haitian government officials and international aid personnel, including many U.N. personnel. Housing, hospitals, schools, and many government buildings collapsed. Basic services such as electricity and water were almost completely disrupted. Major transportation routes were damaged and/or blocked. The Port-au-Prince airport control tower was destroyed; the airport continued to function, however, and air traffic control authority was quickly transferred to U.S. personnel with portable radar. The main port suffered heavy damage; U.S. troops have set up alternate port facilities. The use of airfields and ports in the Dominican Republic are also easing the burden on Haitian facilities.

Haitian government officials continue to function in makeshift conditions. The roof of the Presidential Palace collapsed and the President's private residence was also destroyed. President Preval is safe, but was initially unable to communicate with his Cabinet and is now operating out of a small room in a police headquarters. The Parliament building collapsed, with some Members trapped inside and others killed. Buildings of the Ministries of Finance, Public Works, and Justice were also damaged or destroyed. The Parliament has convened in the National Police Academy.

The United Nations, which has a strong presence in Haiti, and is at the forefront of on-the-ground response for security and humanitarian assistance, suffered heavy losses as well. Its headquarters collapsed, and about 150 U.N. personnel are unaccounted for. The head of the U.N. Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), Special Representative Hedi Annabi, and his deputy, Luiz Carlos da Costa, are among the dead. U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon sent Assistant Secretary General Edmond Mulet to Haiti on January 13 to direct the U.N.'s immediate response efforts; Mulet is a former Special Representative of the Secretary General for MINUSTAH.

All of this damage is sustained in a country that the United Nations had already designated as one of the 50 "least developed countries" in the world, facing a higher risk than other countries of failing to come out of poverty, and therefore needing the highest degree of attention from the international community.⁴

Prior to the earthquake, the international community was providing extensive development and humanitarian assistance to Haiti. With that assistance, the Haitian government had made significant progress in recent years in many areas of its development strategy, including security; judicial reform; macroeconomic management; procurement processes and fiscal transparency; increased voter registration; and jobs creation. It had also made progress in providing broader access to clean water and other services. Parliamentary elections were scheduled for February 2010. These presumably will be delayed.

The destruction of Haiti's nascent infrastructure and other extensive damage caused by January's earthquake will set back Haiti's development significantly. U.N. Special Envoy and former President Bill Clinton said that Haiti's long-term development plans "will need to be amended . . . but they cannot be abandoned."⁵

Preliminary Numbers at a Glance

It is estimated that 3 million people, approximately one third of the overall population, have been affected by the earthquake. The Government of Haiti is reporting an estimated 112,000 deaths and 194,000 injured.⁶ Reportedly, 609,000 people have been displaced in the Port-au-Prince area, many without shelter, with an estimated total of one million people that could leave damaged cities for rural areas. The Government of Haiti has facilitated the departure of 235,000 people from Port-au-Prince to outlying areas. An unknown number may have used private means to leave the city and seek shelter.

As of January 24, 2010, 43 search and rescue teams had rescued 134 people. The government initially halted search and rescue operations on January 22, but resumed them the next day, as more people were being found. Teams continue to conduct structural assessments. For the U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) they are also helping to organize tent and equipment donations to establish child-friendly spaces and health facilities.

About 45,000 U.S. citizens live in Haiti. According to the State Department, a total of 16,000 Americans in Haiti have been accounted for, and as of January 24, 10,901 Americans have been evacuated. The Embassy is still trying to help account for about 5,000 U.S. citizens.

In the immediate wake of the earthquake, President Preval described conditions in his country as "unimaginable," and appealed for international assistance. The country's top priority was to conduct search and rescue operations for survivors. Other material priorities included an offshore vessel medical unit and electricity generation capability. The government also requested communications equipment so that government officials could better function and coordinate response efforts. As those immediate needs are met and the humanitarian relief operation continues, the government is struggling to restore the institutions needed for it to function and to address long-term reconstruction and development planning. "The first thing is political stability," said Preval. "Secondly, we hope the international community will help us in the short-term, mid-term, and long-term."⁷

Prior to this disaster, the World Bank and others were working with the Haitian government to incorporate disaster risk management into Haiti's overall development strategy and to develop its capacity for disaster response. The capacity was still in its early stages, however, and the focus of much of its risk management efforts was not geared toward earthquakes, but toward hurricanes, which are the most common cause of natural disasters on the island. The last major earthquake in Haiti was 150 years ago, in 1860.

Haitian ministries are addressing issues such as long-term housing for those left homeless by the earthquake as they operate out of makeshift offices themselves. Haitian authorities and international relief agencies are delivering food and water to hundreds of makeshift camps in Port-au-Prince. The government is providing free transportation to evacuate people from the capital to cities not damaged by the earthquake. Interior Minister Paul Antoine Bien-Aime indicated that as many as 400,000 people may be relocated outside Port-au-Prince.⁸

The Preval Administration is working with USAID and others in the international community to assess damages and needs. The World Bank is partnering with the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery to estimate and classify building damage, for example. The Haitian government will use this and other studies to carry out a Post-Disaster Needs Assessment with the World Bank, the United Nations, the Inter-American Development Bank, the European Union, and other partners in development.⁹

The Haitian government, the United Nations, and donor representatives met in Haiti on January 14 to coordinate their efforts, and have continued to do so. The Preval Administration has also participated in donor conferences to begin discussing the revision of its long term development strategy to incorporate post-earthquake conditions.

U.N. Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH)¹⁰

The U.N. Security Council created the U.N. Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) on April 30, 2004, having determined that the situation in Haiti continued to be a threat to international peace and security in the region and acting under Chapter VII of the U.N. Charter. As a U.N.-conducted peacekeeping operation, MINUSTAH was given a mandate under three broad areas: a secure and stable environment, the political process, and human rights. On October 13, 2009, the Council extended its mandate until October 15, 2010, "with the intention of further renewal." The Council monitors the activities of MINUSTAH through semiannual reports made by the U.N. Secretary-General and his special representative, and also not later than 45 days before expiration of its mandate.

On January 19, 2010, the U.N. Security Council increased the overall force levels of MINUSTAH "to support the immediate recovery, reconstruction and stability efforts." The Council decided that "MINUSTAH will consist of a military component of up to 8,940 troops of all ranks and of a police component of up to 3,711 police and that it will keep the new levels of troops and police in MINUSTAH under review as necessary."¹¹ The limits had been 6,940 troops for the military component and 2,211 for the police component. A MINUSTAH support office is being established in Santo Domingo to facilitate and coordinate U.N. activities and a civil-military team is facilitating coordination between the Dominican Armed Forces and humanitarian actors in the Dominican Republic.

The headquarters of the U.N. Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) was demolished in the earthquake. It is yet to be determined how many military and civilian MINUSTAH personnel died.¹² The head of MINUSTAH, Special Representative Hedi Annabi and his deputy, Luiz Carlos da Costa, were both killed. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has appointed Edmond Mulet, former Special Representative to Haiti and current Assistant Secretary-General, Office of Operations, Department of Peacekeeping Operations, to serve as Acting Special Representative to the Secretary-General (SRSG) and Head of MINUSTAH. In this capacity, he is also helping to coordinate the relief effort. MINUSTAH is providing search and rescue operations, security, and assistance. On January 15, 2010, Mr. Mulet met with Haitian President Rene Préval to discuss the status of the rescue operation and to address issues of law and order with regard to looting and criminal activity, particularly in light of the fact that 4,000 prisoners escaped from a prison in Port-au-Prince and could pose a security threat.

The United States and MINUSTAH signed an agreement on January 22, 2010, clarifying their roles and responsibilities in coordinating international relief efforts with the Government of Haiti.

 

Figure 1. Haiti Earthquake Epicenter

 

 

 

Overall Status of the Relief Effort

Experts break relief operations into several phases: search and rescue; treatment and survival; relocation and rehabilitation; early recovery; and long-term reconstruction. As with any massive undertaking that has many moving parts, it can take days to get a relief effort underway. Delays in transportation and congestion, lack of transportation infrastructure, bureaucratic problems, lack of access, all can cause bottlenecks at key points in the system. While timing is critical to save lives, to enable a network of this size to function efficiently requires the coordination of assessments and appropriate responses with the government, local communities, and the international community.

The sheer scale of the relief effort in Haiti has brought together tremendous capacity and willingness to help, but an ongoing effort and strategic planning is required at each phase to work out coordination and logistics issues. The massive humanitarian relief operation underway has been hampered by a number of significant challenges, including a general lack of transportation, extremely limited communications systems, and damaged infrastructure. In many parts of Port-au-Prince, roads were ruptured or blocked by collapsed buildings, debris, bodies, and people seeking open space.

Challenges consistent with a response to a disaster of this scope continue. In the first two weeks following the earthquake, priorities were focused on 1) search and rescue assistance, including teams with heavy-lift equipment and medical assistance and supplies; 2) addressing a critical need for food, clean water and sanitation, medical assistance, and emergency shelter; and 3) setting up key infrastructure and logistics operations. The relief effort remains an immediate and critical priority. Humanitarian supplies are now coming in to Haiti via Port-au-Prince and Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The airport in the Dominican Republic is also being used as a humanitarian staging area to help with the coordination effort and allow for relief teams and supplies to get to Haiti by land. There have been some concerns about security and potential for looting and violence, but so far, according to the United Nations, the overall situation remains calm and stable, with only sporadic incidences of looting and criminality.

Preliminary assessments are being conducted by various organizations. More in-depth assessments, necessary to obtain a better understanding of the situation on the ground, are also underway. The information will be critical for determining whether personnel are in place with adequate resources, planning recovery and reconstruction initiatives, developing strategies for the use of funding, and preparing for donor conferences.

United Nations Humanitarian Response

The United Nations has established Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) and U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) teams.¹³ The UNDAC team is coordinating the Onsite Operations and Coordination Center (OSOCC). Two sub-OSOCCs have been established in Jacmel and Leogane to assist local authorities.

