NEW YORK / HAITI – The following is a statement by Samantha Power, administrator of USAID, the world’s largest bilateral development agency with a global staff of over 11,000 across more than 100 countries.
“Over the past weeks, violence by organized criminal groups has escalated dramatically and worsened what is already a dire humanitarian situation in Haiti. At least 362,000 people are displaced, and 5.5 million people are in need of immediate humanitarian assistance as the most basic necessities including food, health care, water, and hygiene, are increasingly difficult to access.
To help address these urgent needs, the United States, through USAID, intends to provide an additional $25 million in humanitarian assistance for Haiti. This builds on the $33 million for humanitarian assistance Secretary of State Blinken announced earlier this week. Our funding will support efforts by our United Nations and NGO partners to provide immediate food assistance, essential relief supplies, relocation support, psycho-social support, emergency health care, safe drinking water, and protection services for the most vulnerable, including women and girls, among other vital assistance.
Humanitarian workers must be able to safely provide assistance for the most vulnerable. While the violence has forced some pauses of humanitarian operations, aid organizations are working tirelessly to reach the most vulnerable in Haiti. Our humanitarian partners have extensive experience working in challenging environments and have demonstrated their commitment to stay and deliver life-saving assistance with impartiality, neutrality, and independence, while protecting their staff and facilities. We require our partners to have robust safeguards and risk-mitigation systems in place, so that humanitarian aid reaches those who need it most. I am grateful for their efforts, and for the brave staff at the US embassy and mission – many of whom are Haitian – who are immersed in these challenges daily.
The United States is the single largest humanitarian donor to Haiti. The new funding announced this week will build on the $146 million that the United States, through USAID, has already provided since October 2022, which will reach more than 1.5 million people with life-saving assistance. The international community must stand with Haiti in this moment. At present, the humanitarian response in Haiti is less than seven percent funded, based on UN estimates. We call other donors to join us in scaling up humanitarian assistance.
The untenable violence serves only to delay the democratic process while upending the lives of millions. We urge all actors in Haiti to stop the violence and make the necessary concessions to allow for transparent, inclusive, and credible elections, unimpeded delivery of aid, and the restoration of democracy. Standing up the UN-authorized Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission is crucial not only to support the Haitian people, but also to maintain stability in the region.
“We continue to stand with the people of Haiti, and remain committed to the country’s long-term stability.”
United States to provide additional humanitarian assistance to dire humanitarian needs in Haiti
