Clinton Foundation Donates $700,000 for Haiti’s Development

Former U.S. President Bill Clinton, through the Clinton Foundation, awarded grants in Haiti to help them develop their agriculture sector. He has been the special envoy of the United Nations to Haiti since 2010, even before a killer earthquake hit the Caribbean island country. The grant will be used for tree planting, developing coffee farms and training farmers.

Foreign Aid for Haiti’s Rebuilding

With the slogan, “Haiti is open for business,” Haiti’s President Michel Martelly has been trying to bring foreign investors into the country. Clinton was in Haiti accompanied by businessmen with an eye for potential investments. The potential investors represented restaurants, a lingerie company and a perfume company. Haiti is considered the most heavily populated island nation in the Caribbean. According to the Human Development Index, it is the poorest nation in the Americas.

Since the magnitude 7.0 earthquake that hit Haiti in 2010, U.S. and international aid organizations, have donated more than $2 billion for the country’s development.

Haiti’s History of Political Instability, Corruption and Mismanagement

Clinton was optimistic about Haiti’s potential for investments. However, that is easier said than done. Even before the earthquake of 2010, the country already had a long history of mismanagement and bad governance. Haiti has not been able to get up from the problems brought about by dictatorships, graft, and corruption.

In 1957, François Duvalier became the country’s president. He declared himself President for life in In 1964. He was called Papa Doc due to his earlier success as a doctor who helped fight diseases in the country. Using his own brand of personality cult and the fear of voodoo, Papa Doc consolidated power,  silenced the opposition, and created dissent within the country. During his presidency, he was instrumental in the death of 30,000 Haitians. His leadership also led to the exodus of the country’s better educated and skilled citizens. Called the “Brain Drain” the exodus left a lasting effect on the country and served to hinder development from within the nation’s society. Papa Doc died in 1971 and his son Jean-Claude Duvalier succeeded him.

After the Duvaliers, the country was ruled by a military leadership, the National Governing Council. Since then, the country has been wracked by political instability. The United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti has been in the country in a peace-keeping role since 2004.

Haiti’s Business Potential and the Obstacles to Development

Business analysts have not been impressed with Haiti due to its lack of infrastructure and its conservative banking system coupled with a justice system which investors feel does not adequately protect them. Other concerns include the devastation of the 2010 earthquake from which the country has not recovered. Additionally, the U.S. government has not lifted travel advisories, which serve to discourage visitors due to security concerns. To make matters worse, the country has also been hit by a recent cholera epidemic.

One of the potential investors who came with Clinton was New York restaurateur and celebrity chef Mario Batali. He felt that the security concerns was overplayed, and was optimistic about possible investments coming in.

Photo Credit: Porto Príncipe (Haiti) after the 2010 Earthquake