Haiti Earthquake: Crisis and Response
Rhoda Margesson
Specialist in International Humanitarian Policy
Maureen Taft-Morales
Specialist in Latin American Affairs
February 2, 2010
Congressional Research Service
7-5700
www.crs.gov
R41023
CRS Report for Congress
P
repared for Members and Committees of Congress

Haiti Earthquake: Crisis and Response

Summary
The largest earthquake ever recorded in Haiti devastated parts of the country, including the
capital, on January 12, 2010. The quake, centered about 15 miles southwest of Port-au-Prince,
had a magnitude of 7.0. A series of strong aftershocks have followed. The damage is severe and
catastrophic. It is estimated that 3 million people, approximately one third of the overall
population, have been affected by the earthquake. The Government of Haiti is reporting an
estimated 112,000 deaths and 194,000 injured. In the immediate wake of the earthquake,
President Preval described conditions in his country as “unimaginable,” and appealed for
international assistance. As immediate needs are met and the humanitarian relief operation
continues, the government is struggling to restore the institutions needed for it to function, ensure
political stability, and address long-term reconstruction and development planning.
Prior to the earthquake, the international community was providing extensive development and
humanitarian assistance to Haiti. With that assistance, the Haitian government had made
significant progress in recent years in many areas of its development strategy. The destruction of
Haiti’s nascent infrastructure and other extensive damage caused by the earthquake will set back
Haiti’s development significantly. Haiti’s long-term development plans will need to be revised.
The sheer scale of the relief effort in Haiti has brought together tremendous capacity and
willingness to help. The massive humanitarian relief operation underway in Haiti has been
hampered by a number of significant challenges, including a general lack of transportation,
extremely limited communications systems, and damaged infrastructure. The relief effort is
expected to last for many months, and recovery and reconstruction to begin as soon as possible.
President Barack Obama assembled heads of U.S. agencies to begin working immediately on a
coordinated response to the disaster. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)
through the Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) is the lead agency within the U.S.
government responding to this disaster. On January 14, the Administration announced $100
million in humanitarian assistance to Haiti to meet the immediate needs on the ground. The
Department of Homeland Security has temporarily halted the deportation of Haitians and granted
Temporary Protected Status for 18 months to Haitian nationals who were in the United States as
of January 12, 2010.
Congressional concerns include budget priorities and oversight, burden-sharing, immigration, tax
incentives for charitable donations, trade preferences for Haiti, and helping constituents find
missing persons, speed pending adoptions, and contribute to relief efforts. The Senate Foreign
Relations Committee held a hearing on January 28, 2010, Haiti: From Rescue to Recovery and
Reconstruction
.
The focus of this report is on the immediate crisis in Haiti as a result of the earthquake and the
U.S. and international response to date. Related legislation includes P.L. 111-117, P.L. 111-126,
H.R. 144, H.R. 264, H.R. 417. H.R. 1567, H.R. 3077, H.R. 4206, H.Con.Res. 17, H.Con.Res.
165, and S. 2949.

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Contents
Current Conditions...................................................................................................................... 1
Preliminary Numbers at a Glance .......................................................................................... 2
Haitian Government Response .................................................................................................... 3
U.N. Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) ................................................................ 5
Humanitarian Relief Operation.................................................................................................... 7
Overall Status of the Relief Effort ......................................................................................... 7
United Nations Humanitarian Response ................................................................................ 7
Humanitarian Relief Sectors: Recent Developments .............................................................. 9
Other Humanitarian Actors.................................................................................................. 10
U.S. Humanitarian Assistance ............................................................................................. 11
USAID ......................................................................................................................... 11
Department of Defense: Operation Unified Response .................................................... 12
Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) .................................................................... 13
Overall U.S. FY2010 Assistance ......................................................................................... 13
International Humanitarian Funding .......................................................................................... 14
U.N. Consolidated Appeals Process............................................................................... 14
Donor Contributions and Pledges .................................................................................. 14
Private Contributions .................................................................................................... 14
Early Recovery Planning among Donors and Haiti ........................................................ 15
The Role of the United Nations and Other Organizations............................................... 15
Response of International Financial Institutions......................................................................... 16
Multilateral Lending ........................................................................................................... 16
Debt Relief ......................................................................................................................... 17
Regional response ..................................................................................................................... 17
Political and Economic Situation in Haiti ............................................................................ 18
Conditions in Haiti Before the Earthquake..................................................................... 18
Political Conditions....................................................................................................... 18
Socio-economic Conditions Prior to the Earthquake ...................................................... 20
Long-term Implications of the Earthquake..................................................................... 20
Long-term Reconstruction Strategy ............................................................................... 22
Congressional Concerns ............................................................................................................ 24
Budget Priorities ................................................................................................................. 25
Burdensharing and Donor Fatigue ....................................................................................... 25
Elections in Haiti ................................................................................................................ 26
Evaluating the Relief Response in Haiti............................................................................... 26
Immigration ........................................................................................................................ 26
Medical Evacuation ............................................................................................................ 27
Tax Incentives for Charitable Donations .............................................................................. 29
Trade Preferences................................................................................................................ 29
Constituent Concerns and Private Charities ......................................................................... 30
Legislation in the 111th Congress ............................................................................................... 30
Regarding U.S. Citizens in Haiti ................................................................................... 47
Haitian Citizens in the U.S. ........................................................................................... 48

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Figures
Figure 1. Haiti Earthquake Epicenter ........................................................................................... 6
Figure A-1. An Estimate of the Population in Haiti and Surrounding Areas Exposed to
Ground Shaking Caused by the January 12, 2010, Magnitude 7.0 Earthquake......................... 33
Figure B-1. Movement Out of Port-au-Prince ............................................................................ 35
Figure C-1. USG Humanitarian Assistance ................................................................................ 36

Appendixes
Appendix A. Exposed Population .............................................................................................. 33
Appendix B. Haiti Population Movement .................................................................................. 35
Appendix C. U.S. Earthquake Assistance to Haiti ...................................................................... 36
Appendix D. The U.S. Government Emergency Response Mechanism for International
Disasters ................................................................................................................................ 37
Appendix E. Operation Unified Response: U.S. Military Units Participating ............................. 39
Appendix F. Donor Contributions and Pledges to Haiti in Response to the January 12,
2010, Earthquake ................................................................................................................... 41
Appendix G. How to Search for or Report on Individuals in Haiti .............................................. 47
Appendix H. How to Contribute to Relief Efforts ...................................................................... 50
Appendix I. Links for Further Information ................................................................................ 51

Contacts
Author Contact Information ...................................................................................................... 55
Key Policy Staff........................................................................................................................ 56

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Current Conditions
The largest earthquake ever recorded in Haiti devastated parts of the country, including the
capital, on January 12, 2010. The quake, centered about 15 miles southwest of Port-au-Prince,
had a magnitude of 7.0. A series of strong aftershocks have followed.1 The damage was severe
and catastrophic. Communication services were cut off by the quake, so detailed information was
initially difficult to come by. Initial reports indicate that thousands of buildings collapsed, leaving
unknown numbers of people trapped, and hundreds of thousands of people homeless in the
streets. Early estimates of casualties are constantly being updated, but already reach into the
hundreds of thousands. According to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, “[o]f Haiti’s 9
million people, initial reports suggest roughly a third may be affected by the disaster.”2
Aftershocks have the potential to cause further damage, especially to structures weakened by the
initial large earthquake; 14 aftershocks greater than magnitude 5 and 36 greater than magnitude 4
were felt within one day, and they could continue for weeks. In addition, steep slopes and rugged
topography near the epicenter increase the chances for earthquake- and aftershock-triggered
landslides, which pose a further hazard to structures and people down slope from landslide-prone
regions.3
Recovery efforts have been made extremely difficult by the loss of personnel and infrastructure
that would be part of a recovery effort. Among the missing and dead are Haitian government
officials and international aid personnel, including many U.N. personnel. Housing, hospitals,
schools, and many government buildings collapsed. Basic services such as electricity and water
were almost completely disrupted. Major transportation routes were damaged and/or blocked.
The Port-au-Prince airport control tower was destroyed; the airport continued to function,
however, and air traffic control authority was quickly transferred to U.S. personnel with portable
radar. The main port suffered heavy damage; U.S. troops have set up alternate port facilities. The
use of airfields and ports in the Dominican Republic are also easing the burden on Haitian
facilities.
Haitian government officials continue to function in makeshift conditions. The roof of the
Presidential Palace collapsed and the President’s private residence was also destroyed. President
Preval is safe, but was initially unable to communicate with his Cabinet and is now operating out
of a small room in a police headquarters. The Parliament building collapsed, with some Members
trapped inside and others killed. Buildings of the Ministries of Finance, Public Works, and Justice
were also damaged or destroyed. The Parliament has convened in the National Police Academy.

1U.S. Geological Survey http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsww/Quakes/us2010rja6.php, January 13,
2010. The largest earthquake ever recorded was the 9.5 magnitude 1960 Chile earthquake, see
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/world/historical_mag.php.
2 United Nations, Secretary-General, Briefing General Assembly on Haiti Disaster, Announces Release of $10 million
in emergency Funds to Kick-Start Response
, SG/SM/12701; GA/10912, New York, NY, January 13, 2010.
3For example, on January 20, 2010, more than a week after the magnitude 7.0 earthquake, a magnitude 6.1 aftershock
struck Haiti at 6:03 a.m. approximately 35 miles west of Port-au-Prince. See http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/
eqinthenews/2010/us2010rsbb/. Also see CRS Report RL33861, Earthquakes: Risk, Detection, Warning, and Research,
by Peter Folger for further information.
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The United Nations, which already had a strong presence in Haiti, is at the forefront of on-the-
ground response for security and humanitarian assistance, suffered heavy losses as well. Its
headquarters collapsed, and about 150 U.N. personnel are unaccounted for. The head of the U.N.
Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), Special Representative Hedi Annabi, and his
deputy, Luiz Carlos da Costa, are among the dead. U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon sent
Assistant Secretary General Edmond Mulet to Haiti on January 13 to direct the U.N.’s immediate
response efforts; Mulet is a former Special Representative of the Secretary General for
MINUSTAH.
All of this damage was sustained in a country that the United Nations had already designated as
one of the 50 “least developed countries” in the world, facing a higher risk than other countries of
failing to come out of poverty, and therefore needing the highest degree of attention from the
international community.4
Prior to the earthquake, the international community was providing extensive development and
humanitarian assistance to Haiti. With that assistance, the Haitian government had made
significant progress in recent years in many areas of its development strategy, including security;
judicial reform; macroeconomic management; procurement processes and fiscal transparency;
increased voter registration; and jobs creation. It had also made progress in providing broader
access to clean water and other services. Parliamentary elections were scheduled for February
2010. These presumably will be delayed.
The destruction of Haiti’s nascent infrastructure and other extensive damage caused by January’s
earthquake will set back Haiti’s development significantly. U.N. Special Envoy and former
President Bill Clinton said that Haiti’s long-term development plans “will need to be amended ...
but they cannot be abandoned.”5
Preliminary Numbers at a Glance
It is estimated that 3 million people, approximately one third of the overall population, have been
affected by the earthquake. The Government of Haiti is reporting an estimated 112,000 deaths and
194,000 injured. Reportedly, 700,000 people have been displaced in the Port-au-Prince area,
many without shelter, with an estimated 482,000 people who have left Port-au-Prince for rural
areas, with the possibility that this number could reach one million. The Government of Haiti has
facilitated the departure of several hundred thousand people from Port-au-Prince to outlying
areas. An unknown number of individuals may have used private means to leave the city and seek
shelter.
As of January 24, 2010, 43 search and rescue teams had rescued 134 people. These teams
continue to conduct structural assessments. They are also helping the U.N. Children’s Fund
(UNICEF) to organize tent and equipment donations to establish child-friendly spaces and health
facilities.

