“We Need to Spread the Money Faster!” Haiti’s Prime Minister to World Donors

The world responded when the most devastating earthquake in modern history killed over 220,000 Haitians, and injured a further 300,000. However, according to Haitian Prime Minister Garry Conille, the inefficient disbursement and distribution of aid has crippled the nation’s ability to recover as it should.

Haitians queue for food distributed by the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti

The Office of the UN Special Envoy to Haiti said only 53 per cent of the 4.5 billion US dollars pledged by donors has been disbursed.

“The international community has partnered now with Haiti for years. “It’s about time we all ask ourselves: What are we going to do differently? How are we going to get a more coordinated approach? How are we going to make sure we’re building the capacity for Haitians to take over a lot of the support that we have from the international community?” Conville told reporters while here on a three-day official visit to the United States.

Conille was speaking in Washington at a meeting with officials at the World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the Organization of American States, as well with top US officials and congressional leaders.