FACT SHEET: U.S. Assistance to Haiti

WHITEHOUSE -- JULY 13, 2021•STATEMENTS AND RELEASES

BRIEFING ROOM FACT SHEET: U.S. Assistance to Haiti

Haiti is a partner of the United States and we have continually sought to provide support for Haiti’s safety, security, and development. In January 2021, the Biden-Harris Administration announced $75.5 million in bilateral development and health assistance for a wide range of issues, including democratic governance, health, education, agricultural development, and pre-election activities. The United States is working with the Government of Haiti to deliver the first 500,000 doses of Moderna COVID-19 vaccines to the people of Haiti—the first major international delivery of COVID doses to Haiti, with plans to share more doses.

Since the 2010 earthquake, the United States has made available over $5.1 billion for assistance to Haiti to support life-saving post-disaster relief as well as longer-term recovery, reconstruction, and development programs.

The United States remains committed to helping the Haitian people build a better future and is doing so in the following areas:

Investigation Assistance

In the aftermath of the assassination of President Moise, the Department of Justice, together with the Department of Homeland Security, is providing assistance to support the Haitian authorities in conducting a thorough investigation of the July 7 attack.
 
The Department of Justice, along with its U.S. government partners, will continue to support the Haitian authorities in its review of the facts and circumstances surrounding this heinous attack.
 
The Department of Justice will also investigate whether there were any violations of U.S. criminal law in connection with this matter.
Security Assistance

Strengthening Haiti’s law enforcement capacity is a key U.S. priority. We have provided $312 million in assistance between 2010-2020 alone to strengthen law enforcement and the capacity of the Haitian National Police to maintain peace and stability, and to respond effectively to civil unrest while respecting human rights.
 
As a direct result of support to the HNP School, trained officers increased from less than 10,000 in 2010 to nearly 15,000 officers today. The Department of State supports seven embedded subject matter experts to specialized HNP units to enhance the institution’s capability to support safer communities, more secure borders, and to prevent civil unrest.  
 
In response to a recent request from the Government of Haiti for security support:

DHS is sending experts from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to work with their Haitian counterparts in improving aviation and critical infrastructure security, as well as to provide support securing the upcoming elections.

State is deploying an advisor to the HNP judicial police and bringing onboard an advisor to the HNP Inspector General.  These advisors help the HNP improve the integrity of processing allegations of corruption, human rights abuses, and police misconduct.  Their critical investigative capacity-building support will complement U.S. federal law enforcement assistance.

State is supporting training and procuring vehicles, radios, and protective equipment to build the capacity of the HNP to protect Haitians from violence. 
 
We are also encouraging Haiti to take a holistic approach to countering gangs and are providing $5 million to strengthen the HNP’s capacity to work with communities to resist gangs.  We encourage Core Group members and key international partners to consider contributing to combatting insecurity in Haiti.
Elections Assistance

USAID is currently supporting pre-election activities that are intended to lay the foundation for upcoming legislative and presidential elections. USAID is providing more than $3 million to the Consortium for Elections and Political Processes Strengthening, which includes the National Democratic Institute, International Republican Institute, and International Foundation for Electoral Systems. 
 
These activities include focusing on improving electoral administration, strengthening the competitiveness of political parties, educating voters on electoral processes, promoting electoral transparency, and ensuring inclusive voter participation. 
 
USAID is providing technical assistance to Haiti’s Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) through this Consortium to build the capacity of electoral authorities to conduct credible elections. This includes technical assistance for strategic planning, information technology, and training for CEP staff, Communal Electoral Office and Departmental Electoral Office staff.
Health and Humanitarian Assistance

The United States also provides urgent humanitarian assistance via independent UN and NGO partners to help the most vulnerable people in Haiti. An estimated 4.4 million people in Haiti need humanitarian assistance as a result of years of civil unrest, economic instability, and recurrent natural disasters including hurricanes, droughts and a devastating earthquake in 2010.  While humanitarian assistance does not address the root causes of Haiti’s economic and political situation, it does help alleviate suffering and meet urgent needs of the Haitian people.
 