4 United Nations Office for Least Developed Countries. Facts About Least Developed Countries (LDCs) available at
http://www.unohrlls.org/UserFiles/File/Publications/Factsheet.pdf, accessed January 15, 2010.
5 Bill Clinton, “How We Can Help Rebuild Haiti’s Promise,” The Washington Post, January 14, 2010.
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According to the State Department, a total of 16,000 Americans in Haiti have been accounted for,
and as of January 24, 10,901 Americans have been evacuated. The Embassy is still trying to help
account for about 5,000 U.S. citizens whom it has been asked to help locate.
Aftershocks Pose Future Risk
A series of aftershocks has fol owed the main January 12 earthquake. There were 14 aftershocks greater than
magnitude 5 and 36 greater than magnitude 4 within the first day fol owing the magnitude 7.0 event. Aftershocks have
the potential to cause further damage, especial y to structures weakened by the initial large earthquake. On January
20, 2010—over a week after the magnitude 7.0 earthquake—a magnitude 5.9 aftershock struck Haiti approximately
30 miles west of Port-au-Prince. The next day, January 21, 2010, the U.S. Geological Survey issued a statement about
the potential for future earthquakes in Haiti, forecasting that aftershocks will likely continue for months if not years in
the affected area. The USGS statement indicated that the frequency of aftershocks will diminish with time, but
damaging aftershocks are still possible over the next few months, and that there is also a small chance of a subsequent
earthquake larger than the initial January 21 shock.
Based on the aftershock activity and the statistics of aftershock sequences, the USGS gave the following probabilities
for aftershock activity over a 30-day period beginning January 21:
• magnitude 7 or greater earthquake = less than 3% probability;
• magnitude 6 or greater earthquake = 25% probability;
• magnitude 5 or greater earthquake = 90% probability.
As a consequence of the future risk from future strong earthquakes, the USGS recommended “... that the rebuilding
effort in Haiti take into account the potential for, indeed the inevitability of, future strong earthquakes.” Rebuilding
structures to take account of the earthquake hazard would likely require a thorough assessment of the seismic hazard
in Haiti, which could then provide the basis for establishing or improving building codes and for identifying regions at
greatest risk, according to the USGS.
Sources: USGS statement, “Earthquake Hazard and Safety in Haiti and the Caribbean Region,” January 21, 2010, at
http://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/article.asp?ID=2385; USGS, “M7.0 Haiti Earthquake and Aftershocks,” at
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/aftershocks/?event=2010rja6.

Haitian Government Response
In the immediate wake of the earthquake, President Preval described conditions in his country as
“unimaginable,” and appealed for international assistance. The country’s top priority was to
conduct search and rescue operations for survivors. Other material priorities included an offshore
vessel medical unit and electricity generation capability. The government also requested
communications equipment so that government officials could better function and coordinate
response efforts. As those immediate needs are met and the humanitarian relief operation
continues, the government is struggling to restore the institutions needed for it to function and to
address long-term reconstruction and development planning. “The first thing is political stability,”
said Preval. “Secondly, we hope the international community will help us in the short-term, mid-
term, and long-term.”6 Some observers have questioned whether historical and current allegations

6 Jacqueline Charles and Lydia Martin, “Without even a shirt, Rene Preval stays focused; President Rene Preval no
longer has a palace or more than one borrowed shirt. But he survived the quake and is running his nation from a small
room,” The Miami Herald, January 20, 2010.
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of various levels of corruption in the Haitian government may impair short- and long-term
recovery efforts.7
Prior to this disaster, the World Bank and others were working with the Haitian government to
incorporate disaster risk management into Haiti’s overall development strategy and to develop its
capacity for disaster response. The capacity was still in its early stages, however, and the focus of
much of its risk management efforts was not geared toward earthquakes, but toward hurricanes,
which are the most common cause of natural disasters on the island. The last major earthquake in
Haiti was 150 years ago, in 1860.
Haitian ministries are addressing issues such as long-term housing for those left homeless by the
earthquake as they operate out of makeshift offices. Haitian authorities and international relief
agencies are delivering food and water to hundreds of makeshift camps in Port-au-Prince. The
government is providing free transportation to evacuate people from the capital to cities not
damaged by the earthquake. Interior Minister Paul Antoine Bien-Aime indicated that as many as
an estimated 482,000 people may be relocated outside Port-au-Prince.8 The Haitian government is
sending officials to small cities to help officials in those communities establish priorities.
Other elements of the government are working along with international actors. The Haitian
National Police are contributing to maintaining security, for example, and Haitian air traffic
controllers are working along with U.S. controllers at the Port-au-Prince airport.
The Préval Administration is working with USAID and others in the international community to
assess damages and needs. The World Bank is partnering with the Global Facility for Disaster
Reduction and Recovery to estimate and classify building damage. The Haitian government will
use this and other studies to carry out a Post-Disaster Needs Assessment with the World Bank, the
United Nations, the Inter-American Development Bank, the European Union, and other partners
in development.9
The Haitian government, the United Nations, and donor representatives met in Haiti on January
14 to coordinate their efforts, and have continued to do so. The Préval Administration has also
participated in donor conferences to begin discussing the revision of its long term development
strategy to incorporate post-earthquake conditions. Eighteen Haitian senators elected two
commissions on January 28 to monitor aid and manage agreements with aid organizations.


7 University of Colorado at Boulder, “Industry Corruption, Shoddy Construction Likely Contributed to Haiti Quake
Devastation,” E Science News, January 14, 2010; Senator Loren Legarda, “Commentary: Earthquake Devastation
Linked to Corruption,” Philippine Daily Inquirer, January 25, 2010; “Will Endemic Corruption Suck Away Aid to
Haitians?” Reuters, January 26, 2010.
8 Jacqueline Charles, Lesley Clark, and David Ovalle, et al., “Relief Efforts turn to long-term rebuilding,” The Miami
Herald
, January 21, 2010.
9 World Bank, Haiti Damage and Need Assessment: World Bank Partners with Global Network of Scientists and
Experts
, Press Release No. 2010/240/LCR, Washington, DC, January 26, 2010.
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U.N. Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH)10
The U.N. Security Council created the U.N. Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) on April
30, 2004, having determined that the situation in Haiti continued to be a threat to international
peace and security in the region and acting under Chapter VII of the U.N. Charter. As a U.N.-
conducted peacekeeping operation, MINUSTAH was given a mandate under three broad areas: a
secure and stable environment, the political process, and human rights. On October 13, 2009, the
Council extended its mandate until October 15, 2010, “with the intention of further renewal.” The
Council monitors the activities of MINUSTAH through semiannual reports made by the U.N.
Secretary-General and his special representative, and also not later than 45 days before expiration
of its mandate.
On January 19, 2010, the U.N. Security Council increased the overall force levels of MINUSTAH
“to support the immediate recovery, reconstruction and stability efforts.” The Council decided
that “MINUSTAH will consist of a military component of up to 8,940 troops of all ranks and of a
police component of up to 3,711 police and that it will keep the new levels of troops and police in
MINUSTAH under review as necessary.”11 The limits had been 6,940 troops for the military
component and 2,211 for the police component. A MINUSTAH support office is being
established in Santo Domingo to facilitate and coordinate U.N. activities and a civil-military team
is facilitating coordination between the Dominican Armed Forces and humanitarian actors in the
Dominican Republic.
The headquarters of the U.N. Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) was demolished in the
earthquake. It is yet to be determined how many military and civilian MINUSTAH personnel
died.12 The head of MINUSTAH, Special Representative Hedi Annabi and his deputy, Luiz Carlos
da Costa, were both killed. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has appointed Edmond Mulet, former
Special Representative to Haiti and current Assistant Secretary-General, Office of Operations,
Department of Peacekeeping Operations, to serve as Acting Special Representative to the
Secretary-General (SRSG) and Head of MINUSTAH. In this capacity, he is also helping to
coordinate the relief effort. MINUSTAH is providing search and rescue operations, security, and
assistance. On January 15, 2010, Mr. Mulet met with Haitian President Rene Préval to discuss the
status of the rescue operation and to address issues of law and order with regard to looting and
criminal activity, particularly in light of the fact that 4,000 prisoners escaped from a prison in
Port-au-Prince and could pose a security threat.
The United States and MINUSTAH signed an agreement on January 22, 2010, clarifying their
roles and responsibilities in coordinating international relief efforts with the Government of Haiti.
The U.N. Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) would seem to have a continuing role in
creating and maintaining a secure environment for recovery and in training a viable police force.



10 Prepared by Marjorie Ann Browne, CRS Specialist in International Relations, and Rhoda Margesson, CRS Specialist
in International Humanitarian Policy, Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division.
11 The Council resolution that created MINUSTAH is S/RES/1542 (2004). The resolution extending the mandate in
October 2009 is S/RES/1892 (2009). The resolution adopted unanimously on January 19, 2010 is S/RES/1908 (2010).
12 More than 150 U.N. civilian staff are reported missing or remain unaccounted for.
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Figure 1. Haiti Earthquake Epicenter


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Humanitarian Relief Operation
Overall Status of the Relief Effort
Experts break relief operations into several phases: search and rescue; treatment and survival;
relocation and rehabilitation; early recovery; and long-term reconstruction. As with any
significant natural disaster that has many moving parts, it can take days to get a relief effort
underway. Delays in transportation and congestion, lack of transportation infrastructure,
bureaucratic problems, lack of access, all can cause bottlenecks at key points in the system. While
timing is critical to save lives, to enable a network of this size to function efficiently requires the
coordination of assessments and appropriate responses with the government, local communities,
and the international community.
The sheer scale of the relief effort in Haiti has brought together tremendous capacity and
willingness to help, but an ongoing effort and strategic planning is required at each phase to work
out coordination and logistics issues. The massive humanitarian relief operation underway has
been hampered by a number of significant challenges, including a general lack of transportation,
extremely limited communications systems, and damaged infrastructure. In many parts of Port-
au-Prince, roads were ruptured or blocked by collapsed buildings, debris, bodies, and people
seeking open space.
Challenges consistent with a response to a disaster of this scope continue. In the first two weeks
following the earthquake, priorities were focused on 1) search and rescue assistance, including
teams with heavy-lift equipment and medical assistance and supplies; 2) addressing a critical
need for food, clean water and sanitation, medical assistance, and emergency shelter; and 3)
setting up key infrastructure and logistics operations. The relief effort remains an immediate and
critical priority. Humanitarian supplies are now coming in to Haiti via Port-au-Prince and Santo
Domingo, Dominican Republic. The airport in the Dominican Republic is also being used as a
humanitarian staging area to help with the coordination effort and allow for relief teams and
supplies to get to Haiti by land. There have been some concerns about security and potential for
looting and violence, but so far, according to the United Nations, the overall situation remains
calm and stable, with only sporadic incidences of looting and criminality.
Preliminary assessments are being conducted by various organizations. More in-depth
assessments, necessary to obtain a better understanding of the situation on the ground, are also
underway. The information will be critical for determining whether personnel are in place with
adequate resources, planning recovery and reconstruction initiatives, developing strategies for the
use of funding, and preparing for donor conferences.
United Nations Humanitarian Response
The United Nations has established Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) and U.N.
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) teams.13 The UNDAC team
coordinated the Onsite Operations and Coordination Center (OSOCC). Two sub-OSOCCs were

13 Kim Bolduc, the U.N. Resident/Humanitarian Coordinator, was deployed to Haiti in November 2009.
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established in Jacmel and Leogane to assist local authorities. The UNDAC team has now
concluded its work in Haiti.
OCHA helped to coordinate the search and rescue teams and continues to coordinate the
assistance effort while focusing on other humanitarian priorities. In addition to working closely
with the Government of Haiti, OCHA is the lead agency working with actors on the ground,
coordinating with the military, and enlisting donor support. The Humanitarian Country Team
convened on February 1 and will meet twice a week, with at least one of those meetings co-
chaired by a representative from the Government of Haiti. In consultation with MINUSTAH and
international military forces, OCHA has developed a Joint Operations Tasking Centre (JOTC)
which begins operating on January 26 and will focus on civil-military coordination and logistics.
The OCHA Civil-Military Coordination (CMCoord) team convened on January 31 and brought
together civil-military points of contact from humanitarian organizations, MINUSTAH, and
international military forces.
Humanitarian relief sectors are typically established during humanitarian crises to enable the
United Nations to coordinate partners, prioritize resources, and facilitate planning. To date in
Haiti, relief sectors have been organized into twelve clusters led by various agencies.14 The
clusters include
• Agriculture (Food and Agriculture Organization, FAO);
• Camp Coordination and Camp Management (International Organization for
Migration, IOM);
• Early Recovery (U.N. Development Program, UNDP);
• Education (U.N. Children’s Fund, UNICEF);
• Emergency Shelter and Non-Food Items (IOM and the International Federation
of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, IFRC);
• Emergency Telecommunications (World Food Program, WFP);
• Food (World Food Program, WFP);
• Health (World Health Organization, WHO, and Pan American Health
Organization, PAHO).
• Logistics (WFP);
• Nutrition (UNICEF);
• Protection (Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, OHCHR), with
Child Protection (UNICEF)
Gender Based Violence (U.N. Population Fund, UNFPA);
• Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (UNICEF).
These clusters are at various stages of being mobilized, although U.N. humanitarian agencies
have been involved from the start of the crisis in a variety of ways. For example, WFP is