OCHA is helping to coordinate the search and rescue teams and assistance effort while focusing on other humanitarian priorities. In addition to working closely with the Government of Haiti, OCHA is the lead agency working with actors on the ground, coordinating with the military, and enlisting donor support. In consultation with MINUSTAH and international military forces, OCHA has developed a Joint Operations Tasking Centre (JOTC) which begins operating on January 26 and will focus on civil-military coordination.

Humanitarian relief sectors are typically established during humanitarian crises to enable the United Nations to coordinate partners, prioritize resources, and facilitate planning. To date in Haiti, relief sectors have been organized into twelve clusters led by various agencies.¹⁴ The clusters include

• Agriculture (Food and Agriculture Organization, FAO);

• Camp Coordination and Camp Management (International Organization for Migration, IOM);

• Early Recovery (U.N. Development Program, UNDP);

• Education (U.N. Children's Fund, UNICEF);

• Emergency Shelter and Non-Food Items (IOM and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, IFRC);

• Emergency Telecommunications (World Food Program, WFP);

• Food (World Food Program, WFP);

• Health (World Health Organization, WHO, and Pan American Health Organization, PAHO).

• Logistics (WFP);

• Nutrition (UNICEF);

• Protection (Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, OHCHR), with Child Protection (UNICEF)

• Gender Based Violence (U.N. Population Fund, UNFPA);

• Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (UNICEF).

Humanitarian Relief Sectors: Recent Developments¹⁵

• Emergency Shelter: After the earthquake struck, people began gathering spontaneously in open spaces in Port-au-Prince. It is estimated that there are 591 sites with a combined total of more than 600,000 people. (Other estimates suggest the number of displaced in Port-au-Prince may be as high as 800,000.) Aid workers are delivering basic necessities to areas with population concentrations. Emergency shelter is in very short supply and the Government of Haiti has made an appeal for a donation of 200,000 family-sized tents. The shelter needs of those displaced outside Port-au-Prince are being assessed. Approximately 235,000 relocated in departments outside the city, with the highest number (estimated 63,000) concentrated in Artibonite Department. See map in Appendix B.

• Food: WFP reports that as of January 25, it has delivered the equivalent of 2.6 million meals to more than 390,000 people. OCHA reports that the Government of Haiti is also providing food kits to 100,000 to 150,000 people per day. The U.N. logistics cluster is working with MINUSTAH, SOUTHCOM, and the Canadian military to distribute humanitarian daily rations outside Port-au-Prince. Tens of millions of ready-to-eat meals are needed for 2 million people over the next two weeks.

• Health: There are 48 operational hospitals with surgical capacity in Port-au-Prince and 12 field hospitals. The percentages of trauma cases is decreasing, but very limited follow-up, post-operative care is available. Amputees are among those requiring longer-term assistance. The need for sanitation and medical assistance are still critical. It is estimated that 20,000 people displaced outside Port-au-Prince may also be in need of medical care. PAHO began an assessment on January 25, which is expected to give an overview of the health, nutrition, shelter, water and sanitation clusters as well as other risk factors, such as security. In recent days there have been coordination challenges in two instances: the arrival of a large number of volunteer medical staff and distribution of available medical supplies already in warehouses. The Government of Haiti is expected to begin shifting away from emergency services to focus on primary health care, health centers, and hospitals. Vaccination programs are also being planned.

• The Ministry of Health in the Dominican Republic estimates that it is treating 495 Haitian patients in 9 hospitals. The influx of patients requiring emergency care is decreasing.

  The identification and collection of mortal remains is a significant issue.

• Logistics: There are ongoing logistical bottlenecks and distribution of aid remains a challenge with delays occurring a different points in the process. Food and water are reaching more people every day, but more is needed. Fuel shortages are reportedly no longer a big issue. The U.N. Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) is now operational with helicopters to be operational soon. It is expected that additional trucks will be procured for land transport of supplies between the Dominican Republic and Haiti.

• There are reports of transport difficulties (some organizations reported they were unable to locate some trucks traveling between the Dominican Republic and Haiti). These situations are likely being referred to the U.N. Dominican Republic Logistics Cluster. WFP has negotiated exemption from taxes at the airport on all humanitarian relief supplies.

• Protection: The sub-cluster focused on child protection is conducting rapid assessments of settlements, orphanages, and hospitals to determine the needs of children and to provide care to separated and unaccompanied children.

• Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH): Reportedly 275,000 people are receiving water daily at 114 sites throughout Port-au-Prince. Assessments are being conducted in areas reporting water shortages. The cluster plans to increase distribution of water to 500,000 people at 200 sites. Latrine usage and sanitation remain a problem at spontaneous settlements.

International recovery efforts are typically complex because they require coordination among numerous different actors. Apart from U.N. agencies, those responding to humanitarian crises include international organizations, NGOs, Private Voluntary Agencies (PVOs), and bilateral and multilateral donors. A great deal of assistance is provided by other governments and international entities.

The International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is working with the Haitian Red Cross Society (HRCS) and other national red cross societies, including the American Red Cross, to provide assistance to earthquake survivors. The IFRC is coordinating efforts with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), which is focused on medical assistance, tracing the missing and helping to restore family links. The ICRC is also helping with the identification and collection of mortal remains.

Various international NGOs that were already operating in Haiti before the earthquake are mobilizing to respond to the crisis. There are reportedly more than 500 NGOs operating in Haiti. Hundreds of local staff are believed to be assisting with the relief effort.¹⁶

U.S. Humanitarian Assistance

On January 13, 2010, U.S. Ambassador to Haiti Kenneth H. Merten issued a disaster declaration, and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), through the Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA), authorized $50,000 for the initial implementation of an emergency response program. (See Appendix C for further information about the U.S. Government humanitarian response mechanism.) The embassy also facilitated the evacuation of U.S. citizens and issued a travel warning.

The U.S. government immediately set up an interagency task force to coordinate and facilitate the humanitarian response to the earthquake in Haiti through the Washington, DC-based Response Management Team (RMT) headed by U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), through the Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA). To date, the overall focus of the U.S. government's response has been search and rescue, logistics and infrastructure support, provision of assistance, and conducting needs assessments.

On January 14, 2010, President Obama announced $100 million in humanitarian assistance (in addition to existing funding to Haiti) to meet the immediate needs on the ground. As of January 25, 2010, USAID reports that it has provided nearly $191 million in humanitarian assistance, including $113 million for OFDA, $68 million in food assistance, $5 million for the Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI) and approximately $4.5 million in reprogrammed funds. A further $126 million in DOD assistance brings the total U.S humanitarian assistance to $316.5 million. The activities of two of the key agencies -- USAID and DOD -- are described briefly below.¹⁷

USAID

Within 24 hours of the earthquake, the United States began deploying search and rescue teams along with support staff, and including search and rescue canines and rescue equipment, from Fairfax, Virginia, Los Angeles, California, and Miami Florida. USAID/OFDA also deployed a 32-member Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART). The RMT (mentioned above) is supporting the USAID/DART, which is focused on assessing humanitarian needs, positioning emergency relief supplies, and coordinating assistance with the U.S. Embassy in Haiti, the Government of Haiti, and the international community. USAID personnel are active in the following U.N. clusters: Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene; Emergency Food Assistance and Food Security; Logistics; Health; and Shelter. USAID/OFDA issues regular situation reports assessing the progress of relief operations.¹⁸ See Appendix B and Appendix C.

Department of Defense: Operation Unified Response¹⁹

In response to the crisis in Haiti, the Department of Defense (DOD) has deployed a broad range of military assets in Operation Unified Response to support U.S. and international assistance efforts. (See Appendix E for further information on the military units participating in Operation Unified Response.) Currently, there are 19,372 military personnel, both ashore and afloat, in Haiti or surrounding waters. Twenty four U.S. Navy and Coast Guard ships are on site, and 83 helicopters and 50+ fixed-wing aircraft are assisting in the transportation of supplies, relief/rescue personnel, and casualties. U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), located in Miami, Florida, is overseeing the Department's response efforts. SOUTHCOM is well-experienced in this type of operation, having supported 14 relief missions in the Latin American and Caribbean area since 2005. SOUTHCOM's initial assessment team, consisting of military engineers, operational planners, and command and control communication specialists, deployed to Haiti within 24 hours of the earthquake. U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command personnel dispatched to the Port-au-Prince International Airport restored air traffic control capability and are enabling round-the-clock airfield operations. These personnel from Air Force 720th Special Tactics Group in place at the airport can also provide emergency medical services and conduct search and rescue missions. The airport is now handling up to 140 flights a day, up from the seven daily flights it handled prior to the earthquake. According to SOUTHCOM, over 10,000 U.S. citizens have been evacuated safely. As of January 24, U.S. military forces had delivered 1.7 million water bottles, 1.1 million food rations, and more than 56,000 lbs of medical supplies. Additional tasks undertaken by DOD personnel include casualty treatment both ashore and afloat, aerial reconnaissance to assist rescue/supply efforts, the distribution of hand-held commercial radios, and the provision of radio broadcast capacity for emergency services information.

The U.S. Air Force's Air Mobility Command (AMC) is providing a range of transport aircraft, including C-17 Globemaster IIIs and C-130 Hercules. Air National Guard units from Ohio and Puerto Rico have also provided transport aircraft. According the AMC, over 500 sorties have been flown from Air Force bases across the country, delivering over 2,500 tons of supplies and transporting over 2,000 passengers.

The U.S. Navy has deployed 24 ships to assist relief efforts The Navy Expeditionary Combat Command has deployed units that can provide explosive ordnance disposal, maritime and riverine security, diving/salvage experts, and naval construction personnel. U.S. Navy surveillance aircraft have performed initial aerial surveys of the earthquake damage to assist remediation efforts. Of particular importance to improving rescue/recovery supply operations, the U.S. Navy has deployed a variety of specialized ships (salvage, heavy-crane, and oceanographic survey) to assist in restoring the port facilities to working order. To date, eight Haitian ports are fully operational, and Port-au-Prince facilities are operating at 30% capacity.

