Haitian National Reconstruction and Development Committee

Haitian National Reconstruction and Development Committee
Name	Haitian National Reconstruction and Development Committee
Formation	2010
Dissolution	2012
Type	Interministerial committee
Headquarters	Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Region served	Haiti
Leader title	Chair

Haitian National Reconstruction and Development Committee

The Haitian National Reconstruction and Development Committee was an ad hoc interministerial body formed after the 2010 Port-au-Prince earthquake to coordinate MINUSTAH-partnered reconstruction, align international aid from USAID, IDB, and World Bank portfolios, and engage Haitian ministries and civil society actors including DIGICEL-sector stakeholders and the Haitian Red Cross. It operated at the intersection of Haitian executive authorities such as the Presidency and the Ministry of Public Works, as well as multilateral donors like the Organization of American States and regional actors including the Caribbean Community.

Background and Establishment

The Committee was created in the immediate aftermath of the 2010 2010 Haiti earthquake as part of national response mechanisms alongside ad hoc international mechanisms such as the OCHA clusters, the Red Cross Movement operations, and bilateral coordination led by embassies including the U.S. Embassy and the French Embassy. Founders referenced precedents like reconstruction efforts after the 1976 Tangshan earthquake and institutional arrangements seen during Hurricane Katrina recovery, while coordinating with philanthropic initiatives such as the Clinton Foundation and humanitarian NGOs like Médecins Sans Frontières and Oxfam International. The Committee formalized roles among Haitian ministries, municipal authorities such as the Mayor of Port-au-Prince, and international financial institutions following the 2010 pledging conference.

Mandate and Objectives

Mandated to design a national recovery plan, the Committee aligned with documents like the Haiti: Emergency Response Plan and sought to implement strategic pillars similar to the Resilience frameworks used by UNDP and WFP operations. Its objectives included housing reconstruction coordinated with the Ministry of Interior, infrastructure rehabilitation with the Ministry of Public Works, and public health system support in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Health. It also targeted livelihoods programs linked to the Ministry of Agriculture, urban planning tied to the Haitian Red Cross Institute, and legal frameworks in consultation with the Bar Association and international legal experts.

Organizational Structure and Leadership

The Committee brought together cabinet-level representatives from the Presidency, the Prime Minister's office, and ministries including the Ministry of Economy and Finance. International chairs and technical leads included officials seconded from UNDP, MINUSTAH civilian components, and experts from the World Bank and IDB. Advisory panels drew on specialists from Harvard University, Columbia University, and regional institutions such as the University of the West Indies. Civil society representation included leaders from Konbit, grassroots organizations, and Haitian diaspora groups active in Miami and Montreal.

Programs and Projects

Projects under the Committee ranged from emergency shelter initiatives coordinated with Habitat for Humanity and IFRC shelter clusters to major infrastructure programs funded by the World Bank and executed with contractors linked to the PAHO for hospital rehabilitation. Urban reconstruction planning referenced case studies from Christchurch and incorporated building-code advisories from the International Code Council. Programs included school reconstruction in partnership with UNICEF, sanitation projects linked to WaterAid models, and cash-for-work schemes inspired by Public Works Administration-style interventions managed alongside the Ministry of Social Affairs. Agricultural recovery programs worked with Food and Agriculture Organization offices and seed distribution networks like Heifer International.

Funding and Partnerships

The Committee coordinated funding streams from multilateral lenders including the World Bank, Inter-American Development Bank, and International Monetary Fund policy advice, bilateral aid from donors such as the United States Department of State, Government of Canada, and Government of France, and philanthropic donations channeled through entities like the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund and private foundations including the Rockefeller Foundation. Partnerships involved operational NGOs such as Mercy Corps and Catholic Relief Services, technical agencies like USAID's Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance, and specialized contractors engaged by the ECHO. Accountability mechanisms referenced audits by the OIG and donor conditionalities modeled on Paris Club agreements.

Impact, Criticism, and Controversies

While the Committee contributed to coordinated donor pledges and some reconstruction milestones like partial hospital reopenings and school rebuilds, it faced criticism related to transparency issues raised by local watchdogs and international journalists, including reporting in outlets such as the New York Times and The Guardian. Controversies included disputes over land tenure involving affected families, clashes with informal settlement residents represented by organizations like Sak Pase, allegations of contractor mismanagement involving firms registered abroad, and debates over priorities between urban reconstruction and rural recovery advocated by groups linked to the MCPP. Human rights organizations including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch documented concerns about displaced-person camps and the pace of durable housing.

Legacy and Dissolution/Transition

The Committee officially wound down as ad hoc architectures gave way to longer-term institutions, handing program responsibilities to ministries such as the Ministry of Public Works and multilateral trust funds administered by the World Bank and Inter-American Development Bank. Its legacy informed later initiatives like national disaster risk reduction strategies associated with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and regional resilience programs coordinated with the CDEMA. Lessons from the Committee influenced policy debates in donor capitals including Washington, D.C. and Paris about state-led versus NGO-led reconstruction, and remain cited in academic studies from institutions like University of Miami and State University of Haiti.

Category:Organizations based in Haiti