14 The head of each cluster (indicated in parentheses) reports to the Resident/Humanitarian Coordinator and works in
partnership with all relevant actors in that particular sector. The clusters meet at least once daily.
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supporting immediate relief efforts and working on emergency logistics and telecommunications.
Together with the United Nations Humanitarian Response Depot (UNHRD), they are providing
food from El Salvador as well as distributing relief supplies and food from a depot in Panama.
WHO is coordinating medical assistance, particularly victim care. UNICEF is focusing on
identifying and reuniting children with their families.
Humanitarian Relief Sectors: Recent Developments15
Emergency Shelter: After the earthquake struck, people began gathering
spontaneously in open spaces in Port-au-Prince. It is estimated that there are 591
sites with a combined total of more than 600,000 people. (Other estimates
suggest the number of displaced in Port-au-Prince may be as high as 800,000.)
Aid workers are delivering basic necessities to areas with population
concentrations. Emergency shelter is in very short supply and the Government of
Haiti has made an appeal for a donation of 200,000 family-sized tents. Plastic
sheeting is now being prioritized over tents.
The shelter needs of those displaced outside Port-au-Prince are being assessed.
Approximately 482,000 are reported to have relocated in departments outside the
city, with the highest number concentrated in Artibonite Department. Reports
indicate that a number of areas are seeing increases of 15-20 percent in the
population. Ninety percent of the new arrivals are staying with host families.
Reportedly, prices of basic commodities have increased. A critical need for
medical care remains. See map in Appendix B.
Food: WFP and its partners are conducting an operation to provide two-week
rations to 2 million people in Port-au-Prince through a new fixed distribution site
system. OCHA reports that the Government of Haiti is also providing food kits to
100,000 to 150,000 people per day. The U.N. logistics cluster is working with
MINUSTAH, SOUTHCOM, and the Canadian military to distribute
humanitarian daily rations outside Port-au-Prince.
Health: There are 48 operational hospitals with surgical capacity in Port-au-
Prince and 12 field hospitals. The percentages of trauma cases is decreasing, but
very limited follow-up, post-operative care is available. Amputees are among
those requiring longer-term assistance. The need for sanitation and medical
assistance is still critical. Mobile facilities and clinics are also needed. Thousands
of people displaced outside Port-au-Prince may also be in need of medical care.
PAHO began an assessment on January 25, which is expected to give an
overview of the health, nutrition, shelter, water and sanitation clusters as well as
other risk factors, such as security. The Government of Haiti is expected to begin
shifting away from emergency services to focus on primary health care, health
centers, and hospitals. Vaccination programs are also being planned and a
targeted immunization program for populations in temporary settlements is
scheduled to begin on February 2. The campaign will focus on Port-au-Prince
and expand to other areas.

15 Information derived from a variety of sources, including USAID/OFDA, Haiti-Earthquake, Fact Sheet #13, FY2010
January 25, 2010; Pan American Health Organization, Emergency Operations Center Situation Report #12 Haiti
Earthquake, January 25, 2010; OCHA, Haiti Earthquake, Situation Report #13, January 25, 2010.
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The Ministry of Health in the Dominican Republic estimates that it is treating
495 Haitian patients in 9 hospitals. The influx of patients requiring emergency
care is decreasing.
The identification and collection of mortal remains is a significant issue.
Logistics: There remain some logistical bottlenecks and distribution of aid
remains a challenge with delays occurring a different points in the process. Food
and water are reaching more people every day, but more is needed. Fuel
shortages are reportedly no longer a big issue. The U.N. Humanitarian Air
Service (UNHAS) is now operational. It is expected that additional trucks will be
procured for land transport of supplies between the Dominican Republic and
Haiti.
There are reports of transport difficulties (some organizations reported they were
unable to locate some trucks traveling between the Dominican Republic and
Haiti). These situations are likely being referred to the U.N. Dominican Republic
Logistics Cluster. WFP has negotiated exemption from taxes at the airport on all
humanitarian relief supplies.
Protection: The sub-cluster focused on child protection is conducting rapid
assessments of settlements, orphanages, and hospitals to determine the needs of
children and to provide care to separated and unaccompanied children.
Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH): Latrine usage and sanitation remain a
problem at spontaneous settlements. The main priority is to increase sanitation
support. This is seen as an important public health issue to avoid spread of
disease.
Education: Schools in areas unaffected by the earthquake reopened on February
1. UNICEF reports that 2,500 to 4,600 schools were affected by the earthquake.
Other Humanitarian Actors
International recovery efforts are typically complex because they require coordination among
numerous different actors. Apart from U.N. agencies, those responding to humanitarian crises
include international organizations, NGOs, Private Voluntary Agencies (PVOs), and bilateral and
multilateral donors. A great deal of assistance is provided by other governments and international
entities.
The International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is working with
the Haitian Red Cross Society (HRCS) and other national red cross societies, including the
American Red Cross, to provide assistance to earthquake survivors. The IFRC is coordinating
efforts with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), which is focused on medical
assistance, tracing the missing and helping to restore family links. The ICRC is also helping with
the identification and collection of mortal remains.
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Various international NGOs that were already operating in Haiti before the earthquake are
mobilizing to respond to the crisis. There are reportedly more than 500 NGOs operating in Haiti.
Hundreds of local staff are believed to be assisting with the relief effort.16
U.S. Humanitarian Assistance
On January 13, 2010, U.S. Ambassador to Haiti Kenneth H. Merten issued a disaster declaration,
and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), through the Office of Foreign
Disaster Assistance (OFDA), authorized $50,000 for the initial implementation of an emergency
response program. (See Appendix C for further information about the U.S. Government
humanitarian response mechanism.) The embassy also facilitated the evacuation of U.S. citizens
and issued a travel warning.
The U.S. government immediately set up an interagency task force to coordinate and facilitate the
humanitarian response to the earthquake in Haiti through the Washington, DC-based Response
Management Team (RMT) headed by U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID),
through the Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA). To date, the overall focus of the U.S.
government’s response has been search and rescue, logistics and infrastructure support, provision
of assistance, and conducting needs assessments.
On January 14, 2010, President Obama announced $100 million in humanitarian assistance (in
addition to pre-existing funding appropriated for Haiti) to meet the immediate needs on the
ground. As of February 2, 2010, USAID reports that it has provided nearly $275.7 million in
humanitarian assistance, including $175.7 million for the Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance
(OFDA), $68 million in food assistance, $20 million for the Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI)
and approximately $12 million in reprogrammed funds. A further $163.6 million in DOD
assistance brings the total U.S humanitarian assistance provided thus far to $439.3 million.
Currently, there is no funding specifically for Haiti earthquake relief in the FY2011 budget
request. Reportedly, the Administration is putting together details of a proposed assistance
package to Haiti. It is possible that a new request for supplemental funding to cover the U.S.
humanitarian assistance provided to Haiti will be required. The activities of two of the key
agencies—USAID and DOD—are described briefly below.17
USAID
Within 24 hours of the earthquake, the United States began deploying search and rescue teams
along with support staff, and including search and rescue canines and rescue equipment, from
Fairfax, Virginia, Los Angeles, California, and Miami Florida. USAID/OFDA also deployed a 32-
member Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) . The RMT (mentioned above) is
supporting the USAID/DART, which is focused on assessing humanitarian needs, positioning
emergency relief supplies, and coordinating assistance with the U.S. Embassy in Haiti, the
Government of Haiti, and the international community. USAID personnel are active in the

16 The airport in the Dominican Republic is also being used as a humanitarian staging area to help with the coordination
effort and allow for relief teams and supplies to get to Haiti by land through an established U.N. humanitarian
coordinator.
17 Other agencies responding to the crisis include the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Health and
Human Services (HHS), and Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
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following U.N. clusters: Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene; Emergency Food Assistance and Food
Security; Logistics; Health; and Shelter. USAID/OFDA issues regular situation reports assessing
the progress of relief operations.18 See maps in Appendix B and Appendix C.
Department of Defense: Operation Unified Response19
In response to the crisis in Haiti, the Department of Defense (DOD) has deployed a broad range
of military assets in Operation Unified Response to support U.S. and international assistance
efforts. On February1, Adm Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff stated that “We will
remain in Haiti just as long as we are needed. At the request of the Haitian government and in
partnership with the U.N. and international community, we will continue to do all that is required
to alleviate suffering there." (See Appendix E for further information on the military units
participating in Operation Unified Response.) Currently, there are 20,458 military personnel, both
ashore and afloat, in Haiti or surrounding waters. Twenty-six U.S. Navy and Coast Guard ships
are on site, and 68 helicopters and 50+ fixed-wing aircraft are assisting in the transportation of
supplies, relief/rescue personnel, and casualties. U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM),
located in Miami, Florida, is overseeing the Department’s response efforts. SOUTHCOM is well-
experienced in this type of operation, having supported 14 relief missions in the Latin American
and Caribbean area since 2005. SOUTHCOM’s initial assessment team, consisting of military
engineers, operational planners, and command and control communication specialists, deployed
to Haiti within 24 hours of the earthquake. U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command
personnel dispatched to the Port au Prince International Airport restored air traffic control
capability and are enabling round-the-clock airfield operations. These personnel from Air Force
720th Special Tactics Group in place at the airport can also provide emergency medical services
and conduct search and rescue missions. The airport is now handling up to 140 flights a day, up
from the seven daily flights it handled prior to the earthquake. According to SOUTHCOM, over
14,000 U.S. citizens have been evacuated safely. As of February 1, U.S. military forces had
delivered 2.1 million bottled waters, 1.79 million food rations, more than 100,000 lbs of medical
supplies, and more than 844,000 lbs of bulk fuel.. Additional tasks undertaken by DOD personnel
include casualty treatment both ashore and afloat, aerial reconnaissance to assist rescue/supply
efforts, the distribution of hand-held commercial radios, and the provision of radio broadcast
capacity for emergency services information.
The U.S. Air Force’s Air Mobility Command (AMC) is providing a range of transport aircraft,
including C-17 Globemaster IIIs and C-130 Hercules. Air National Guard units from Ohio and
Puerto Rico have also provided transport aircraft. According the AMC, over 500 sorties have been
flown from Air Force bases across the country, delivering over 2,500 tons of supplies.
The U.S. Navy has deployed 19 ships to assist relief efforts. The Navy Expeditionary Combat
Command has deployed units that can provide explosive ordnance disposal, maritime and riverine
security, diving/salvage experts, and naval construction personnel. U.S. Navy surveillance aircraft
have performed initial aerial surveys of the earthquake damage to assist remediation efforts. Of
particular importance to improving rescue/recovery supply operations, the U.S. Navy has
deployed a variety of specialized ships (salvage, heavy-crane, and oceanographic survey) to assist

18 See USAID website: http://www.usaid.gov/our_work/humanitarian_assistance/disaster_assistance/countries/haiti/
template/index.html
19 Prepared by Stephen Bowman, CRS Specialist in National Security, Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division.
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in restoring the port facilities to working order. To date, eight Haitian ports are fully operational,
and Port-au-Prince facilities are operating at 50% capacity.
The 22nd and 24th Marine Expeditionary Units (4,000 personnel) and a brigade combat team
from the 82nd Airborne Division (3,400 personnel) are conducting security/humanitarian
operations. Though there have been incidents of violence and looting, military commanders have
noted these have been concentrated primarily in areas known for violence prior to the earthquake,
and the commanders are optimistic that violence will not spread to the general population,
provided that the distribution of basic humanitarian supplies continues to improve.
The U.S. Coast Guard has undertaken the air-medical evacuation of injured U.S. civilian
personnel to the Guantanamo Naval Station, supplied two C-130 transport aircraft, and deployed
six cutters. According to DOD, as of January 25, 2010, the cost of the relief effort in Haiti is $126
million.
Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs)
U.S.-based NGOs are playing an active role in the relief and recovery effort in Haiti, several of
them with U.S. government funding. A list of U.S. NGOs working in Haiti can be obtained from a
variety of sources.20 A NGO Coordination Unit has been established to ensure better coordination
among NGOs, the United Nations, and the military.
Overall U.S. FY2010 Assistance
In the FY2010 Consolidated Appropriations Act (P.L. 111-117) Congress provided “not less than
$295,530,000” for assistance for Haiti, about $2.7 million more than the Administration had
requested. Congress also included Haiti in the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative, to provide
equipment and training to combat drug trafficking and related violence and organized crime, and
for judicial reform, institution building, education, anti-corruption, rule of law activities, and
maritime security.
The Administration had requested $293 million in FY2010 assistance for Haiti, including $21
million and $91 million for Global Health and Child Survival under USAID and State
Department, respectively; $125 million in Economic Support Funds; $35.5 million in P.L. 480
food aid; $18.5 million for International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement; $0.22 million
for International Military Education and Training, and $1.6 million in Foreign Military Financing.
Of that funding, $1.4 million was requested for Disaster Readiness programs. (See “Legislation in
the 111th Congress” section below.)