The 22nd and 24th Marine Expeditionary Units (4,000 personnel) and a brigade combat team from the 82nd Airborne Division (3,400 personnel) are conducting security/humanitarian operations. Though there have been incidents of violence and looting, military commanders have noted these have been concentrated primarily in areas known for violence prior to the earthquake, and the commanders are optimistic that violence will not spread to the general population, provided that the distribution of basic humanitarian supplies continues to improve.

The U.S. Coast Guard has undertaken the air-medical evacuation of injured U.S. civilian personnel to the Guantanamo Naval Station, supplied two C-130 transport aircraft, and deployed six cutters. According to DOD, as of January 25, 2010, the cost of the relief effort in Haiti is $126 million.

Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs)

U.S.-based NGOs are playing an active role in the relief and recovery effort in Haiti, several of them with U.S. government funding. A list of U.S. NGOs working in Haiti can be obtained from a variety of sources.²⁰ A NGO Coordination Unit is being established to ensure better coordination between NGOs, the United Nations, and the military.

Overall U.S. FY2010 Assistance

In the FY2010 Consolidated Appropriations Act (P.L. 111-117) Congress provided "not less than $295,530,000" for assistance for Haiti, about $2.7 million more than the Administration had requested. Congress also included Haiti in the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative, to provide equipment and training to combat drug trafficking and related violence and organized crime, and for judicial reform, institution building, education, anti-corruption, rule of law activities, and maritime security.

The Administration had requested $293 million in FY2010 assistance for Haiti, including $21 million and $91 million for Global Health and Child Survival under USAID and State Department, respectively; $125 million in Economic Support Funds; $35.5 million in P.L. 480 food aid; $18.5 million for International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement; $0.22 million for International Military Education and Training, and $1.6 million in Foreign Military Financing. Of that funding, $1.4 million was requested for Disaster Readiness programs. (See "Legislation in the 111^th Congress" section below.)

International Humanitarian Funding

A great many international actors are also providing relief to Haiti, either through financial contributions to the Government of Haiti or aid organizations or by directly providing relief supplies and emergency personnel.

U.N. Consolidated Appeals Process

Under the U.N. Consolidated Appeals Process, on January 15, 2010, the U.N. Humanitarian Country Team in Haiti issued a Flash Appeal for emergency financial assistance in the amount of $575 million. The funds will initially support emergency food aid, health, water, sanitation, emergency education, and other key needs. It will also focus on early recovery efforts (typically the initial six months after a disaster), although the timing remains fluid and depends on the outcome of more in-depth assessments. As of January 26, commitments of $273 million had been received (48% of the Flash Appeal) and a further $111 million had been pledged.

Additional pledges and contributions have also been made outside the Flash Appeal. Many countries, including the U.S. government, are providing assistance in the form of direct contributions of items such as food and tents, or through the operation of relief flights and logistics support. In addition to bilateral assistance, funding has also been provided to NGOs operating outside of the U.N. appeal.

The U.N.'s Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) initially made available $10 million and this number increased to $25 million.²¹

Donor Contributions and Pledges

So far, through governments and the private sector, the international community has pledged millions of dollars in aid, materials, and technical support. Appendix F highlights donor contributions and in-kind pledges. Obtaining an exact up-to-date record of all international contributions is not possible -- in part because some assistance is not reported to governments or coordinating agencies -- and in part because of the delay in their recording.

Private Contributions

Private sector assistance has already been substantial and is expected to continue to grow. Some reports indicate that so far private companies and individuals have contributed more than $470 million to support relief efforts in Haiti.²² Initiatives in the United States, such as the campaign by the American Red Cross to raise funds through text messages ($29 million), the Hollywood star-studded telethon that featured performances by a broad range of musicians and was broadcast on major U.S. television networks ($61 million), and numerous local fund raising activities have increased private giving.

On January 16, 2010 President Obama announced that former Presidents George Bush and Bill Clinton, who is also serving as the U.N. Special Envoy to Haiti, will lead a fundraising effort and work with the U.S. private sector in support of Haiti. The initiative is called the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund.²³ Cash donations are being encouraged.

International Donor Meetings and Early Recovery Planning

The relief effort is expected to last for many months, although it is anticipated that recovery and reconstruction will begin as soon as possible in a parallel effort. To that end, at a preliminary meeting among some international donors held in the Dominican Republic the week following the earthquake, Dominican President Leonel Fernandez proposed a $10 billion five-year assistance program for Haiti.

A high-level Ministerial Conference was held in Montreal, Canada, on January 25, 2010, with the "Friends of Haiti" nations, other countries, and U.N. officials to discuss reconstruction plans for Haiti. Representatives Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon from Canada, Prime Minister Bellerive from Haiti, and Secretary of State Clinton attended in addition to representatives from other governments. Other participants included the U.N. Emergency Relief Coordinator and Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Mr. John Holmes; the UNDP Administrator Helen Clark; and the acting SRSG for MINUSTAH, Mr. Edmond Mulet. The conferees agreed to study recent examples of multilateral recovery efforts in order to develop an optimal aid-delivery mechanism that ensures effectiveness and accountability, and creates the conditions for sustainable development. Another larger donor conference will take place in New York in March to secure commitments for substantial funds for Haiti's recovery. The State Department will work in the next month with Haiti, the World Bank, and other international actors to assess needs and the level of funding required to meet them.

The World Economic Forum is launching a global initiative to integrate business into Haiti's reconstruction at its meeting January 27-31.

Response of International Financial Institutions²⁴

Multilateral Lending

The multilateral development banks (MDBs) have been active in Haiti in recent years, providing debt relief, loans, and grants to both the Haitian government and the private sector. Following the earthquake, the World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) announced new financial support for the country.

After the earthquake, the World Bank announced $100 million in emergency grant funding to support recovery and reconstruction, in addition to its existing $308 million portfolio of grants projects in Haiti.²⁵ The existing projects are in areas including disaster risk management, infrastructure, community-driven development, education, and economic governance. The World Bank is the only international financial institution providing all of its assistance as grants, thus ensuring that Haiti does not accumulate any additional debt to it. In addition to World Bank programs, the World Bank administers several donor-funded trust funds. Since 2003, trust funds administered by the World Bank have given more than $55 million to Haiti.

On January 12, 2010, Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) President Luis Alberto Moreno announced a $200,000 emergency grant for immediate relief aid. The IDB is Haiti's largest multilateral donor, with a portfolio of programs worth over $700 million, as of the end of 2009.²⁶ These programs include both grants and concessional loans. Of this amount, $330 million is undisbursed, of which $90 million could be quickly redirected to high-priority civil works and reconstruction projects.²⁷ IDB management also announced that it anticipates the approval of up to $128 million in already-planned grants, potentially providing more resources for reconstruction.

Haiti receives concessional loans from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as well as from the multilateral development banks.²⁸ In response to the earthquake, the IMF announced it will expand its existing program in Haiti by an additional $100 million. Including the new lending, total Haiti debt to the IMF would be $277.9 million. Of this amount, close to $170 million in concessional lending to Haiti has already been disbursed.²⁹

Debt Relief

Haiti completed the multilateral Enhanced Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative in June 2009, making it eligible to receive debt relief from the multilateral and some bilateral creditors. Under the terms of their participation in the Enhanced HIPC program, the World Bank provided Haiti debt relief for debts incurred through December 2003. According to the World Bank, debt relief under the Enhanced HIPC Initiative amounts to $140.3 million. On January 21, 2009, the World Bank announced that it was waiving any payment on Haiti's remaining World Bank debt of $38 million for five years.

The IDB, in September 2009, provided $511 million in debt relief. Debts eligible for cancellation were those incurred through 2004 (compared to 2003 in the case of IDA). According to the IDB, Haiti currently owes $429 million (principal-only) to the IDB. This includes $305 million from loans made in 2005 and 2006, after the debt cancellation cut-off date of December 31, 2004, and $124 million from undisbursed balances of loans made before the cut-off date. Beginning in 2009, Haiti's payments on its debt to the IDB have been made by a U.S.-supported trust fund that currently amounts to $20 million.

Haiti has also received debt relief from its bilateral creditors. Haiti's completion of the HIPC program triggered debt relief of $62.7 million by the Paris Club group of official creditors. Haiti's Paris Club creditors agreed to go beyond the requirements of the HIPC program, however, and provide $152 million in additional debt cancellation, thus completely cancelling Haiti's external Paris Club debt of $214 million. That said, Paris Club debt relief is not automatic. Creditor nations collectively sign bilateral agreements with the debtor nation, giving effect to the multilateral debt relief agreement. On September 18, 2009, the United States cancelled $12.6 million, totaling 100% of Haiti's outstanding debt to the United States. Several countries, however, have not yet completed their debt relief agreements. While most Paris Club members have implemented the sum of their Paris Club debt relief, France has only cancelled €4 million ($5.75 million) of €58 million ($83.36 million) owed to them by Haiti. The French Finance Minister asked on January 15, 2010, that debt relief be sped up, and that Taiwan and Venezuela, two of Haiti's largest non-Paris Club creditors, forgive Haiti's debts owed to them, $71.2 million and $112 million respectively.

Regional response

Latin American countries have responded to Haiti's crisis with immediate provision of emergency supplies and personnel and pledges of financial and other assistance for its long-term recovery. Members of the Organization of American States (OAS) pledged humanitarian, financial and other support to Haiti, and its Assistant Secretary General, Ambassador Albert Ramdin, will travel to Haiti as soon as possible. The OAS Group of Friends of Haiti met on January 14 to coordinate search and rescue efforts, prompt donations, and discuss ways to promote recovery.

The 15-member Caribbean Community (CARICOM), of which Haiti is also a member, mobilized its disaster emergency response system to assist Haiti, and several members have sent emergency supplies or promised financial assistance. The Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency has assembled a response team to assess conditions in Haiti as well.³⁰ Some CARICOM employees already working in Haiti were missing as of January 13.

Many countries in the region already have peacekeeping troops in Haiti serving with MINUSTAH. Brazil leads the U.N. peacekeeping mission, and had 1,284 uniformed personnel already serving there as of December 2009.

