When a lack of long-term strategy threatens aid effectiveness

When a massive earthquake struck Haiti in 2010, Canada was at the front line of the humanitarian response. The government committed close to 200 million Canadian dollars ($160 million) to the relief effort, and humanitarian organizations launched an unprecedented joint effort, supported by an outpouring of donations from the public.

Haiti has been Canada’s second-largest recipient of aid funding after Afghanistan, with CA$92.12 million disbursed in long-term assistance and humanitarian aid in 2013. With a large Haitian diaspora living in Canada, a common official language and close geographic proximity, both countries have enjoyed a privileged development partnership over the years. Yet five years after the earthquake, there appears to be no clear strategic vision for Canada’s assistance to Haiti.

In November 2012, then-Minister for International Cooperation Julian Fantino visited Haiti to assess the impact of Canadian aid programs on the ground. In repeated statements ahead and after the visit, Fantino pressed the Haitian government for more accountability, transparency and results.