20 See, for example, Interaction, which is an alliance of U.S.-based international humanitarian and development NGOs
at http://www.interaction.org.
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International Humanitarian Funding
A great many international actors are also providing relief to Haiti, either through financial
contributions to the Government of Haiti or aid organizations or by directly providing relief
supplies and emergency personnel.
U.N. Consolidated Appeals Process
Under the U.N. Consolidated Appeals Process, on January 15, 2010, the U.N. Humanitarian
Country Team in Haiti issued a Flash Appeal for emergency financial assistance in the amount of
$575 million. The funds will initially support emergency food aid, health, water, sanitation,
emergency education, and other key needs. It will also focus on early recovery efforts (typically
the initial six months after a disaster), although the timing remains fluid and depends on the
outcome of more in-depth assessments. As of February 1, commitments of $476 million had been
received (83% of the Flash Appeal) and a further $111 million had been pledged.
Additional pledges and contributions have also been made outside the Flash Appeal. Many
countries, including the U.S. government, are providing assistance in the form of direct
contributions of items such as food and tents, or through the operation of relief flights and
logistics support. In addition to bilateral assistance, funding has also been provided to NGOs
operating outside of the U.N. appeal.
The U.N.’s Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) initially made available $10 million and
this number increased to $25 million.21
Donor Contributions and Pledges
So far, through governments and the private sector, the international community has pledged
millions of dollars in aid, materials, and technical support. Appendix F highlights donor
contributions and in-kind pledges. Obtaining an exact up-to-date record of all international
contributions is not possible—in part because some assistance is not reported to governments or
coordinating agencies—and in part because of the delay in their recording.
Private Contributions
Private sector assistance has already been substantial and is expected to continue to grow. Some
reports indicate that so far private companies and individuals have contributed more than $470

21 As part of the United Nations’ reform process, in March 2006, the CERF was launched based on several earlier
resolutions approved by the U.N. General Assembly to strengthen the United Nations’ capacity to respond to natural
disasters and humanitarian emergencies. It is managed by the Emergency Relief Coordinator and head of UNOCHA.
As an international, multilateral funding mechanism, the CERF aims to focus on early intervention, timely response,
and increased capacity and support to underfunded crises. The funds come from voluntary contributions by member
states and from the private sector. The CERF is seen by proponents as a way to enable the United Nations to respond
more efficiently, effectively, and consistently to humanitarian crises worldwide. Others also believe that U.S. support
for this idea is critical to sustaining momentum for donor contributions and continued support for the disaster relief
fund.
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million to support relief efforts in Haiti.22 Initiatives in the United States, such as the campaign by
the American Red Cross to raise funds through text messages ($29 million), the Hollywood star-
studded telethon that featured performances by a broad range of musicians and was broadcast on
major U.S. television networks ($61 million), and numerous local fund raising activities have
increased private giving.
On January 16, 2010 President Obama announced that former Presidents George Bush and Bill
Clinton, who is also serving as the U.N. Special Envoy to Haiti, will lead a fundraising effort and
work with the U.S. private sector in support of Haiti. The initiative is called the Clinton Bush
Haiti Fund.23 Cash donations are being encouraged.
Early Recovery Planning among Donors and Haiti
President Préval has asked the international community to focus not just on immediate
humanitarian relief efforts, but also on long-term development needs. Discussions among the
government of Haiti and the international donor community regarding a long-term strategy for
Haiti have already begun. To that end, at a preliminary meeting among some international donors
held in the Dominican Republic the week following the earthquake, Dominican President Leonel
Fernandez proposed a $10 billion five-year assistance program for Haiti.
Representatives from Haiti, the “Friends of Haiti” nations, other countries, and U.N. officials held
a high-level Ministerial Conference in Montreal, Canada, on January 25, 2010, to discuss
reconstruction plans for Haiti. Haitian Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive thanked the donor
community for its help so far, but said that an international commitment of five to ten years was
needed to support Haitian development. Conferees agreed to study recent examples of
multilateral recovery efforts in order to develop an optimal aid-delivery mechanism that ensures
effectiveness and accountability, and creates the conditions for sustainable development. Another
larger donor conference is scheduled to take place in New York in March to secure commitments
for substantial funds for Haiti’s recovery. The State Department will work in the next month with
Haiti, the World Bank, and other international actors to assess needs and the level of funding
required to meet them.
The World Economic Forum launched a global initiative to integrate business into Haiti’s
reconstruction at its meeting January 27-31.
The Role of the United Nations and Other Organizations
The United Nations, in association with other U.N. system agencies and programs, has started the
initial needs assessments necessary for planning Haiti’s long-term and comprehensive recovery.
Among the major actors are likely to be the World Bank, the U.N. Development Program, the
multitude of U.N. specialized agencies (such as the World Health Organization, the U.N.
Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, the Food and Agriculture Organization), as
well as regional organizations, including the European Union (EU), the Organization for
American States (OAS), the Inter-American Development Bank, and the Caribbean Community

22 See, for example, the Chronicle of Philanthropy at http://philanthropy.com/news/updates/index.php?id=10679 and
http://philanthropy.com/news/updates/10632/donations-to-aid-haiti-set-new-records.
23 For more information, see http://clintonbushhaitifund.org.
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(Caricom). Many of these organizations worked together previously in Haiti in response to the
2008 hurricanes and are responding to the international humanitarian needs in the aftermath of the
earthquake.
Response of International Financial Institutions24
Multilateral Lending
The multilateral development banks (MDBs) have been active in Haiti in recent years, providing
debt relief, loans, and grants to both the Haitian government and the private sector. Following the
earthquake, the World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), and the International
Monetary Fund (IMF) announced new financial support for the country.
After the earthquake, the World Bank announced $100 million in emergency grant funding to
support recovery and reconstruction, in addition to its existing $308 million portfolio of grants
projects in Haiti.25 The existing projects are in areas including disaster risk management,
infrastructure, community-driven development, education, and economic governance. The World
Bank is the only international financial institution providing all of its assistance as grants, thus
ensuring that Haiti does not accumulate any additional debt to it. In addition to World Bank
programs, the World Bank administers several donor-funded trust funds. Since 2003, trust funds
administered by the World Bank have given more than $55 million to Haiti.
On January 12, 2010, Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) President Luis Alberto Moreno
announced a $200,000 emergency grant for immediate relief aid. The IDB is Haiti’s largest
multilateral donor, with a portfolio of programs worth over $700 million, as of the end of 2009.26
These programs include both grants and concessional loans. Of this amount, $330 million is
undisbursed, of which $90 million could be quickly redirected to high-priority civil works and
reconstruction projects.27 IDB management also announced that it anticipates the approval of up
to $128 million in already-planned grants, potentially providing more resources for
reconstruction.
Haiti receives concessional loans from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as well as from the
multilateral development banks.28 In response to the earthquake, the IMF announced it will
expand its existing program in Haiti by an additional $100 million. Including the new lending,
total Haiti debt to the IMF would be $277.9 million. Of this amount, close to $170 million in
concessional lending to Haiti has already been disbursed. 29

24 Prepared by Martin Weiss, Specialist in International Trade and Finance, Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade
Division.
25 “World Bank to Provide an Additional $100 Million to Haiti, Following Earthquake,” World Bank, January 13, 2010.
26 “December 2009—IDB Portfolio in Haiti, Inter-American Development Bank, December 17, 2009.
27 “Haiti earthquake: IDB redirects resources for emergency assistance and reconstruction” Inter-American
Development Bank
, January 13, 2010.
28 Financing under the IMF’s concessional lending facility, the Extended Credit Facility, carries a zero interest rate,
with a grace period of 5½ years, and a final maturity of 10 years. The Fund reviews the level of interest rates for all
concessional facilities under the PRGT every two years.
29 “IMF to Provide US$100 Million in Emergency Assistance to Haiti,” International Monetary Fund, January 14,
(continued...)
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Debt Relief
Haiti completed the multilateral Enhanced Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative in
June 2009, making it eligible to receive debt relief from the multilateral and some bilateral
creditors. Under the terms of their participation in the Enhanced HIPC program, the World Bank
provided Haiti debt relief for debts incurred through December 2003. According to the World
Bank, debt relief under the Enhanced HIPC Initiative amounts to $140.3 million. On January 21,
2009, the World Bank announced that it was waiving any payment on Haiti’s remaining World
Bank debt of $38 million for five years.
The IDB, in September 2009, provided $511 million in debt relief. Debts eligible for cancellation
were those incurred through 2004 (compared to 2003 in the case of IDA). According to the IDB,
Haiti currently owes $429 million (principal-only) to the IDB. This includes $305 million from
loans made in 2005 and 2006, after the debt cancellation cut-off date of December 31, 2004, and
$124 million from undisbursed balances of loans made before the cut-off date. Beginning in
2009, Haiti’s payments on its debt to the IDB have been made by a U.S.-supported trust fund that
currently amounts to $20 million.
Haiti has also received debt relief from its bilateral creditors. Haiti’s completion of the HIPC
program triggered debt relief of $62.7 million by the Paris Club group of official creditors. Haiti’s
Paris Club creditors agreed to go beyond the requirements of the HIPC program, however, and
provide $152 million in additional debt cancellation, thus completely cancelling Haiti’s external
Paris Club debt of $214 million. That said, Paris Club debt relief is not automatic. Creditor
nations collectively sign bilateral agreements with the debtor nation, giving effect to the
multilateral debt relief agreement. On September 18, 2009, the United States cancelled $12.6
million, totaling 100% of Haiti’s outstanding debt to the United States. Several countries,
however, have not yet completed their debt relief agreements. While most Paris Club members
have implemented the sum of their Paris Club debt relief, France has only cancelled €4 million
($5.75 million) of €58 million ($83.36 million) owed to them by Haiti. The French Finance
Minister asked on January 15, 2010, that debt relief be sped up, and that Taiwan and Venezuela,
two of Haiti’s largest non-Paris Club creditors, forgive Haiti’s debts owed to them, $71.2 million
and $112 million respectively.
Regional response
Latin American countries have responded to Haiti’s crisis with immediate provision of emergency
supplies and personnel and pledges of financial and other assistance for its long-term recovery.
Members of the Organization of American States (OAS) pledged humanitarian, financial and
other support to Haiti. The OAS Group of Friends of Haiti met on January 14 to coordinate search
and rescue efforts, prompt donations, and discuss ways to promote recovery.
The 15-member Caribbean Community (CARICOM), of which Haiti is also a member, mobilized
its disaster emergency response system to assist Haiti, and several members have sent emergency
supplies or promised financial assistance. The Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management