Many countries in the region have made bilateral cash or in-kind contributions as well. The Dominican Republic, which shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti but did not suffer heavy damage from the earthquake, responded swiftly and generously. The two countries have a long history of hostility toward one another, but Presidents Preval and Fernandez have worked in recent years toward having a more cooperative relationship, and this has been reflected in the Dominican response. Haiti's neighbor was the first country to send relief supplies and personnel, and has facilitated aid delivery through use of its airports, roads, and port. It has stopped repatriation of undocumented Haitians, and opened its border to injured Haitians, thousands of whom have been treated in both public and private hospitals. Fernandez also organized a preparatory meeting for donors to discuss future aid to Haiti the week after the earthquake.

Political and Economic Situation in Haiti³¹

Conditions in Haiti Before the Earthquake

Long before the earthquake struck, Haiti was a country socially and ecologically at risk. It has some of the lowest socio-economic indicators in the world.³² Haiti was already in an acute environmental crisis. Only two percent of its forest cover remains intact.³³ Following the hurricanes of 2008, the President of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), Luis Moreno, called Haiti the most fragile of IDB's member countries, saying that no other nation in Latin America and the Caribbean is as vulnerable to economic shocks and natural disasters as is Haiti.

The U.N. Secretary-General commissioned a report, published in January 2009, that recommended a strategy to move Haiti beyond recovery to economic security. Indeed, the U.N. Security Council conducted a fact-finding visit to Haiti in March 2009, and concluded that there was "a window of opportunity to enable the consolidation of stability and the undertaking of a process of sustainable development."³⁴

Political Conditions

President Préval is in his second (non-consecutive) five-year term as President of Haiti. During the first three years of this term, Préval established relative internal political stability. He outlined two main missions for his government: (1) to build institutions, and (2) to establish favorable conditions for private investment in order to create jobs. In November 2007, his Administration published its National Strategy for Growth and Poverty Reduction, a key step in meeting IMF requirements for debt relief, which it met in June 2009. With the support of MINUSTAH, which arrived in Haiti in 2004, security conditions improved, as did the capacity of the country's police force. Both the former and current U.S. Administrations praised Préval for his efforts to improve economic conditions and establish the rule of law in Haiti. Préval pledged to cooperate with U.S. counternarcotics efforts. Both President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met with President Préval early in 2009, and since the earthquake have provided humanitarian assistance and pledged long-term support for development in Haiti.

The Haitian government is functioning under extremely difficult conditions, with many of its buildings destroyed, and officials dead or missing. U.S. and U.N. officials both say they are coordinating relief and recovery efforts with the Préval administration. To provide the Haitian government some operating space, the Department of State agreed on January 16 to lease the old U.S. Embassy building in downtown Port-au-Prince to the Haitian government for $1 a year. That building had been put up for sale in June 2008 after the new U.S. Embassy opened near the Port-au-Prince airport.

Though greatly improved, Haiti's political stability remains fragile. Préval's inauguration in 1996 was the first transition between two democratically elected presidents in Haitian history. The government has its third prime minister since April 2008. Parliament dismissed Prime Minister Michele Pierre-Louis in October 2009, barely a year after her appointment. Nonetheless, the transition was smooth as President Préval swiftly appointed, and the Parliament confirmed, Jean-Max Bellerive to take her place. As Minister of Planning and External Cooperation from 2006 to 2009, Bellerive helped to prepare Haiti's National Strategy for Growth and Poverty Reduction.³⁵

Political tensions were mounting ahead of Parliamentary elections scheduled for February 28, 2010. These will presumably be delayed, though no official determination has been made yet. In late 2009, President Préval cut ties to the Lespwa movement that elected him in 2006, and formed a new movement, Unity. Opposition groups accused the presidentially-appointed electoral council of bias in favor of the President's new movement. The electoral council disqualified, without explanation about 15 rival political groups, which included members of Lespwa who did not join Préval's new party. Opposition groups expressed concern that if Unity won a legislative majority, it would push through constitutional amendments, possibly including one allowing Préval to run for another term in 2011, though Préval has said he would not run again.

In addition, Parliament also faces enormous challenges in trying to reestablish itself: some of its members were killed in the earthquake; the Parliament buildings were destroyed, as was the electoral council's building. The U.S. House of Representatives' Democracy Partnership and others are working with the Parliament to get it up and running again.

Since the earthquake, former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide announced he would like to return to Haiti, although he gave no explicit plans to do so. Aristide has lived in exile in South Africa since his government collapsed in 2004. Once -- and possibly still -- extremely popular among some Haitians, he is nonetheless a divisive figure. Aristide would face charges of corruption and would likely contribute to political instability if he were to return.

Socio-economic Conditions Prior to the Earthquake

Plagued by chronic political instability and frequent natural disasters, Haiti remains the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. Haiti's poverty is massive and deep. Over half the population (54%) of 9.8 million people live in extreme poverty, living on less than $1 a day; 78% live on $2 or less a day, according to the World Bank.³⁶ Poverty among the rural population is even more widespread: 69% of rural dwellers live on less than $1 a day, and 86% live on less than $2 a day. Hunger is also widespread: 81% of the national population and 87% of the rural population do not get the minimum daily ration of food defined by the World Health Organization. In remote parts of Haiti, children have died from malnutrition.³⁷

In order to reach its Millennium Development Goal of eradicating extreme poverty and hunger by 2015, Haiti's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) would have to grow 3.5% per year, a goal the International Monetary Fund (IMF) says Haiti is not considered likely to achieve. Over the past 40 years, Haiti's per capita real GDP has declined by 30%. Therefore, economic growth, even if it is greater than population growth, is not expected to be enough to reduce poverty. Haiti has experienced some economic growth since 2004. Economic growth for FY2007 was 3.2%, the highest rate since the 1990s. Before the earthquake, the forecasted growth for FY2009-20010 was 2.5%, reflecting the impact of recent storms and the global economic crisis, and up to 3.5% for 2010-2011.³⁸ The global economic crisis also led to a drop of about 10% in remittances from Haitians abroad, which in 2008 amounted to about $1.65 billion, more than a fourth of Haiti's annual income.³⁹

The likelihood that economic growth will contribute to the reduction of poverty in Haiti is further reduced by its significant income distribution gap. Haiti has the second largest income disparity in the world. Over 68% of the total national income accrues to the wealthiest 20% of the population, while less than 1.5% of Haiti's national income is accumulated by the poorest 20% of the population. When the level of inequality is as high as Haiti's, according to the World Bank, the capacity of economic growth to reduce poverty "approaches zero."⁴⁰

Selected Long-term Implications of the Earthquake and Post-Relief Strategy

The impact of the January earthquake on Haiti's people, government, security, and economy is catastrophic. Haiti had built a foundation of social stability over the past five years. That stability was fragile, however, and a disaster of this proportion will test it to the utmost. As hundreds of thousands of people remain without adequate food, water, shelter, and medical services, the challenge of maintaining order will be an enormous task. Those same conditions, along with a limited ability to respond to them, will create a precarious environment.

President Préval has asked the international community to focus not just on immediate humanitarian relief efforts, but also on long-term development needs. Once the humanitarian situation has stabilized, as the international community and Haiti begin carrying out early recovery programs, they will be simultaneously revising plans for long-term development and poverty reduction.

Infrastructure

The destruction of buildings, equipment, and loss of skilled personnel has drastically reduced the ability of the government, international organizations, and NGOs to respond rapidly. These losses, plus the difficulty of delivering and transporting material supplies, will hinder delivery of services. In much of the country the government did not provide basic services prior to the earthquake; what little basic services were available, in terms of water, health, and electricity, were mostly destroyed. The lack of medicines or medical treatment, water, and adequate sanitation in Haiti has been exacerbated by the earthquake and may increase the spread of disease. The already significant need for services is now vastly expanded.

Political Implications

The consolidation and expansion of democratic institutions will be key to maintaining stability. The probable delay of parliamentary elections may add to the political tensions already evident before the earthquake over the exclusion of several parties from the process. The elections were seen as part of the process of consolidating Haiti's democratic institutions. Along with the buildings, government records were destroyed; re-establishing and expanding transparency in government spending will be particularly challenging.

Migration

Migration will likely become another challenging issue both in Haiti and internationally, as people are to leaving Port-au-Prince for unaffected rural areas, the Dominican Republic, nearby islands, or the United States. Related to migration is the issue of housing . The Haitian government is already setting up temporary camps for the 609,000 people left homeless by the earthquake. Where to build on a more permanent basis will be a major decision -- many of the poorest people were squatters on land subject to landslides and floods. What kind of structures to build will also need to be determined; some recommendations for earthquake-resistant buildings are contradictory to recommendations for hurricane-resistant structures.

Review of Haiti's Development Strategy

Haiti already had a National Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy in place for 2007-2010, supported by the international donor community. The poverty reduction strategy focuses on three "priority pillars." The first is areas for growth, focusing on agriculture and rural development; tourism; infrastructure modernization; and science, technology and innovation. The second pillar is human development, concentrating on education and training; health; water and sanitation; persons with disabilities; childhood poverty; young people; HIV/AIDS; and gender equity. The third pillar calls for investment in democratic governance, focusing on the establishment of an equitable justice system; creation of a climate of security; modernization of the state; and political and economic decentralization.

After a series of devastating hurricanes in 2008, the government of Haiti revised its strategy incorporating the findings of a Post-Disaster Needs Assessment and the U.N.'s "Haiti: From Natural Catastrophe to Economic Security" report, at a donors conference held April 21, 2009, in Washington, DC. The Haitian government outlined the priorities of its new two-year plan, "Haiti: a New Paradigm," which include investing in strategic infrastructure, improving economic governance and the business environment, improving the provision of basic services, and ensuring environmental sustainability.⁴¹

The government had been making strides toward meeting goals of its growth and poverty reduction strategy, and some analysts were viewing its potential for sustainable development with optimism. Investors had begun to return to Haiti and the country was promoting its economic development. The earthquake has reversed years of progress. Haiti's strategy will therefore need to be reviewed, revised, and built upon to incorporate new conditions and needs.