Improving access to primary health care services: USAID is the largest bilateral health donor in Haiti. Our assistance has increased access to and quality of basic healthcare in 164 clinics reaching over 4 million of the most vulnerable among Haiti’s population of 11 million.  With our support, the country is containing the spread of HIV, reducing the prevalence rate to under two percent in the past decade.
 
USAID support underpins the public health sector: USAID represents 25% of total health spending in Haiti.  These investments benefit the entire health system by ensuring quality health services are available to the population, with a focus on children, mothers, and other vulnerable populations, while strengthening the capacity of the Haitian government to manage the public health care system.
 
Improving nutrition through food fortification: With USAID support, all Haitians now have access to staple foods fortified with iron, folic acid, zinc, vitamin A, and iodine. These nutrients are essential to reduce the number of people with dietary deficiencies, improve child health outcomes, and will help generations of Haitians grow to be healthier, more productive members of their communities.
 
Vaccinating children against the diseases that drive child mortality: Ninety-four percent of infants between 0 and 11 months have received their full complement of routine vaccinations in USAID-supported areas, thereby preventing diseases such as diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis, compared to the national vaccine coverage rate of 41 percent.
 
Ensuring pregnant mothers receive the care they need: In areas that receive USAID health investments, 89 percent of pregnant women gave birth with the assistance of a skilled health care worker (a significant factor in reducing maternal and child deaths), while this rate was only 42 percent nationally.
 
Reducing HIV rates and ensuring HIV care and treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic: USAID has helped reduce the HIV prevalence rate in Haiti to under 2% in the past decade. We offer life-saving antiretroviral treatment to more than 80% (123,000) of people living with HIV (PLHIV).  USAID has helped Haiti to adopt innovative drug distribution and dispensing methods, and limit unnecessary COVID-19 risk exposure to PLHIV. These methods include multi-month dispensing, community drug distribution, group services such as psycho-social support groups, and mothers’ clubs implemented remotely online or by phone.
 
Modern Teaching Facility provides world-class training for health professionals: USAID completed a modern teaching facility for doctors and nurses housing the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, School of Nursing, and Lab Technician School, which now provides training to more than 1,000 students each year.
 
Re-building the premier teaching hospital in Haiti: USAID and the French government are helping to rebuild Haiti’s national teaching hospital (HUEH), the country’s main public tertiary hospital which collapsed due to the 2010 earthquake. USAID contributed $25 million towards the reconstruction and are planning to offer an additional $10 million towards its completion that is scheduled for 2024.
 
Southern Clinic Rehabilitation: USAID support resulted in the rehabilitation of five clinics in the south of Haiti impacted by Hurricane Matthew, enabling approximately 100,000 people to receive clinical care services. 
Temporary Protected Status (TPS)

In May, DHS announced a new designation of Haiti for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 18 months. Secretary Mayorkas made this decision after consulting with interagency partners and carefully considering the extraordinary and temporary conditions in Haiti, including the political crisis and human rights abuses; serious security concerns; the COVID-19 pandemic’s worsening of a dire economic situation and lack of access to food, water, and healthcare; and the continuing negative effects of the 2010 earthquake. Such conditions prevent Haitian nationals and habitual residents from returning safely.
 
Both existing TPS beneficiaries and new applicants must have been continuously residing in the United States since May 21, 2021, to be eligible for TPS. The TPS designation does not benefit Haitian nationals attempting to enter the United States after May 21, 2021. The United States is continuing to strictly enforce existing immigration laws and border security measures. Those who have newly arrived in the United States after the May 21, 2021, announcement are not eligible for TPS.
 
We anticipate that the Federal Register notice putting the Secretary’s designation of Haiti for TPS for 18 months into effect will be published within the coming days.
###