(...continued)
2009.
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Agency assembled a response team to assess conditions in Haiti as well.30 Some CARICOM
employees already working in Haiti were missing as of January 13.
Many countries in the region already have peacekeeping troops in Haiti serving with
MINUSTAH. Brazil leads the U.N. peacekeeping mission, and had 1,284 uniformed personnel
already serving there as of December 2009.
Many countries in the region have made bilateral cash or in-kind contributions as well. The
Dominican Republic, which shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti but did not suffer heavy
damage from the earthquake, responded swiftly and generously. The two countries have a long
history of hostility toward one another, but Presidents Preval and Fernandez have worked in
recent years toward having a more cooperative relationship, and this has been reflected in the
Dominican response. Haiti’s neighbor was the first country to send relief supplies and personnel,
and has facilitated aid delivery through use of its airports, roads, and port. It has stopped
repatriation of undocumented Haitians, and opened its border to injured Haitians, thousands of
whom have been treated in both public and private hospitals. Fernandez also organized a
preparatory meeting for donors to discuss future aid to Haiti the week after the earthquake.
Political and Economic Situation in Haiti31
Conditions in Haiti Before the Earthquake
Long before the earthquake struck, Haiti was a country socially and ecologically at risk. It has
some of the lowest socio-economic indicators in the world32. Haiti was already in an acute
environmental crisis. Only two percent of its forest cover remains intact.33 Following the
hurricanes of 2008, the President of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), Luis Moreno,
called Haiti the most fragile of IDB’s member countries, saying that no other nation in Latin
America and the Caribbean is as vulnerable to economic shocks and natural disasters as is Haiti.
Haiti had been making progress, however. The U.N. Secretary-General commissioned a report,
published in January 2009, that recommended a strategy to move Haiti beyond recovery to
economic security. Indeed, the U.N. Security Council conducted a fact-finding visit to Haiti in
March 2009, and concluded that there was “a window of opportunity to enable the consolidation
of stability and the undertaking of a process of sustainable development.” 34
Political Conditions
President Préval is in his second (non-consecutive) five-year term as President of Haiti. During
the first three years of this term, Préval established relative internal political stability. He outlined
two main missions for his government: (1) to build institutions, and (2) to establish favorable

30 Caribbean Media Corporation, “Caribbean heads of state to visit Haiti to assess quake damage,” BBC Monitoring
Americas
, January 14, 2010.
31 Prepared by Maureen Taft-Morales, Specialist in Latin American Affairs, Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade
Division.
32 World Bank, Country Report: Haiti, 2010, http://go.worldbank.org/GBXI5JKM50.
33 Ibid.
34 “Haiti: UN Council Mission reports strides in security, worrisome poverty,” States News Service, March 19, 2009.
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conditions for private investment in order to create jobs. In November 2007, his Administration
published its National Strategy for Growth and Poverty Reduction, a key step in meeting IMF
requirements for debt relief, which it met in June 2009. With the support of MINUSTAH, which
arrived in Haiti in 2004, security conditions improved, as did the capacity of the country’s police
force. Both the former and current U.S. Administrations praised Préval for his efforts to improve
economic conditions and establish the rule of law in Haiti. Préval pledged to cooperate with U.S.
counternarcotics efforts. Both President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met
with President Préval early in 2009, and since the earthquake have provided humanitarian
assistance and pledged long-term support for development in Haiti.
The Haitian government is functioning under extremely difficult conditions, with many of its
buildings destroyed, and officials dead or missing. U.S. and U.N. officials both say they are
coordinating relief and recovery efforts with the Préval administration. To provide the Haitian
government some operating space, the Department of State agreed on January 16 to lease the old
U.S. Embassy building in downtown Port-au-Prince to the Haitian government for $1 a year. That
building had been put up for sale in June 2008 after the new U.S. Embassy opened near the Port-
au-Prince airport.
Though greatly improved, Haiti’s political stability remains fragile. Préval’s inauguration in 1996
was the first transition between two democratically elected presidents in Haitian history. The
government has its third prime minister since April 2008. Parliament dismissed Prime Minister
Michele Pierre-Louis in October 2009, barely a year after her appointment. Nonetheless, the
transition was smooth as President Préval swiftly appointed, and the Parliament confirmed, Jean-
Max Bellerive to take her place. As Minister of Planning and External Cooperation from 2006 to
2009, Bellerive helped to prepare Haiti’s National Strategy for Growth and Poverty Reduction.35
Political tensions were mounting ahead of Parliamentary elections scheduled for February 28 and
March 3, 2010. In late 2009, President Préval cut ties to the Lespwa movement that elected him in
2006, and formed a new movement, Unity. Opposition groups accused the presidentially-
appointed electoral council of bias in favor of the President’s new movement. The electoral
council disqualified, without explanation about 15 rival political groups, which included members
of Lespwa who did not join Préval’s new party. Opposition groups expressed concern that if
Unity won a legislative majority, it would push through constitutional amendments, possibly
including one allowing Préval to run for another term in 2011, though Préval has said he would
not run again. The first week of February, the electoral council postponed the elections
indefinitely. The elections were to determine all 99 seats in the House and one-third of the seats in
the Senate.
In addition, Parliament also faces enormous challenges in trying to reestablish itself: some of its
members were killed in the earthquake; the Parliament buildings were destroyed, as was the
electoral council’s building. The U.S. House of Representatives’ Democracy Partnership and
others are working with the Parliament to help it function again. The Parliament has been holding
meetings. The Senate elected two commissions on January 28 to monitor international aid and
manage agreements with aid organizations.
Since the earthquake, former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide announced he would like to return
to Haiti, although he gave no explicit plans to do so. Aristide has lived in exile in South Africa

35 “New Haitian Prime Minister-designate Profiled,” BBC Monitoring Americas, November 5, 2009.
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since his government collapsed in 2004. Once – and possibly still – extremely popular among
some Haitians, he is nonetheless a divisive figure. Aristide would face charges of corruption and
would likely contribute to political instability if he were to return.
Socio-economic Conditions Prior to the Earthquake
Plagued by chronic political instability and frequent natural disasters, Haiti remains the poorest
country in the Western Hemisphere. Haiti’s poverty is massive and deep. Over half the population
(54%) of 9.8 million people live in extreme poverty, living on less than $1 a day; 78% live on $2
or less a day, according to the World Bank.36 Poverty among the rural population is even more
widespread: 69% of rural dwellers live on less than $1 a day, and 86% live on less than $2 a day.
Hunger is also widespread: 81% of the national population and 87% of the rural population do not
get the minimum daily ration of food defined by the World Health Organization. In remote parts
of Haiti, children have died from malnutrition.37
In order to reach its Millennium Development Goal of eradicating extreme poverty and hunger by
2015, Haiti’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) would have to grow 3.5% per year, a goal the
International Monetary Fund (IMF) says Haiti is not considered likely to achieve. Over the past
40 years, Haiti’s per capita real GDP has declined by 30%. Therefore, economic growth, even if it
is greater than population growth, is not expected to be enough to reduce poverty. Haiti has
experienced some economic growth since 2004. Economic growth for FY2007 was 3.2%, the
highest rate since the 1990s. Before the earthquake, the forecasted growth for FY2009-20010 was
2.5%, reflecting the impact of recent storms and the global economic crisis, and up to 3.5% for
2010-2011.38 The global economic crisis also had led to a drop of about 10% in remittances from
Haitians abroad, which in 2008 amounted to about $1.65 billion, more than a fourth of Haiti’s
annual income.39
The likelihood that economic growth will contribute to the reduction of poverty in Haiti is further
reduced by its significant income distribution gap. Haiti has the second largest income disparity
in the world. Over 68% of the total national income accrues to the wealthiest 20% of the
population, while less than 1.5% of Haiti’s national income is accumulated by the poorest 20% of
the population. When the level of inequality is as high as Haiti’s, according to the World Bank,
the capacity of economic growth to reduce poverty “approaches zero.”40
Long-term Implications of the Earthquake
The impact of the January earthquake on Haiti’s people, government, security, and economy is
catastrophic. Haiti had built a foundation of social stability over the past five years. That stability
was fragile, however, and a disaster of this proportion will test it. When considering how Haiti
should move ahead, the long term implications that need to be examined include, but are not
limited to, infrastructure, political implications, and displaced populations.

36 World Bank, Country Report: Haiti, 2010, http://go.worldbank.org/GBXI5JKM50.
37 “Rural Haitian Children Starving,” Associated Press, November 21, 2008.
38 Economist Intelligence Unit, “Country Report: Haiti ,” November 2009, p. 12.
39 Mike Blanchfield, “In recession, Haitians abroad send less money home,” Canwest News Service, March 17, 2009.
40 World Bank, “Income Distribution, Inequality, and Those Left Behind,” Global Economic Prospects 2007:
Managing the Next Wave of Globalization
, p. 83. December 1, 2006.
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Infrastructure
The destruction of buildings, equipment, and loss of skilled personnel has drastically reduced the
ability of the government, international organizations, and NGOs to respond rapidly. According to
the Haitian Chamber of Commerce (CCIH), the earthquake destroyed approximately 25,000
public and commercial buildings. Along with the buildings, government records were destroyed;
re-establishing and expanding transparency in government spending will be particularly
challenging. These losses, plus the difficulty of delivering and transporting material supplies, will
hinder delivery of services. The already significant need for services is now vastly expanded.
The Haitian government has made much progress over the past five years in terms of
macroeconomic management, and budget planning and transparency. Concerns remain about
historical and current allegations of various levels of corruption in parts of the government.
Political Implications
The consolidation and expansion of democratic institutions will be key to maintaining stability.
Some Haitians complain that they have seen or heard little of President Préval since the
earthquake. The perception that the Haitian government is not doing enough is contributing to
calls by some Haitians, both in Haiti and the United States, for the United States to take control of
Haiti in place of the current government.
The delay of parliamentary elections scheduled for February 2010 may add to the political
tensions already evident before the earthquake over the exclusion of several parties from the
process. The elections were seen as part of the process of consolidating Haiti’s democratic
institutions. According to the State Department, Haitian parliamentarians planned to ask President
Préval to postpone upcoming elections and instead extend their terms of office by two years.
Displaced Populations and Migration
Displaced populations and migration will likely become another challenging issue both within
Haiti and internationally, as people are leaving Port-au-Prince for unaffected rural areas, such as
the Dominican Republic, nearby islands, and the United States. After the earthquake struck,
people began gathering spontaneously in open spaces in Port-au-Prince. It is estimated that there
may be as many as 800,000 displaced in Port-au-Prince. Aid workers are delivering basic
necessities to areas with population concentrations. Emergency shelter is in very short supply and
the Government of Haiti has made an appeal for a donation of family-sized tents. The shelter
needs of those displaced outside Port-au-Prince are being assessed. More than 482,000 are
thought to have relocated in departments outside the city.
Where to build on a more permanent basis will be a major decision – many of the poorest people
were squatters on land subject to landslides and floods. The type of structures to build will also
need to be determined; some recommendations for earthquake-resistant buildings are
contradictory to recommendations for hurricane-resistant structures.
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Long-term Reconstruction Strategy
Review of Haiti’s Development Strategy
Haiti already had a National Strategy for Growth and Poverty Reduction in place for 2007-2010,
supported by the international donor community. As Minister of Planning and External
Cooperation from 2006 to 2009, current Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive helped to prepare
that Strategy.41 The poverty reduction strategy focuses on three “priority pillars.” The first is areas
for growth, focusing on agriculture and rural development; tourism; infrastructure modernization;
and science, technology and innovation. The second pillar is human development, concentrating
on education and training; health; water and sanitation; persons with disabilities; childhood
poverty; young people; HIV/AIDS; and gender equity. The third pillar calls for investment in
democratic governance, focusing on the establishment of an equitable justice system; creation of
a climate of security; modernization of the state; and political and economic decentralization.
After a series of devastating hurricanes in 2008, the government of Haiti revised its strategy
incorporating the findings of a Post-Disaster Needs Assessment and the U.N.’s “Haiti: From
Natural Catastrophe to Economic Security” report, at a donors conference held April 21, 2009, in
Washington, DC. The Haitian government outlined the priorities of its new two-year plan, “Haiti:
a New Paradigm,” which include investing in strategic infrastructure, improving economic
governance and the business environment, improving the provision of basic services, and
ensuring environmental sustainability.42
The government was making strides toward meeting goals of its growth and poverty reduction
strategy, and some analysts were viewing its potential for sustainable development with
optimism. Investors were returning to Haiti and the country was promoting its economic
development. The earthquake has reversed years of progress. Haiti’s strategy will therefore need
to be reviewed, revised, and built upon to incorporate new conditions and needs.
The U.S. Department of State was about to announce a new strategy toward Haiti, on which it had
been collaborating with the Préval Administration for almost a year.43 That, too, will need to be
revised. The assessment concluded that a new strategy needed: 1) a comprehensive integrated
approach to achieve sustainable long term stability and economic growth; 2) investment in plans
led by the Haitian government to ensure sustainability; 3) better coordination to maximize the
effectiveness of U.S. and other donor assistance; 4) expanded reach of U.S. programs by using
partnerships with other international actors; and 5) improved accountability and measurement of
results.