The U.S. Department of State was about to announce a new strategy toward Haiti, on which it had been collaborating with the Préval Administration for almost a year.⁴² That, too, will need to be revised. The assessment had concluded that a new strategy needed: 1) a comprehensive integrated approach to achieve sustainable long term stability and economic growth; 2) investment in plans led by the Haitian government to ensure sustainability; 3) better coordination to maximize the effectiveness of U.S. and other donor assistance; 4) expanded reach of U.S. programs by using partnerships with other international actors; and 5) improved accountability and measurement of results. The State Department's assessment and plan focused on four areas: agriculture, energy, health, and security.⁴³

Other Issues

All of these areas, plus others such as governance and education, will need to be addressed in the short term, while simultaneously developing plans to rebuild in the long term. Analysts and donors are stressing that Haiti cannot be merely re-built, but must be re-built better. In this crisis, many people see the opportunity to address some of the underlying problems contributing to the country's endemic poverty and underdevelopment, for example:

• Exports: Plans for economic growth may include restoring and continuing to expand industrial exports, primarily textiles. Many analysts emphasize, however, that economic plans must be comprehensive. Over-reliance on any one area, such as textile production, could leave the Haitian economy overly vulnerable;

• Agricultural Capacity: Rebuilding Haiti's agricultural capacity is seen as a way of broadening Haiti's economy, and reducing its reliance on food imports. Obstacles to agricultural development include massive deforestation, erosion of topsoil, lack of investment in agricultural technology for decades, and unclear land titles;

• Job Creation: UNDP has already launched cash-for-work programs both to stimulate the local economy and ease the delivery of humanitarian assistance. The program will quickly expand to earthquake-damaged areas in and outside of Port-au-Prince, and employ 220,000 people, indirectly benefiting about one million Haitians, according to UNDP;⁴⁴

• Education and Health: Experts note that job creation must be accompanied by education and health programs. These are crucial to raising Haitians out of a cycle of poverty, by providing the knowledge and skills individuals need to take advantage of job opportunities, and the good health that enables children to develop and adults to function fully.

Many Members have already expressed a strong desire to support Haiti and provide it with substantial assistance. The 111^th Congress gave bipartisan support to assist the Préval government in the last session, and has continued to respond in that spirit to the crisis generated by the January earthquake. Fourteen Senators have requested that the chamber's leaders "include robust emergency funds to assist Haiti in the next legislative vehicle before the Senate."⁴⁵ The Senate Foreign Relations Committee is holding a hearing, Haiti: From Rescue to Recovery and Reconstruction on January 28.

Budget Priorities

Humanitarian assistance generally receives strong bipartisan congressional support and the United States is typically a leader and major contributor to relief efforts in humanitarian disasters.⁴⁶ When disasters require immediate emergency relief, the Administration may fund pledges by depleting its disaster accounts intended for worldwide use throughout a fiscal year. President Obama announced the United States would provide $100 million in immediate aid for Haiti. That aid is drawn from existing funds from across government agencies. The international community is also making substantial donations toward meeting immediate needs.

Amid efforts to tackle rising budget deficits by, among other measures, slowing or reducing discretionary spending or finding the resources to sustain U.S. aid pledges may be difficult. After the 2004 tsunami disaster, some Members of Congress publicly expressed concern that funding for tsunami relief and reconstruction, which depleted most worldwide disaster contingency accounts, could jeopardize resources for subsequent international disasters or for other aid priorities from which tsunami emergency aid had been transferred. These accounts were fully restored through supplemental appropriations. At the time, others noted the substantial size of American private donations for tsunami victims and argued that because of other budget pressures, the United States government did not need to transfer additional aid beyond what was already pledged. In Haiti, the full extent and cost of the disaster is not yet known and it remains to be seen how Congress will fund the relief effort. The point remains, however, that if disaster accounts are drawn down to provide relief to Haiti, in order to respond to future humanitarian crises, these resources would need to be replenished. If not replenished, U.S. capacity to respond to other emergencies could be curtailed.

Congress will also likely consider a major request to help fund Haiti's recovery and reconstruction. Congress may reevaluate and revise priorities and approaches of U.S. assistance to Haiti in light of the changed conditions there. Issues that have previously concerned Congress have included democracy building, development assistance and poverty reduction, security enhancement and stability, counternarcotics efforts, police and judicial reform, and disaster recovery and prevention.

Elections in Haiti

Another issue of immediate concern to Congress is likely to involve arrangements regarding elections. Haiti was due to hold parliamentary elections in February 2010. In all likelihood they will be postponed, considering the massive humanitarian needs generated by the earthquake and the extent of losses suffered by the Haitian government and the United Nations, which was to provide security and technical support.⁴⁷

Burdensharing and Donor Fatigue

The earthquake disaster in Haiti has received worldwide attention and focus. The Government of Haiti, the United States, the United Nations and many others have asked for and encouraged governments to provide assistance. It is not always evident whether figures listing donor amounts represent pledges of support or more specific obligations.⁴⁸ Pledges made by governments do not necessarily result in actual contributions. It also cannot be assumed that the funds committed to relief actually represent new contributions, since the money may previously have been allocated elsewhere. It will take time for a more complete picture to reveal how the actual costs of the Haiti disaster will be shared among international donors. Comparing USG and international aid is also difficult because of the often dramatically different forms the assistance takes (in-kind contributions vs. cash, for instance). As the situation in Haiti stabilizes and attention turns to early recovery and reconstruction, sustaining donor interest in Haiti and commitment to honor existing pledges while maintaining funding priorities and securing funds needed for other disaster areas will require a delicate balance.

Evaluating the Relief Response in Haiti

Some have criticized the response by the international community in the actual delivery of humanitarian assistance as far too slow. For example, in the days following the earthquake some press reports commented on what they perceived to be a critical of the lack of food and water, insufficient medical care for the wounded, the slow pace of search and rescue, and the non-existent presence of law and order. Others argue that there has been a great deal of unfair criticism of the slowness of the international aid effort. The weakened capacity of the Haitian government, critically damaged infrastructure, and logistical challenges posed by the influx of massive aid into a city largely destroyed by the earthquake all contributed to delay and difficulties on the ground. Still others have been concerned about bureaucratic red tape, lack of civil-military cooperation, control by the U.S. military of flight priorities at the Port-au-Prince airport, and overall coordination issues. Evaluations of the relief response in Haiti will likely continue to be conducted and debated as the humanitarian effort moves ahead. A disaster of this scope is almost certain to run into many obstacles because the challenges on the ground are so daunting. While managing expectations of what is possible under these circumstances is important, so too, are the observations and lessons learned that with time and hindsight may benefit the actions and plans of those responding to future disasters.

Haitian Elections

Another issue of immediate concern to Congress is likely to involve arrangements regarding elections. Haiti was due to hold parliamentary elections in February 2010. In all likelihood they will be postponed, considering the massive humanitarian needs generated by the earthquake and the extent of losses suffered by the Haitian government and the United Nations, which was to provide security and technical support.⁴⁹

Immigration⁵⁰

The devastation caused by the January 12, 2010, earthquake in Haiti has led Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano to grant Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to Haitians in the United States at the time of the earthquake.⁵¹ As soon as the earthquake hit, some Members of Congress called for the Obama Administration to grant TPS to Haitians in the United State. On January 13, 2010, DHS had announced that it was temporarily halting the deportation of Haitians. On January 15, 2010, DHS Secretary Napolitano granted TPS for 18 months to Haitian nationals. The Haitian Protection Act of 2009 (H.R. 144), which would require the Secretary of Homeland Security to designate TPS for Haitians, was introduced last year on January 6, 2009.

Haitian children who were legally confirmed as orphans eligible for intercountry adoption by the government of Haiti and who were in the process of being adopted by U.S. residents prior to the earthquake have been given humanitarian parole to come to the United States. Other Haitian orphans potentially eligible for humanitarian parole include children who were identified by an adoption service provider or facilitator as eligible for intercountry adoption and who were matched to prospective American adoptive parents prior to January 12, 2010. When it announced the humanitarian parole for Haitian orphans, DHS acknowledged, "Given the severity of the disaster in Haiti, we understand that there are additional children that have been orphaned and/or separated from relatives and may also be in varying stages of the adoption process. DHS and the U.S. Department of State continue to evaluate additional eligibility criteria and will provide additional information as soon as it is available."⁵²

There are growing concerns that the crisis conditions in Haiti may result in mass migration from the country. The phenomenon of Haitians coming to the United States by boat without proper travel documents dates back at least to the 1970s. The Reagan Administration reached an agreement in 1981 with the Haitian government to interdict (i.e., stop and search certain vessels suspected of transporting undocumented Haitians), and this policy, with some modifications, has continued. If mass migration occurs, Congress may weigh in on the balancing of immigration control responsibilities in the midst of Haiti's humanitarian disaster.

Tax Incentives for Charitable Donations

In a bipartisan effort, Congress passed a bill designed to increase charitable donations to Haiti. The Haiti Assistance Income Tax Incentive (HAITI) Act (signed into law January 22, 2010, P.L. 111-126) accelerates income tax benefits for charitable cash contributions for the relief of earthquake victims. It allows taxpayers to deduct donations made in early 2010 on their income tax returns for 2009. The Joint Committee on Taxation estimates that the HAITI Act would lead to U.S. revenue losses of about $2 million.⁵³

Trade Preferences⁵⁴

Congress has supported employment and output growth through the Haiti Opportunity through Partnership Encouragement (HOPE) Act, passed in 2006 and amended as HOPE II in 2008.⁵⁵ It provides special rules for the duty-free treatment of select apparel imports, Haiti's dominant manufacturing sector. Congress may consider enhancing the HOPE II provisions, which in various ways allow for firms to use lower-cost third-country (in Asia and elsewhere) apparel inputs such as yarns, fabrics, and components and still receive duty-free treatment on the exports to the United States.

Haiti faces a number of problems in restarting apparel production, including collapsed facilities, a devastated work force, and interrupted finance and logistical capabilities.⁵⁶ The main challenge to the industry in the long run is that producers could turn elsewhere to carry on what was once Haitian production. One option is to liberalize and simplify further duty-free treatment in the HOPE Act to provide incentives to producers to exercise the patience needed to consider rebuilding in Haiti. Such a plan would likely also have to consider possible effects on U.S. domestic producers and stakeholders.

