(2007) CRS - Haiti’s Development Needs and a Statistical Overview of Conditions of Poverty
Summary — This report analyzes Haiti's development needs and the efforts by the Haitian government, the United States, and foreign donors to address them. It examines the current situation, priority areas for development, and the Interim Cooperation Framework (ICF) as a basis for a long-term Poverty Reduction Strategy. The report also provides a statistical overview of poverty conditions in Haiti.
Key Findings
- Over half of Haiti's population lives in extreme poverty, surviving on less than $1 a day.
- Haiti has the second-largest income disparity in the world, with over 68% of the total national income accruing to the wealthiest 20%.
- The Interim Cooperation Framework (ICF) established priority needs in political governance, economic governance, economic recovery, and access to basic services.
- The Préval Administration produced an Interim Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS) for 2007-2009, focusing on macroeconomic stability, poverty reduction, and sustainable growth.
- Enormous political, technical, and institutional challenges must be overcome to achieve poverty reduction objectives.
Full Description
This Congressional Research Service report provides an analysis of Haiti's development needs, examining the current situation and the efforts of the Haitian government, the United States, and foreign donors to meet those needs. It addresses priority areas for Haitian development and discusses the Interim Cooperation Framework (ICF), an international assistance strategy developed to address Haiti's short-term needs following the collapse of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide's government. The report also examines the Interim Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS) for 2007-2009 and the development of a long-term Poverty Reduction Plan. A significant portion of the report is dedicated to a statistical overview of poverty conditions in Haiti, using data related to political governance, economic stability, access to basic services, and other key indicators to illustrate the challenges to sustainable development.