CommunicationPublished on 4 July 2024

Haiti

In Haiti, the SDC rapidly and effectively integrated emergency relief with reconstruction and development projects, thereby creating synergies.

Insights into cooperation with Haiti

Area: 27,750 km²
Population: 11.6 million
GDP per capita: USD 1,748 (PPP GDP: USD 3,305)
Priority country since 2013

Haiti is the poorest country in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC region). Factors such as natural disasters, political instability, weak state structures, and a fragile economy are partly interconnected. Switzerland's work in Haiti always had a strong humanitarian component (emergency and reconstruction aid), although this was increasingly combined with flexible, longer-term development cooperation activities aimed at strengthening the country's resilience and improving living conditions for the poorest sections of the population. The first multi-year humanitarian programme in Haiti for the 2006–2008 period was launched following multiple crises in the country and focused on food security as well as rebuilding social infrastructure.

Focus on disaster preparedness

After the 2010 earthquake, which claimed between 200,000 and 300,000 lives, Swiss aid was increased and expanded to include disaster preparedness measures such as training in earthquake and hurricane-proof construction using local materials. This was followed by activities to promote sustainable agriculture (productivity, storage, marketing, and credit system). Strengthening local structures under the Haitian government's earlier decentralisation policy was also given increasing support. This included such issues as ensuring the water supply and wastewater disposal at municipal level, preserving biodiversity in protected areas and increasing civic participation overall. Most of these activities took place in selected departments in the country's south.

Links

• Haiti
• Experiences
• Haiti: ten years after the earthquake