Constituent Concerns and Private Charities

Lawmakers are also helping constituents find persons missing in Haiti, and helping citizens in Haiti get evacuated from Haiti. Information on how to help them do so is in Appendix G.

Lawmakers may also seek to find ways for the Haitian and U.S. governments to speed pending and potential adoptions of Haitian orphans. Links for further information on adoptions and orphans are in Appendix G.

Many constituents want to know how to contribute to relief efforts. Information on how to do so is in Appendix H.

A bipartisan group of Senators is sponsoring a bill designed to increase charitable donations to Haiti. The legislation would temporarily ease tax exemption laws, allowing taxpayers to deduct a larger amount from their annual income for charitable contributions. It would also encourage food donations by temporarily extending special tax rules for them.⁵⁷

Legislation in the 111^th Congress

P.L. 111-8. In the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009, Section 7045 makes the government of Haiti eligible to purchase U.S. defense articles and services for its Coast Guard. It also obligates funds for: (1) Haiti under Titles III and VI of this Act; health care, nutrition, sanitation, education, and shelter for migrant workers and others. It prohibits the use of specified funds under this Act for the transfer of U.S. weapons, ammunition, or other lethal property to the Haitian National Police until the Secretary certifies to the Appropriations Committees that any members of the Haitian National Police alleged to have committed serious crimes, including drug trafficking and human rights violations, have been suspended. Introduced February 23, 2009, signed into law March 11, 2009.

P.L. 111-117. In the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2010, Sec. 7045(b) deals expressly with Haiti, stating that, (1) The Government of Haiti shall be eligible to purchase defense articles and services under the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2751 et seq.), for the Coast Guard; (2) of the funds appropriated by this Act under Titles III, Bilateral Economic Assistance, and IV, International Security Assistance, not less than $295,530,000 shall be made available for assistance for Haiti; and (3) none of the funds made available by this Act under the heading "International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement" may be used to transfer excess weapons, ammunition or other lethal property of an agency of the United States Government to the Government of Haiti for use by the Haitian National Police until the Secretary of State reports to the Committees on Appropriations that any members of the Haitian National Police who have been credibly alleged to have committed serious crimes, including drug trafficking and violations of internationally recognized human rights, have been suspended.

Haiti is included in Sec. 7045(c), as part of the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative. The section reads as follows:

P.L. 111-126. The Act to Accelerate the Income Tax Benefits for Charitable Cash Contributions for the Relief of Victims of the Earthquake in Haiti, allows taxpayers who donate to Haiti earthquake relief between January 11, 2010 and March 1, 2010 to claim those contributions on their 2009 tax return. Introduced January 19, 2010, signed into law on January 22, 2010.

H.R. 144. The Haitian Protection Act of 2009 would require the Secretary of Homeland Security to designate Haiti as a country whose qualifying nationals may be eligible for temporary protected status. Introduced January 6, 2009; referred to the House Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law February 9, 2009.

H.R. 264. The Save America Comprehensive Immigration Act of 2009 would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) to provide increased protections and eligibility for family-sponsored immigrants, including to authorize adjustment of status for certain nationals or citizens of Haiti. Introduced January 7, 2009, referred to House Judiciary; House Homeland Security; House Oversight and Government Reform Committees; referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law February 9, 2009.

H.R. 417. The Next Steps for Haiti Act of 2009 would authorize the Director of Foreign Assistance, in consultation with the government of Haiti and Haitian civil society organizations, to establish the Haiti Professional Exchange Program to assign qualified Haitian Americans and others to provide technical assistance to help Haiti improve in areas vital to its growth and development, including education, energy, environment, health care, infrastructure, security, transportation, and disaster preparedness. Directs the Secretary of State to implement a student loan forgiveness program for program participants. Introduced and referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs January 9, 2009.

H.R. 1567. The Haitian Refugee Immigration Fairness Act (HRIFA) Improvement Act of 2009 would amend the 1998 HRIFA to (1) require determinations with respect to children to be made using the age and status of an individual on October 21, 1998 (enactment date of the HRIFA of 1998); (2) permit an application based upon child status to be filed by a parent or guardian if the child is present in the United States on such filing date; and (3) include document fraud among the grounds of inadmissibility which shall not preclude an otherwise qualifying Haitian alien from permanent resident status adjustment. It would also permit new status adjustment applications to be filed for a limited time period. Introduced March 17, 2009, referred to the House Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law on April 27, 2009.

H.R. 3077. The Global Food Security Act of 2009, partner legislation with S. 384, authorizes the President to provide assistance under this Act or the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 for unexpected urgent food assistance needs. Establishes a United States Emergency Rapid Response to Food Crisis Fund to carry out such purposes. Introduced June 26, 2009.

H.R. 4206. The Haiti Reforestation Act of 2009 seeks to authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to provide assistance to the Government of Haiti. The purpose of the act is to end the deforestation in Haiti within five years and to restore the tropical forest cover to its state in 1990 within a 30-year time frame. The legislation was both introduced and referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs on December 3, 2009.

H.Con.Res. 17. The resolution addresses the humanitarian assistance provided to Caribbean countries affected by past hurricanes and tropical storms. It acknowledges the affected countries' efforts to aid their citizens in recovery. The resolution also expresses support of the international assistance received by the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, the Bahamas, Cuba and Turks and Caicos. Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs January 9, 2009.

H.Con.Res. 165. Supports the yielding of temporary protected status for Haitian nationals who currently reside in the United States. Introduced July 17, 2009; referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law on August 19, 2009.

S. 2949. Emergency Aid to American Survivors of the Haiti Earthquake Act amends Title XI of the Social Security Act (SSA) to increase the funding cap under the U.S. Repatriation Program to $25 million for FY2010 for temporary assistance to U.S. citizens (and their dependents) returning from foreign countries in the event of destitution, illness, war, threat of war, invasion, or similar crisis. Introduced January 25, 2010. Passed by the Senate, January 25, 2010, and passed in the House January 26, 2010. Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection January 26, 2010.

Appendix A. Exposed Population

 

Figure A-1. An Estimate of the Population in Haiti and Surrounding

 

Areas Exposed to Ground Shaking Caused by the January 12, 2010,

 

Magnitude 7.0 Earthquake

 

 

 

Notes: The figure was generated by the Prompt Assessment of Global Earthquakes for Response (PAGER) system at the U.S. Geological Survey. PAGER is an automated system that rapidly assesses the number of people, cities, and regions exposed to severe shaking by an earthquake. Following the determination of earthquake location and magnitude, the PAGER system calculates the degree of ground shaking, estimates the number of people exposed to various levels of shaking, and produces a description of the vulnerability of the exposed population and infrastructure. This is version 7 of the PAGER output, accessed on January 14, 2010.

Appendix B. Haiti Population Movement

 

Figure B-1. Movement Out of Port-au-Prince

 

 

 

 

Figure C-1. USG Humanitarian Assistance

 

 

 

The United States is generally a leader and major contributor to relief efforts in response to humanitarian disasters.⁵⁸ The President has broad authority to provide emergency assistance for foreign disasters and the U.S. government provides disaster assistance through several U.S. agencies. The very nature of humanitarian disasters -- the need to respond quickly in order to save lives and provide relief -- has resulted in a rather unrestricted definition of what this type of assistance consists of at both a policy and an operational level. While humanitarian assistance is assumed to provide for urgent food, shelter, and medical needs, the agencies within the U.S. government providing this support typically expand or contract the definition in response to circumstances. Funds may be used for U.S. agencies to deliver services or to provide grants to international organizations (IOs), international governmental and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and private or religious voluntary organizations (PVOs). The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is the U.S. government agency charged with coordinating U.S. government and private sector assistance. It also coordinates with international organizations, the governments of countries suffering disasters, and other governments.

The Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) in USAID's Bureau for Democracy, Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance (DCHA) provides immediate relief materials and personnel, many of whom are already abroad on mission. It is responsible for providing non-food humanitarian assistance and can quickly assemble Disaster Assistance Response Teams (DARTs) to assess conditions. OFDA has wide authority to borrow funds, equipment, and personnel from other parts of USAID and other federal agencies. USAID has two other offices that administer U.S. humanitarian aid: Food For Peace (FFP) and the Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI). USAID administers emergency food aid under FFP (Title II of P.L. 480) and provides relief and development food aid that does not have to be repaid. OTI provides post-disaster transition assistance, which includes mainly short-term peace and democratization projects with some attention to humanitarian elements but not emergency relief.

The Department of Defense (DOD) Overseas Humanitarian, Disaster and Civic Aid (OHDACA) funds three Dodd humanitarian programs: the Humanitarian Assistance Program (HAP), Humanitarian Mine Action (HMA) Program, and Foreign Disaster Relief and Emergency Response (FDR/ER). OHDACA provides humanitarian support to stabilize emergency situations and deals with a range of tasks including providing food, shelter and supplies, and medical evacuations. In addition the President has the authority to draw down defense equipment and direct military personnel to respond to disasters. The President may also use the Denton program to provide space-available transportation on military aircraft and ships to private donors who wish to transport humanitarian goods and equipment in response to a disaster.⁵⁹

Generally, OFDA provides emergency assistance for 30 to 90 days after a disaster. The same is true for Department of Defense humanitarian assistance. After the initial emergency is over, assistance is provided through other channels, such as the regular country development programs of USAID.

The State Department also administers programs for humanitarian relief with a focus on refugees and the displaced. The Emergency Refugee and Migration Account (ERMA) is a contingency fund that provides wide latitude to the President in responding to refugee emergencies. Assistance to address emergencies lasting more than a year comes out of the regular Migration and Refugee Account (MRA) through the Population, Migration and Refugees (PRM) bureau. PRM assists refugees worldwide, conflict victims, and populations of concern to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), often extended to include internally displaced people (IDPs). Humanitarian assistance includes a range of services from basic needs to community services.