41 “New Haitian Prime Minister-designate Profiled,” BBC Monitoring Americas, November 5, 2009.
42 Le Rapport d'Evaluation des Besoins Apres Desastre Cyclones Fay, Gustav, Hanna et lke (Haiti Post-Disaster Needs
Assessment, PDNA), Prepared for the Government of the Republic of Haiti with the support of the World Bank, the
United Nations System, and the European Commission, November 2008. Author’s translation. Available in French at
http://gfdrr.org/docs/Haiti_PDNA_2008.pdf. “Haiti: a New Paradigm” is available at http://idbdocs.iadb.org/WSDocs/
getDocument.aspx?DOCNUM=1942794.
43 “Haiti Policy and Foreign Assistance Review,” presentation for Congressional briefing, October 2009.
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Select Issues to be Addressed in a Long-term Reconstruction Strategy
The State Department’s assessment and plan focused on four areas: agriculture, energy, health,
and security.44 All of these areas, plus others such as governance and education, will need to be
addressed in the short term, while simultaneously developing plans to rebuild in the long term.
Analysts and donors are stressing that Haiti cannot be merely re-built, but must be re-built better.
In this crisis, many people see the opportunity to address some of the underlying problems
contributing to the country’s endemic poverty and underdevelopment.
Agricultural Capacity and the Environment
Rebuilding Haiti’s agricultural capacity is seen as a way of broadening Haiti’s economy, and
reducing its reliance on food imports. Yet Haiti’s environment was in a state of crisis before the
earthquake struck. Obstacles to agricultural development include massive deforestation, erosion
of topsoil, lack of investment in agricultural technology for decades, and unclear land titles.
Decentralization of Population and Services
Haiti was once a predominantly rural population, with only about 20 percent of its population
living in cities. Now the vast majority of Haitians live in cities, primarily Port-au-Prince. Parts of
the Haitian government and private sector have concentrated resources, services, and job
opportunities in Port-au-Prince for decades. Prime Minister Bellerive and analysts who follow
Haiti suggest that the current crisis provides an opportunity to correct what had become an
unsustainable urban-rural distribution of people and resources in the country. Some have
suggested not rebuilding Port-au-Prince because it lies on a fault line and remains susceptible to
further earthquakes.
Education
Haiti’s schools are woefully inadequate. Most schools are privately run. Education is crucial to
raising Haitians out of a cycle of poverty, by providing the knowledge and skills individuals need
to take advantage of job opportunities. Experts note that job creation must be accompanied by
education programs.
Energy
By virtually all accounts, Haiti’s current energy sources are inefficient and inadequate. They are
often destructive as well: Haitians’ reliance on charcoal for fuel has contributed to the
deforestation of all but two percent of its forest cover. Some observers have suggested that clean
energy technology could help Haiti “avoid some of the poverty traps of the old system.”45
According to at least one analysis, developing small-scale, alternative energy sources at the local
level rather than trying to rebuild the previously ineffectual Haitian electricity service would
increase the quality of life of many Haitians and have a positive impact on economic growth. 46

44 “Haiti Policy and Foreign Assistance Review,” presentation for Congressional briefing, October 2009.
45 Dan Schnitzer, "Avoid the Old Poverty Traps," Foreign Policy, January 19, 2010.
46 Ibid.
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Health Care
In much of the country the government did not provide basic services prior to the
earthquake. The lack of medicines or medical treatment and adequate sanitation in Haiti
has been exacerbated by the earthquake. In the long-term, health care is crucial to raising
Haitians out of a cycle of poverty, by providing the good health that enables children to
develop and adults to function fully, whether as students, family providers or employees.
Job Creation
UNDP has already launched cash-for-work programs both to stimulate the local economy and
ease the delivery of humanitarian assistance. The program will quickly expand to earthquake-
damaged areas in and outside of Port-au-Prince, and employ 220,000 people, indirectly benefiting
about one million Haitians, according to UNDP.47 The current jobs are for clearing streets of
building rubble and disposing of debris.
Trade and Exports
Plans for economic growth may include restoring and continuing to expand industrial exports.
Many analysts emphasize, however, that economic plans must be comprehensive, to avoid over-
reliance on any one area, such as the apparel assembly industry, which could leave the Haitian
economy overly vulnerable.
Congressional Concerns
Many Members have already expressed a strong desire to support Haiti and provide it with
substantial assistance. The 111th Congress gave bipartisan support to assist the Préval government
in the last session, and has continued to respond in that spirit to the crisis generated by the
January earthquake. Fourteen Senators have requested that the chamber’s leaders “include robust
emergency funds to assist Haiti in the next legislative vehicle before the Senate.”48 The Senate
Foreign Relations Committee held a hearing on Haiti on January 28. Both Members and
witnesses stressed the need for a massive, coordinated international effort not only for immediate
humanitarian needs, but also for long-term development. Moving forward, they said, strategies
must consider new approaches, aim to create a more sustainable Haiti, and increase Haitian
capacity to utilize foreign aid effectively and to provide services and direct its own economy. The
Senate Foreign Relations Committee is holding another hearing, Haiti Reconstruction: Smart
Planning Moving Forward,
on February 4. The House Committee on Foreign Affairs
Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere will hold a hearing, Haiti: Moving from Crisis to
Recovery,
on February 10.

47 UNDP Update on Haiti Earthquake, January 20, 2010.
48 Tim Starks, “Lawmakers Look to Aid Haiti Following Earthquake,” CQ Today Online News, January 13, 2010.
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Budget Priorities
Humanitarian assistance generally receives strong bipartisan congressional support and the
United States is typically a leader and major contributor to relief efforts in humanitarian
disasters.49 When disasters require immediate emergency relief, the Administration may fund
pledges by depleting its disaster accounts intended for worldwide use throughout a fiscal year.
President Obama announced the United States would provide $100 million in immediate aid for
Haiti. That aid is drawn from existing funds. The international community is also making
substantial donations toward meeting immediate needs.
Amid efforts to tackle rising budget deficits by, among other measures, slowing or reducing
discretionary spending or finding the resources to sustain U.S. aid pledges may be difficult. After
the 2004 tsunami disaster, some Members of Congress publicly expressed concern that funding
for tsunami relief and reconstruction, which depleted most worldwide disaster contingency
accounts, could jeopardize resources for subsequent international disasters or for other aid
priorities from which tsunami emergency aid had been transferred. These accounts were fully
restored through supplemental appropriations. At the time, others noted the substantial size of
American private donations for tsunami victims and argued that because of other budget
pressures, the United States government did not need to transfer additional aid beyond what was
already pledged. In Haiti, the full extent and cost of the disaster is not yet known. Disaster
accounts are being drawn down to provide relief to Haiti. In order to respond to future
humanitarian crises, these resources would need to be replenished. If not replenished, U.S.
capacity to respond to other emergencies could be curtailed.
Congress will also likely consider a major request to help fund Haiti’s recovery and
reconstruction. Congress may reevaluate and revise priorities and approaches of U.S. assistance
to Haiti in light of the changed conditions there. Issues that have previously concerned Congress
have included democracy building, development assistance and poverty reduction, security
enhancement and stability, counternarcotics efforts, police and judicial reform, and disaster
recovery and prevention.
Burdensharing and Donor Fatigue
The earthquake disaster in Haiti has received worldwide attention and focus. The Government of
Haiti, the United States, the United Nations and many others have asked for and encouraged
governments to provide assistance. It is not always evident whether figures listing donor amounts
represent pledges of support or more specific obligations.50 Pledges made by governments do not
necessarily result in actual contributions. It also cannot be assumed that the funds committed to
relief actually represent new contributions, since the money may previously have been allocated
elsewhere. It will take time for a more complete picture to reveal how the actual costs of the Haiti
disaster will be shared among international donors. Comparing USG and international aid is also
difficult because of the often dramatically different forms the assistance takes (in-kind

49 For background information see CRS Report RL33769, International Crises and Disasters: U.S. Humanitarian
Assistance, Budget Trends, and Issues for Congress
, by Rhoda Margesson.
50 Relief Web is a good source of information, although the accuracy is not guaranteed. See http://www.reliefweb.int.
Obtaining an exact up-to-date record of all international contributions in response to an ongoing disaster is often not
possible—in part because some assistance is not reported to governments or coordinating agencies—and in part
because of the delay in their recording.
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contributions vs. cash, for instance). As the situation in Haiti stabilizes and attention turns to early
recovery and reconstruction, sustaining donor interest in Haiti and commitment to honor existing
pledges while maintaining funding priorities and securing funds needed for other disaster areas
will require a delicate balance.
Elections in Haiti
Another issue of concern to Congress is likely to involve arrangements regarding elections. Haiti
was due to hold parliamentary elections in February 2010. They have been postponed indefinitely.
It remains to be decided whether the current legislature’s term will be extended until elections can
be held.
Evaluating the Relief Response in Haiti
Some have criticized the response by the international community in the actual delivery of
humanitarian assistance as far too slow. For example, in the days following the earthquake some
press reports commented on what they perceived to be a critical lack of food and water,
insufficient medical care for the wounded, the slow pace of search and rescue, and the non-
existent presence of law and order. Others argue that there has been a great deal of unfair
criticism of the slowness of the international aid effort. The weakened capacity of the Haitian
government, critically damaged infrastructure, and logistical challenges posed by the influx of
massive aid into a city largely destroyed by the earthquake all contributed to delay and difficulties
on the ground. Still others have been concerned about bureaucratic red tape, lack of civil-military
cooperation, control by the U.S. military of flight priorities at the Port-au-Prince airport, and
overall coordination issues. Evaluations of the relief response in Haiti will likely continue to be
conducted and debated as the humanitarian effort moves ahead. A disaster of this scope is almost
certain to run into many obstacles because the challenges on the ground are so daunting. While
managing expectations of what is possible under these circumstances is important, so too, are the
observations and lessons learned that with time and hindsight may benefit the actions and plans of
those responding to future disasters.
Immigration51
The devastation caused by the January 12, 2010 earthquake in Haiti led Department of Homeland
Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano to grant Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to Haitians
in the United States at the time of the earthquake.52 As soon as the earthquake hit, some Members
of Congress had called for the Obama Administration to do so. On January 13, 2010, DHS had
announced that it was temporarily halting the deportation of Haitians. On January 15, 2010, DHS
Secretary Napolitano granted TPS to Haitian nationals for 18 months. The Haitian Protection Act
of 2009 (H.R. 144), which would require the Secretary of Homeland Security to designate TPS
for Haitians, was introduced last year on January 6, 2009.

