The reports in the media that countries are not honouring their pledges for assistance to Haiti are based on a misunderstanding. These reports are about support to a reconstruction fund for Haiti. The government of Haiti is still working on a plan for the reconstruction of Port au Prince and surroundings.

It is six months since the earthquake, but the emergency aid operation is still under way. Aid organisations are now making preparations to cope with any damage that might occur during the hurricane season, which is imminent. Hundreds of million dollars have already been spent on emergency aid, providing 1.5 million people with shelter and four million people with food. Around 1.2 million people have received clean drinking water, and another million have received assistance through money for work programmes.

The Dutch central government supports the activities of Dutch Interchurch Aid (SHO) with funds totalling €41.7 million, €12 million of which for emergency aid and €29.7 million for reconstruction. The government’s contribution is part of the SHO’s public appeal for the victims of the earthquake in Haiti, which resulted in donations amounting to €111.4 million. The Netherlands is currently supporting the relief operation through SHO, which has recently published its first report (see the link to haitinu.nl in the right-hand column).

SHO has also taken the first cautious steps towards reconstruction. For example, the Red Cross and Cordaid have built 5,000 temporary homes. It is very important at this stage that international aid organisations set to work carefully, and in consultation with the Haitian authorities – for example about the removal of the vast amounts of rubble and the districts to be reconstructed first. Dutch support for the reconstruction of Haiti will be channelled entirely through SHO.

Another way of working on the reconstruction of Haiti is through the World Bank's reconstruction fund, which was set up specifically for this purpose. At the donor conference in New York on 31 March, countries pledged a total of €8 billion for this fund. The Netherlands made no pledges at this conference. The statement made by Leslie Voltaire, the UN Special Envoy to Haiti, relates to donors’ contributions to this reconstruction fund, to which the Netherlands has made no pledges. According to Mr Voltaire, less than 2% of the €8 billion that was pledged at the conference has been deposited in the fund. To date, Brazil and Norway are the only countries to have honoured their pledges, but many countries will follow once tangible reconstruction plans have been made. The relief operation in Haiti is still well under way, and reconstruction will take many years.

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