Appendix E. Operation Unified Response: U.S. Military Units Participating

Major Commands

U.S. Southern Command http://www.southcom.mil/appssc/index.php

U.S. Air Mobility Command http://www.amc.af.mil

U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command http://www.afsoc.af.mil/

U.S. Navy Expeditionary Combat Command http://www.necc.navy.mil

Ground Units

82^nd Airborne Division Brigade Combat Team http://www.bragg.army.mil/82DV/

22^nd Marine Expeditionary Unit http://www.lejeune.usmc.mil/22ndMEU/

24^th Marine Expeditionary Unit http://www.facebook.com/24thMEU

Naval Units

USNS PFC Dewayne Williams, 1st Lt Jack Lummus -- Roll-On/Roll-Off Container Ships

SS Cape May -- Heavy-lift ship

SS Gopher State -- Crane ship

MV Huakai -- High-speed ferry

USNS Sumner, USNS Henson -- Oceanographic survey ships

USS Nassau, USS Bataan -- Amphibious assault ships

USS Ashland, USS Gunston Hall, USS Fort McHenry, USS Carter Hall -- Dock landing ships

USS Mesa Verde -- Amphibious transport dock ship

USNS Comfort -- Hospital ship

USNS Grasp -- Salvage ship

USNS Big Horn -- Fleet Replenishment Oiler

USS Higgins -- Frigate

USS Underwood -- Destroyer

USS Normandy, USS Bunker Hill -- Guided-missile cruisers

USS Carl Vinson -- Nuclear aircraft carrier

USNS Sacagawea -- Dry-cargo ship

6 U.S. Coast Guard cutters

Appendix F. Donor Contributions and Pledges to Haiti in Response to the January 12, 2010, Earthquake

      Country/Agency   Monetary Pledge    In-kind Support Pledge

Regarding U.S. Citizens in Haiti

The U.S. Embassy in Port Au Prince has set up a task force at the Embassy which is taking calls as conditions permit. The Embassy is working to identify U.S. citizens in Haiti who need urgent assistance and to identify sources of emergency help. U.S. citizens in Haiti are urged to contact the Embassy via email (ACSPaP@state.gov) to request assistance. U.S. citizens in Haiti can call the Embassy's Consular Task Force at 509-2229-8942, 509-2229-8089, 509-2229-8322, or 509-2229-8672.

The Department of State has also created a task force to monitor the emergency. People in the United States or Canada with information or inquiries about U.S. citizens in Haiti may reach the Haiti Task Force at 888-407-4747, or by email at Haiti-Earthquake@state.gov. The Task Force phone number for those outside the United States and Canada is 202-501-4444.

In order to expedite requests for information about persons in Haiti, the following information is needed:

• full name

• date of birth

• citizenship

• time

• date

• place of last known location

• any contact information, such as a cell phone number or hotel/church number where the person could be reached

• the person's e-mail address

• passport information, if known

For additional information, the Department of State's Consular Affairs website at http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/pa/pa_haiti_info_number.html provides frequently updated information .

According to the Voice of America (VOA), people wishing to contact someone in Haiti may record a message in English, Creole, or French, to be broadcast by VOA radio, by calling 202-205-9442, code 42.

The International Committee of the Red Cross also has a directory for missing and located persons in Haiti at http://www.familylinks.icrc.org/wfl/wfl_hti.nsf/bottin?openview.

Haitian Citizens in the U.S.

Haitian citizens in the U.S. trying to locate people in Haiti can register their names with the International Committee for the Red Cross at http://www.icrc.org/web/doc/siterfl0.nsf/htmlall/ familylinks-haiti-eng?opendocument.

They can also call the Haitian Embassy in Washington, DC, at 202-332-4090, or the Haitian Consulate in New York City, 305-859-2003.

The Miami Herald provides a page to help families connect with family members at http://www.miamiherald.com/news/americas/haiti/connect/#vmix_media_id=9304036. ⁶¹

Haitian citizens in the U.S. may also consult the directory on the International Committee of the Red Cross website for missing relatives, friends and colleagues at http://www.familylinks.icrc.org/wfl/wfl_hti.nsf/bottin?openview.

U.S. Citizens with Pending Adoption Cases in Haiti

U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Napolitano has announced a humanitarian parole policy for two categories of Haitian children in the process of being adopted by American citizens. This policy is explained at http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextoid= 9c22546ade146210VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD&vgnextchannel=68439c7755cb9010VgnVCM10000045f3d6a1RCRD.

U.S. citizens with adoptions pending should send detailed information to The U.S. Department of Homeland Security(USDHS)/U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) at HaitianAdoptions@dhs.gov. This email address is intended only for submitting documents for pending adoption cases. Additional information may be found at the USCIS website at http://www.uscis.gov.

The U.S. Department of State has a dedicated website to Intercountry Adoptions at http://adoption.state.gov/news/children_affected_by_natural_disasters_conflict.html. The Department of State also hosts a dedicated blog about Intercountry Adoptions at http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/site/entry/haiti_earthquake_and_intercountry_adoption. They have also established an email address for questions at AskCI@state.gov.

The following information will need to be included in any inquiries addressed to either the Department of Homeland Security or the Department of State:

• Subject Line: "Haitian Adoption Information"

• Full name and contact information (including e-mail address) of parents

• Full name(s) of child(ren)

• Date(s) of birth of child(ren) (if possible)

• A brief summary of the status of the case

• Name and contact information for the orphanage

Appendix H. How to Contribute to Relief Efforts⁶²

How to Make Donations

According to Inter Action and other relief agencies, the best way to help is to donate financially to organizations responding to a disaster. Cash allows relief professionals to procure exactly what is needed in a disaster situation and ensure that donations are culturally, dietetically, and environmentally appropriate. Cash donations do not use up other scarce resources, such as transportation, staff time or warehouse space. As needed, cash can also be transferred quickly to where it is needed, helping bolster the economy of the disaster-stricken region.⁶³

The White House suggests that those wishing to make a donation to relief efforts may contribute online through ClintonBushHaitiFund.org., or Text "QUAKE" to 20222 to charge a $10 donation to the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund (the donation will be added to your cell phone bill); or, text "HAITI" to 90999, and $10 will be given automatically to the Red Cross, charged to your cell phone bill. Those wishing to donate may also visit InterAction at http://www.interaction.org to contribute to other non-governmental organizations.

The Department of State suggests that those who have significant in-kind contributions to make, such as a plane, a cargo ship, a team of doctors, portable generators, or large-scale water purification equipment log onto the website of the Center for International Disaster Information at http://www.cidi.org . The Center for International Disaster Information is a partner organization of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) that can help put usable donations on the ground in Haiti. Prospective donors can register their donation on http://www.cidi.org and CIDI will respond with information about the international community's ability to absorb this offer.

The Department of State also suggests that for in-kind contributions, an email message can be sent to helphaiti@state.gov. The subject line should include "Donation of" followed by the products to be donated. State Department staff will share the information with relief and development agencies that have the ability to transport collected items to the affected region and have identified needed goods.

Volunteer Opportunities

People who wish to provide assistance or expertise in Haiti are asked to contact the Center for International Disaster Information at http://www.cidi.org/incident/haiti-10a/. The Center, operated under a grant from the United States Agency for International Development's Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance, has established a dedicated page to coordinate Haiti support.

Appendix I. Links for Further Information⁶⁴

U.S. Government Agencies

U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)

http://www.usaid.gov/helphaiti/

U.S. Department of Defense

http://www.defense.gov/home/features/2010/0110_haiti/

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

http://www.hhs.gov/disasters/emergency/naturaldisasters/earthquake/haiti/index.html

U.S. Department of Homeland Security

http://www.dhs.gov/ynews/releases/pr_1263861907258.shtm

U.S. Department of State

http://www.state.gov/p/wha/ci/ha/index.htm

U.S. Geological Survey

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eqinthenews/2010/us2010rja6/#details, and http://earthquake.usgs.gov/

White House: Help for Haiti

http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2010/01/13/help-haiti

Other Resources

Caribbean Community (CARICOM)

http://www.caricom.org/jsp/pressreleases/pres04_10.jsp?null&prnf=1

Center for International Disaster Information (CIDI)

http://www.cidi.org/reg_offr.htm; http://www.cidi.org/news/haiti-quake.htm

Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI)

http://www.eqclearinghouse.org/20100112-haiti/

European Commission for Humanitarian Aid (ECHO)

http://ec.europa.eu/echo/index_en.htm

Information on the Haitian Earthquake

http://www.interaction.org/article/interaction-members-respond-earthquake-haiti

International Monetary Fund

http://www.imf.org/external/country/hti/index.htm

Organization of American States: Pan American Disaster Foundation

http://www.panamericanrelief.org/

Red Cross Movement

http://ocha.unog.ch/fts/pageloader.aspx?page=search-reporting_display&CQ= cq210110172333czMjdQ2CDB

United Nations

http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/LACEXT/ 0,,contentMDK:22440566~pagePK:146736~piPK:146830~theSitePK:258554,00.html

World Health Organization (WHO)/Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2010/haiti_earthquake_20100113/en/index.html

Author Contact Information

² United Nations, Secretary-General, Briefing General Assembly on Haiti Disaster, Announces Release of $10 million in emergency Funds to Kick-Start Response, SG/SM/12701; GA/10912, New York, NY, January 13, 2010.

³ For example, on January 20, 2010, more than a week after the magnitude 7.0 earthquake, a magnitude 6.1 aftershock struck Haiti at 6:03 a.m. approximately 35 miles west of Port-au-Prince. See http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/ eqinthenews/2010/us2010rsbb/. Also see CRS Report RL33861, Earthquakes: Risk, Detection, Warning, and Research, by Peter Folger for further information.

⁴ United Nations Office for Least Developed Countries. Facts About Least Developed Countries (LDCs) available at http://www.unohrlls.org/UserFiles/File/Publications/Factsheet.pdf, accessed January 15, 2010.

⁵ Bill Clinton, "How We Can Help Rebuild Haiti's Promise," The Washington Post, January 14, 2010.

⁶ Press reports cite casualty figures as high as 200,000 and unconfirmed international reports indicate 150,000 deaths.

⁷ Jacqueline Charles and Lydia Martin, "Without even a shirt, Rene Preval stays focused; President Rene Preval no longer has a palace or more than one borrowed shirt. But he survived the quake and is running his nation from a small room," The Miami Herald, January 20, 2010.

⁸ Jacqueline Charles, Lesley Clark, and David Ovalle, et al., "Relief Efforts turn to long-term rebuilding," The Miami Herald, January 21, 2010.

⁹ World Bank, Haiti Damage and Need Assessment: World Bank Partners with Global Network of Scientists and Experts, Press Release No. 2010/240/LCR, Washington, DC, January 26, 2010.

¹⁰ Prepared by Marjorie Ann Browne, CRS Specialist in International Relations, and Rhoda Margesson, CRS Specialist in International Humanitarian Policy, Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division.

¹¹ The Council resolution that created MINUSTAH is S/RES/1542 (2004). The resolution extending the mandate in October 2009 is S/RES/1892 (2009). The resolution adopted unanimously on January 19, 2010 is S/RES/1908 (2010).

¹² More than 150 U.N. civilian staff are reported missing or remain unaccounted for.

¹³ Kim Bolduc, the U.N. Resident/Humanitarian Coordinator, was deployed to Haiti in November 2009.

¹⁴ The head of each cluster (indicated in parentheses) reports to the Resident/Humanitarian Coordinator and works in partnership with all relevant actors in that particular sector. The clusters meet at least once daily.

¹⁵ Information derived from a variety of sources, including USAID/OFDA, Haiti-Earthquake, Fact Sheet #13, FY2010 January 25, 2010; Pan American Health Organization, Emergency Operations Center Situation Report #12 Haiti Earthquake, January 25, 2010; OCHA, Haiti Earthquake, Situation Report #13, January 25, 2010.

¹⁶ The airport in the Dominican Republic is also being used as a humanitarian staging area to help with the coordination effort and allow for relief teams and supplies to get to Haiti by land through an established U.N. humanitarian coordinator.

¹⁷ Other agencies responding to the crisis include the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Health and Human Services (HHS), and Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

¹⁸ See USAID website: http://www.usaid.gov/our_work/humanitarian_assistance/disaster_assistance/countries/haiti/ template/index.html

¹⁹ Prepared by Stephen Bowman, CRS Specialist in National Security, Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division.

²⁰ See, for example, Interaction, which is an alliance of U.S.-based international humanitarian and development NGOs at http://www.interaction.org.

²¹ As part of the United Nations' reform process, in March 2006, the CERF was launched based on several earlier resolutions approved by the U.N. General Assembly to strengthen the United Nations' capacity to respond to natural disasters and humanitarian emergencies. It is managed by the Emergency Relief Coordinator and head of UNOCHA. As an international, multilateral funding mechanism, the CERF aims to focus on early intervention, timely response, and increased capacity and support to underfunded crises. The funds come from voluntary contributions by member states and from the private sector. The CERF is seen by proponents as a way to enable the United Nations to respond more efficiently, effectively, and consistently to humanitarian crises worldwide. Others also believe that U.S. support for this idea is critical to sustaining momentum for donor contributions and continued support for the disaster relief fund.

²² See, for example, the Chronicle of Philanthropy at http://philanthropy.com/news/updates/index.php?id=10679 and http://philanthropy.com/news/updates/10632/donations-to-aid-haiti-set-new-records.

²³ For more information, see http://clintonbushhaitifund.org.

²⁴ Prepared by Martin Weiss, Specialist in International Trade and Finance, Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division.

²⁵ "World Bank to Provide an Additional $100 Million to Haiti, Following Earthquake," World Bank, January 13, 2010.

²⁶ "December 2009 -- IDB Portfolio in Haiti, Inter-American Development Bank, December 17, 2009.

²⁷ "Haiti earthquake: IDB redirects resources for emergency assistance and reconstruction" Inter-American Development Bank, January 13, 2010.

²⁸ Financing under the IMF's concessional lending facility, the Extended Credit Facility, carries a zero interest rate, with a grace period of 5 1/2 years, and a final maturity of 10 years. The Fund reviews the level of interest rates for all concessional facilities under the PRGT every two years.

²⁹ "IMF to Provide US$100 Million in Emergency Assistance to Haiti," International Monetary Fund, January 14, 2009.

³⁰ Caribbean Media Corporation, "Caribbean heads of state to visit Haiti to assess quake damage," BBC Monitoring Americas, January 14, 2010.

³¹ Prepared by Maureen Taft-Morales, Specialist in Latin American Affairs, Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division.

³² World Bank, Country Report: Haiti, 2010, http://go.worldbank.org/GBXI5JKM50.

³³ Ibid.

³⁴ "Haiti: UN Council Mission reports strides in security, worrisome poverty," States News Service, March 19, 2009.

³⁵ "New Haitian Prime Minister-designate Profiled," BBC Monitoring Americas, November 5, 2009.

³⁶ World Bank, Country Report: Haiti, 2010, http://go.worldbank.org/GBXI5JKM50.

³⁷ "Rural Haitian Children Starving," Associated Press, November 21, 2008.

³⁸ Economist Intelligence Unit, "Country Report: Haiti," November 2009, p. 12.

³⁹ Mike Blanchfield, "In recession, Haitians abroad send less money home," Canwest News Service, March 17, 2009.

⁴⁰ World Bank, "Income Distribution, Inequality, and Those Left Behind," Global Economic Prospects 2007: Managing the Next Wave of Globalization, p. 83. December 1, 2006.

⁴¹ Le Rapport d'Evaluation des Besoins Apres Desastre Cyclones Fay, Gustav, Hanna et lke (Haiti Post-Disaster Needs Assessment, PDNA), Prepared for the Government of the Republic of Haiti with the support of the World Bank, the United Nations System, and the European Commission, November 2008. Author's translation. Available in French at http://gfdrr.org/docs/Haiti_PDNA_2008.pdf. "Haiti: a New Paradigm" is available at http://idbdocs.iadb.org/WSDocs/ getDocument.aspx?DOCNUM=1942794.

⁴² "Haiti Policy and Foreign Assistance Review," presentation for Congressional briefing, October 2009.

⁴³ "Haiti Policy and Foreign Assistance Review," presentation for Congressional briefing, October 2009.

⁴⁴ UNDP Update on Haiti Earthquake, January 20, 2010.

⁴⁵ Tim Starks, "Lawmakers Look to Aid Haiti Following Earthquake," CQ Today Online News, January 13, 2010.

⁴⁶ For background information see CRS Report RL33769, International Crises and Disasters: U.S. Humanitarian Assistance, Budget Trends, and Issues for Congress, by Rhoda Margesson.

⁴⁷ Prepared by Ruth Ellen Wasem, Specialist in Immigration Policy, Domestic Social Policy Division. For further information, see CRS Report RS21349, U.S. Immigration Policy on Haitian Migrants, by Ruth Ellen Wasem.

⁴⁸ Relief Web is a good source of information, although the accuracy is not guaranteed. See http://www.reliefweb.int. Obtaining an exact up-to-date record of all international contributions in response to an ongoing disaster is often not possible -- in part because some assistance is not reported to governments or coordinating agencies -- and in part because of the delay in their recording.

⁴⁹ Prepared by Ruth Ellen Wasem, Specialist in Immigration Policy, Domestic Social Policy Division. For further information, see CRS Report RS21349, U.S. Immigration Policy on Haitian Migrants, by Ruth Ellen Wasem.

⁵⁰ Prepared by Ruth Ellen Wasem, Specialist in Immigration Policy, Domestic Social Policy Division. For further information, see CRS Report RS21349, U.S. Immigration Policy on Haitian Migrants, by Ruth Ellen Wasem.

⁵¹ For additional information on Temporary Protected Status, see CRS Report RS20844, Temporary Protected Status: Current Immigration Policy and Issues, by Ruth Ellen Wasem and Karma Ester.

⁵² U.S. Department of Homeland Security, " Secretary Napolitano Announces Humanitarian Parole Policy for Certain Haitian Orphans," fact sheet, January 18, 2010.

⁵³ For further information, see CRS Report R41036, Charitable Contributions for Haiti's Earthquake Victims, by Molly F. Sherlock.

⁵⁴ Prepared by J.F. Hornbeck, Specialist in International Trade and Finance, Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division. For further information, see CRS Report RL34687, The Haitian Economy and the HOPE Act, by J. F. Hornbeck.

⁵⁵ Title XV of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (H.R. 6124/P.L. 110-246) -- the "Farm Bill." It amends the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act (19 USC 2701 et seq.).

⁵⁶ Doreen Hemlock, "Earthquake Threatens Haiti's Garment Sector," South Florida Sun-Sentinel, January 20, 2010, p. 1D and Simon Romero, "Economy in Shock Struggles to Restart," The New York Times, January 22, 2010, p. A10.

⁵⁷ Jessica Brady, "Senators Look to Speed Up Charitable Giving to Haiti," Roll Call, January 14, 2010.

⁵⁸ For more information, see CRS Report RL33769, International Crises and Disasters: U.S. Humanitarian Assistance, Budget Trends, and Issues for Congress, by Rhoda Margesson.

⁵⁹ Section 402 of Title 10, named after former Senator Jeremiah Denton, authorizes shipment of privately donated humanitarian goods on U.S. military aircraft provided there is space and they are certified as appropriate for the disaster by USAID/OFDA. The goods can be bumped from the transport if other U.S. government aid must be transported.

⁶⁰ Prepared by Anne Leland, Information Research Specialist, Knowledge Services Group.

⁶¹ Liz Heron, "Web Sites Offer Help for Reuniting Families Separated by Quake," The Washington Post, January 15, 2010, p. A9.

⁶² Prepared by Anne Leland, Information Research Specialist, Knowledge Services Group.

⁶³ Inter Action at http://www.interaction.org/how-help.

⁶⁴ Prepared by Anne Leland, Information Research Specialist, Knowledge Services Group.