51 Prepared by Ruth Ellen Wasem, Specialist in Immigration Policy, Domestic Social Policy Division. For further
information, see CRS Report RS21349, U.S. Immigration Policy on Haitian Migrants, by Ruth Ellen Wasem.
52 For additional information on Temporary Protected Status, see CRS Report RS20844, Temporary Protected Status:
Current Immigration Policy and Issues
, by Ruth Ellen Wasem and Karma Ester.
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Haitian children who were legally confirmed as orphans eligible for intercountry adoption by the
government of Haiti and who were in the process of being adopted by U.S. residents prior to the
earthquake have been given humanitarian parole to come to the United States. Other Haitian
orphans potentially eligible for humanitarian parole include children who were identified by an
adoption service provider or facilitator as eligible for intercountry adoption and who were
matched to prospective American adoptive parents prior to January 12, 2010. When it announced
the humanitarian parole for Haitian orphans, DHS acknowledged, “Given the severity of the
disaster in Haiti, we understand that there are additional children that have been orphaned and/or
separated from relatives and may also be in varying stages of the adoption process. DHS and the
U.S. Department of State continue to evaluate additional eligibility criteria and will provide
additional information as soon as it is available.”53
Those Haitians who are given humanitarian parole to come to the United States are deemed
Cuban-Haitian Entrants and, thus, are among the subset of foreign nationals who are eligible for
federal benefits and cash assistance much like refugees. Those Haitians who are newly arriving
legal permanent residents, however, are barred from the major federal benefits and cash
assistance for the first five years after entry.
According to the U.S. Department of State (DOS), there are 54,716 Haitians who have approved
petitions to immigrate to the United States and who are waiting for visas to become available.
Advocates for Haitians are asking Secretary Napolitano to give humanitarian parole to those
Haitians with approved petitions for visas. Proponents of expediting the admission of Haitians
with family in the United States maintain that it would relieve at least some of the humanitarian
burden in Haiti and would increase the remittances sent back to Haiti to provide critical help as
the nation tries to rebuild. Those opposed to expediting the admission of Haitians assert that it
would not be in the national interest, nor would it be fair to others foreign nationals waiting to
reunite with their families.
There are growing concerns that the crisis conditions in Haiti may result in mass migration from
the country. The phenomenon of Haitians coming to the United States by boat without proper
travel documents dates back at least to the 1970s. The Reagan Administration reached an
agreement in 1981 with the Haitian government to interdict (i.e., stop and search certain vessels
suspected of transporting undocumented Haitians), and this policy, with some modifications, has
continued. If mass migration occurs, Congress may weigh in on the balancing of immigration
control responsibilities in the midst of Haiti’s humanitarian disaster.
Medical Evacuation54
On January 31, 2010, it was reported that U.S. military airlifts of ill and injured Haitian
earthquake victims had been suspended.55 In the weeks after the disaster these airlifts had brought
non-U.S.-citizen Haitians to Florida for medical care that was unavailable in Haiti. These

53 U.S. Department of Homeland Security, “ Secretary Napolitano Announces Humanitarian Parole Policy for Certain
Haitian Orphans,” fact sheet, January 18, 2010.
54 Prepared by Sarah A. Lister, Specialist in Public Health and Epidemiology, Domestic Social Policy Division. For
further information, see CRS Report RL33579, The Public Health and Medical Response to Disasters: Federal
Authority and Funding
, by Sarah A. Lister.
55 Shaila Dewan and Liz Robbins, “U.S. Seeks Options for Airlifting Haitian Patients,” The New York Times, January
31, 2010.
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patients, who often had very serious injuries, were admitted to a number of non-federal hospitals,
principally in south Florida. On January 27, 2010, Florida Governor Charlie Crist wrote to
Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS),
saying that the state’s health care system was reaching saturation, and asking Sebelius to activate
the National Disaster Medical System to coordinate the distribution of medical evacuees to other
states, and to compensate states for the costs of their care.56
The National Disaster Medical System (NDMS), which is administered by HHS, consists of three
distinct component capabilities for the response to mass casualty incidents.57 First, teams of
medical providers deploy rapidly to provide critical medical care in austere disaster conditions,
before definitive care is available.58 Second, NDMS provides medical evacuation, the coordinated
movement of seriously ill or injured victims to sites where they can receive definitive care.
Typically, U.S. military assets, such as cargo planes and attending medical personnel, are used for
this purpose. Third, participating U.S. hospitals agree to accept NDMS evacuees on a voluntary
basis, and receive reimbursement from the federal government at 110% of the Medicare rate for
the costs of their care.
The first NDMS component is used frequently. Teams are deployed many times each year in
response to domestic disasters (for which deployment costs are typically paid by the Federal
Emergency Management Agency’s Disaster Relief Fund59) and international humanitarian relief
efforts (for which deployment costs are often paid by USAID). NDMS teams were deployed to
Haiti shortly after the earthquake, and remain deployed at this time. In contrast, the second
(medical evacuation) and third (U.S. participating hospital) NDMS components have rarely been
activated. Although U.S. military flights had brought Haitian medical evacuees to Florida for
several weeks after the earthquake, the NDMS hospital component had not been activated, and it
was not clear if the federal government would assume the costs of care for these patients. On
February 1, 2010, HHS announced that it was activating the NDMS hospital component, and that
receiving hospitals would receive federal reimbursement for the care of Haitian medical
evacuees.60
The HHS Secretary has considerable discretion with respect to the activation of any or all NDMS
components. There are no specific legal triggers are other requirements that must be met.61
However, the Secretary does not have a dedicated funding mechanism to support extensive
NDMS deployments.62 The HHS announcement did not clarify which federal agency would
ultimately be responsible for the costs of the care through the NDMS hospital component, or

56 The letter is available at http://miamiherald.typepad.com/files/2010-1-28-operation-haiti-relief---secretary-
sebelius.pdf.
57 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), National Disaster Medical System,
http://www.hhs.gov/aspr/opeo/ndms/index.html.
58 Team members are typically not federal employees, but are designated as intermittent federal employees during
deployments.
59 See CRS Report RL33053, Federal Stafford Act Disaster Assistance: Presidential Declarations, Eligible Activities,
and Funding
, by Keith Bea.
60 HHS, “HHS Activates Additional Components of National Disaster Medical System to Help U.S. Hospitals Treat
Survivors of Earthquake in Haiti,” press release, February 1, 2010, http://www.hhs.gov/news.
61 Public Health Service Act § 2812; 42 U.S.C. § 300hh–11.
62 See “Federal Assistance for Disaster-Related Health Care Costs” in CRS Report RL33579, The Public Health and
Medical Response to Disasters: Federal Authority and Funding
, by Sarah A. Lister.
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whether the Administration may request funding for these costs through supplemental
appropriations.
Tax Incentives for Charitable Donations
In a bipartisan effort, Congress passed a bill designed to increase charitable donations to Haiti.
The Haiti Assistance Income Tax Incentive (HAITI) Act (signed into law January 22, 2010, P.L.
111-126) accelerates income tax benefits for charitable cash contributions for the relief of
earthquake victims. It allows taxpayers to deduct donations made in early 2010 on their income
tax returns for 2009. The Joint Committee on Taxation estimates that the HAITI Act would lead
to U.S. revenue losses of about $2 million.63
Trade Preferences64
Haiti’s trade is currently dominated by apparel assembly. Prior to the earthquake, it composed
93% of total Haitian exports to the United States, employed upwards of 30,000 workers, and was
expected to receive major new investment from South Korean and U.S. manufacturers. Its
renewed growth since 2000 has been based in large part on a comparative advantage developed
around trade preferences provided in the Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act (CBTPA—P.L.
106-200) and the Haiti Hemispheric Opportunity through Partnership Encouragement (HOPE)
Act, as amended (P.L. 110-246). There is some concern that Haiti may be overly dependent on a
single industry and should consider diversifying its export sector to include other manufacturing,
agriculture, and services industries, as part of any economic reconstruction strategy. For now, it
appears the apparel sector will be the foundation of the export industry’s recovery.
In the short-term, the apparel sector is critical not only for creating immediate employment
opportunities, but also as an established anchor for the country’s long-term trade and development
strategy. Early industry estimates indicate that at least $25 million will be needed to refurbish
damaged buildings, replace machinery, and train new employees. Earthquake damage to firms
was uneven and not as severe as it might have been. The HOPE Commission and the Association
of Haitian Industries (ADIH) are currently conducting a detailed survey to gauge the full extent of
the damage in order to formulate a needs assessment for recovery. Of the 28 factories operating in
late 2009, the earthquake completely destroyed one, killing at least 500 people, and seriously
damaged four or five others. According to industry sources, the remaining factories hope to be
near full capacity by March 2010. As of early February 2010, the industry as a whole was
operating with 75%-80% of worker capacity. The critical issues in the short term will be the
extent to which global buyers decide to abandon Haiti for other producer locations, and finding
the capital to rebuild. Some believe that U.S. trade and other policies, as well as international aid,
can have an important role to play in mitigating these problems.

63 For further information, see CRS Report R41036, Charitable Contributions for Haiti’s Earthquake Victims, by Molly
F. Sherlock.
64 Prepared by J.F. Hornbeck, Specialist in International Trade and Finance, Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade
Division. For further information, see CRS Report RL34687, The Haitian Economy and the HOPE Act, by J. F.
Hornbeck.
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Constituent Concerns and Private Charities
Lawmakers are also helping constituents find persons missing in Haiti, and helping citizens in
Haiti get evacuated from Haiti. Information on how to help them do so is in Appendix G.
Lawmakers may also seek to find ways for the Haitian and U.S. governments to speed pending
and potential adoptions of Haitian orphans. Links for further information on adoptions and
orphans are in Appendix G.
Many constituents want to know how to contribute to relief efforts. Information on how to do so
is in Appendix H.
A bipartisan group of Senators is sponsoring a bill designed to increase charitable donations to
Haiti. The legislation would temporarily ease tax exemption laws, allowing taxpayers to deduct a
larger amount from their annual income for charitable contributions. It would also encourage food
donations by temporarily extending special tax rules for them.65
Legislation in the 111th Congress
P.L. 111-8. In the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009, Section 7045 makes the government of
Haiti eligible to purchase U.S. defense articles and services for its Coast Guard. It also obligates
funds for: (1) Haiti under Titles III and VI of this Act; health care, nutrition, sanitation, education,
and shelter for migrant workers and others. It prohibits the use of specified funds under this Act
for the transfer of U.S. weapons, ammunition, or other lethal property to the Haitian National
Police until the Secretary certifies to the Appropriations Committees that any members of the
Haitian National Police alleged to have committed serious crimes, including drug trafficking and
human rights violations, have been suspended. Introduced February 23, 2009, signed into law
March 11, 2009.
P.L. 111-117. In the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2010, Sec. 7045(b) deals expressly with
Haiti, stating that, (1) The Government of Haiti shall be eligible to purchase defense articles and
services under the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2751 et seq.), for the Coast Guard; (2) of
the funds appropriated by this Act under Titles III, Bilateral Economic Assistance, and IV,
International Security Assistance, not less than $295,530,000 shall be made available for
assistance for Haiti; and (3) none of the funds made available by this Act under the heading
“International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement” may be used to transfer excess weapons,
ammunition or other lethal property of an agency of the United States Government to the
Government of Haiti for use by the Haitian National Police until the Secretary of State reports to
the Committees on Appropriations that any members of the Haitian National Police who have
been credibly alleged to have committed serious crimes, including drug trafficking and violations
of internationally recognized human rights, have been suspended.
Haiti is included in Sec. 7045(c), as part of the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative. The section
reads as follows:

65 Jessica Brady, “Senators Look to Speed Up Charitable Giving to Haiti,” Roll Call, January 14, 2010.
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Of the funds appropriated under the headings ‘Development Assistance,’ ‘Economic Support
Fund,’ ‘International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement,’ and ‘Foreign Military
Financing Program’ in this Act, not less than $37,000,000 should be made available for
assistance for the countries of the Caribbean Basin, to provide equipment and training to
combat drug trafficking and related violence and organized crime, and for judicial reform,
institution building, education, anti-corruption, rule of law activities, and maritime security,
of which not less than $21,100,000 should be made available for social justice and education
programs to include vocational training, workforce development and juvenile justice
activities: Provided, That none of the funds made available under this subsection shall be
made available for budget support or as cash payments.
The Act calls on the Secretary of State to provide a detailed spending plan to the Committees on
Appropriations no later than 45 days after this Act is enacted, for funds appropriated or otherwise
made available for the countries of the Caribbean Basin, with concrete goals, actions to be taken,
budget proposals, and anticipated results. Introduced July 22, 2009, signed into law on December
16, 2009.
P.L. 111-126. The Act to Accelerate the Income Tax Benefits for Charitable Cash Contributions
for the Relief of Victims of the Earthquake in Haiti, allows taxpayers who donate to Haiti
earthquake relief between January 11, 2010 and March 1, 2010 to claim those contributions on
their 2009 tax return. Introduced January 19, 2010, signed into law on January 22, 2010.
H.R. 144. The Haitian Protection Act of 2009 would require the Secretary of Homeland Security
to designate Haiti as a country whose qualifying nationals may be eligible for temporary
protected status. Introduced January 6, 2009; referred to the House Judiciary Committee’s
Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law
February 9, 2009.
H.R. 264. The Save America Comprehensive Immigration Act of 2009 would amend the
Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) to provide increased protections and eligibility for family-
sponsored immigrants, including to authorize adjustment of status for certain nationals or citizens
of Haiti. Introduced January 7, 2009, referred to House Judiciary; House Homeland Security;
House Oversight and Government Reform Committees; referred to the Subcommittee on
Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law February 9, 2009.
H.R. 417. The Next Steps for Haiti Act of 2009 would authorize the Director of Foreign
Assistance, in consultation with the government of Haiti and Haitian civil society organizations,
to establish the Haiti Professional Exchange Program to assign qualified Haitian Americans and
others to provide technical assistance to help Haiti improve in areas vital to its growth and
development, including education, energy, environment, health care, infrastructure, security,
transportation, and disaster preparedness. Directs the Secretary of State to implement a student
loan forgiveness program for program participants. Introduced and referred to the House
Committee on Foreign Affairs January 9, 2009.
H.R. 1567. The Haitian Refugee Immigration Fairness Act (HRIFA) Improvement Act of 2009
would amend the 1998 HRIFA to (1) require determinations with respect to children to be made
using the age and status of an individual on October 21, 1998 (enactment date of the HRIFA of
1998); (2) permit an application based upon child status to be filed by a parent or guardian if the
child is present in the United States on such filing date; and (3) include document fraud among
the grounds of inadmissibility which shall not preclude an otherwise qualifying Haitian alien
from permanent resident status adjustment. It would also permit new status adjustment
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applications to be filed for a limited time period. Introduced March 17, 2009, referred to the
House Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border
Security, and International Law on April 27, 2009.
H.R. 3077. The Global Food Security Act of 2009, partner legislation with S. 384, authorizes the
President to provide assistance under this Act or the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 for
unexpected urgent food assistance needs. Establishes a United States Emergency Rapid Response
to Food Crisis Fund to carry out such purposes. Introduced June 26, 2009.
H.R. 4206. The Haiti Reforestation Act of 2009 seeks to authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to
provide assistance to the Government of Haiti. The purpose of the act is to end the deforestation
in Haiti within five years and to restore the tropical forest cover to its state in 1990 within a 30-
year time frame. The legislation was both introduced and referred to the House Committee on
Foreign Affairs on December 3, 2009.
H.Con.Res. 17. The resolution addresses the humanitarian assistance provided to Caribbean
countries affected by past hurricanes and tropical storms. It acknowledges the affected countries’
efforts to aid their citizens in recovery. The resolution also expresses support of the international
assistance received by the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, the Bahamas, Cuba and Turks
and Caicos. Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs January 9, 2009.
H.Con.Res. 165. Supports the yielding of temporary protected status for Haitian nationals who
currently reside in the United States. Introduced July 17, 2009; referred to the Subcommittee on
Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law on August 19, 2009.
S. 2949. Emergency Aid to American Survivors of the Haiti Earthquake Act amends Title XI of
the Social Security Act (SSA) to increase the funding cap under the U.S. Repatriation Program to
$25 million for FY2010 for temporary assistance to U.S. citizens (and their dependents) returning
from foreign countries in the event of destitution, illness, war, threat of war, invasion, or similar
crisis. Introduced January 25, 2010. Passed by the Senate, January 25, 2010, and passed in the
House January 26, 2010. Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection
January 26, 2010.
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Appendix A. Exposed Population
Figure A-1. An Estimate of the Population in Haiti and Surrounding Areas Exposed
to Ground Shaking Caused by the January 12, 2010, Magnitude 7.0 Earthquake

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Source: U.S. Geological Survey, at http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/pager/events/us/2010rja6/
onepager.pdf.
Notes: The figure was generated by the Prompt Assessment of Global Earthquakes for Response (PAGER)
system at the U.S. Geological Survey. PAGER is an automated system that rapidly assesses the number of people,
cities, and regions exposed to severe shaking by an earthquake. Fol owing the determination of earthquake
location and magnitude, the PAGER system calculates the degree of ground shaking, estimates the number of
people exposed to various levels of shaking, and produces a description of the vulnerability of the exposed
population and infrastructure. This is version 7 of the PAGER output, accessed on January 14, 2010.

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Appendix B. Haiti Population Movement
Figure B-1. Movement Out of Port-au-Prince

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Appendix C. U.S. Earthquake Assistance to Haiti
Figure C-1. USG Humanitarian Assistance

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Appendix D. The U.S. Government Emergency
Response Mechanism for International Disasters

The United States is generally a leader and major contributor to relief efforts in response to
humanitarian disasters.66 The President has broad authority to provide emergency assistance for
foreign disasters and the U.S. government provides disaster assistance through several U.S.
agencies. The very nature of humanitarian disasters—the need to respond quickly in order to save
lives and provide relief—has resulted in a rather unrestricted definition of what this type of
assistance consists of at both a policy and an operational level. While humanitarian assistance is
assumed to provide for urgent food, shelter, and medical needs, the agencies within the U.S.
government providing this support typically expand or contract the definition in response to
circumstances. Funds may be used for U.S. agencies to deliver services or to provide grants to
international organizations (IOs), international governmental and non-governmental organizations
(NGOs), and private or religious voluntary organizations (PVOs). The U.S. Agency for
International Development (USAID) is the U.S. government agency charged with coordinating
U.S. government and private sector assistance. It also coordinates with international
organizations, the governments of countries suffering disasters, and other governments.
The Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) in USAID’s Bureau for Democracy, Conflict
and Humanitarian Assistance (DCHA) provides immediate relief materials and personnel, many
of whom are already abroad on mission. It is responsible for providing non-food humanitarian
assistance and can quickly assemble Disaster Assistance Response Teams (DARTs) to assess
conditions. OFDA has wide authority to borrow funds, equipment, and personnel from other parts
of USAID and other federal agencies. USAID has two other offices that administer U.S.
humanitarian aid: Food For Peace (FFP) and the Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI). USAID
administers emergency food aid under FFP (Title II of P.L. 480) and provides relief and
development food aid that does not have to be repaid. OTI provides post-disaster transition
assistance, which includes mainly short-term peace and democratization projects with some
attention to humanitarian elements but not emergency relief.
The Department of Defense (DOD) Overseas Humanitarian, Disaster and Civic Aid (OHDACA)
funds three Dodd humanitarian programs: the Humanitarian Assistance Program (HAP),
Humanitarian Mine Action (HMA) Program, and Foreign Disaster Relief and Emergency
Response (FDR/ER). OHDACA provides humanitarian support to stabilize emergency situations
and deals with a range of tasks including providing food, shelter and supplies, and medical
evacuations. In addition the President has the authority to draw down defense equipment and
direct military personnel to respond to disasters. The President may also use the Denton program
to provide space-available transportation on military aircraft and ships to private donors who wish
to transport humanitarian goods and equipment in response to a disaster.67
Generally, OFDA provides emergency assistance for 30 to 90 days after a disaster. The same is
true for Department of Defense humanitarian assistance. After the initial emergency is over,

66 For more information, see CRS Report RL33769, International Crises and Disasters: U.S. Humanitarian Assistance,
Budget Trends, and Issues for Congress
, by Rhoda Margesson.
67 Section 402 of Title 10, named after former Senator Jeremiah Denton, authorizes shipment of privately donated
humanitarian goods on U.S. military aircraft provided there is space and they are certified as appropriate for the disaster
by USAID/OFDA. The goods can be bumped from the transport if other U.S. government aid must be transported.
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assistance is provided through other channels, such as the regular country development programs
of USAID.
The State Department also administers programs for humanitarian relief with a focus on refugees
and the displaced. The Emergency Refugee and Migration Account (ERMA) is a contingency
fund that provides wide latitude to the President in responding to refugee emergencies. Assistance
to address emergencies lasting more than a year comes out of the regular Migration and Refugee
Account (MRA) through the Population, Migration and Refugees (PRM) bureau. PRM assists
refugees worldwide, conflict victims, and populations of concern to the United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), often extended to include internally displaced people
(IDPs). Humanitarian assistance includes a range of services from basic needs to community
services.
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Appendix E. Operation Unified Response:
U.S. Military Units Participating

Major Commands
U.S. Southern Command http://www.southcom.mil/appssc/index.php
U.S. Air Mobility Command http://www.amc.af.mil
U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command http://www.afsoc.af.mil/
U.S. Navy Expeditionary Combat Command http://www.necc.navy.mil
Ground Units
82nd Airborne Division Brigade Combat Team http://www.bragg.army.mil/82DV/
22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit http://www.lejeune.usmc.mil/22ndMEU/
24th Marine Expeditionary Unit http://www.facebook.com/24thMEU
Naval Units
USNS PFC Dewayne Williams, 1st Lt Jack Lummus – Roll-On/Roll-Off Container Ships
SS Cape May – Heavy-lift ship
SS Gopher State – Crane ship
MV Huakai—High-speed ferry
USNS Sumner– Oceanographic survey ship
USS Nassau, USS Bataan – Amphibious assault ships
USS Ashland, USS Gunston Hall, USS Fort McHenry, USS Carter Hall – Dock landing ships
USS Mesa Verde – Amphibious transport dock ship
USNS Comfort – Hospital ship
USNS Grasp – Salvage ship
USNS Big Horn – Fleet replenishment Oiler
USS Higgins – Frigate
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USS Underwood – Destroyer
USS Normandy– Guided-missile cruiser
USNS Sacagawea – Dry-cargo ship
6 U.S. Coast Guard cutters


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Appendix F. Donor Contributions and Pledges to
Haiti in Response to the January 12, 2010,
Earthquake

Country/Agency
Monetary Pledge
Donor
(USD)
In-kind Support Pledge
Algeria $1,000,000

Antigua and Barbuda
$37,037
Argentina
medical equipment and relief supplies
Australia $13,489,209

Austria
$1,010,100 400 tents and first aid equipment
Bahrain $1,000,000
disaster
relief
team
Bangladesh
medical
team
Belgium
$2,234,126 search and rescue team, search dogs, medical team, field
hospital, water purification system
Bolivia
food
and
blood
Bosnia & Herzegovina
$73,780
Botswana $128,100

Brazil
Air Force sent six flights with personnel, food and water,
$5,535,730 medications, emergency portable hospital. 50-member rescue
team, rescue dogs
Bulgaria
$101,010 One and a half tons of humanitarian aid consisting of tents,
blankets and bedding; 5-member medical team
Cambodia $50,000

Canada
search and rescue team, medical personnel, engineers,
$79,359,483 helicopters, supplies and equipment, two navy ships and 500
Canadian troops
Chile
15 metric tons of food and medicines, 61-member search-and
rescue team
China
60-member search-and-rescue team , 43-member medical staff,
$9,213,535 medicines and medical equipment, power generators, water
purifying machines, 500 tents, clothing
Colombia
231 personnel of search and rescue teams and health
professionals; 21 trained dogs; 398 tons of humanitarian
$50,000 supplies and consignments of a military hospital, medication,
medical supplies and equipment, food, water, water purifiers,
sanitation supplies, vehicles, communication devices and search
and rescue equipment
Costa Rica
engineers, health care workers, doctors, and disaster experts
Croatia $491,660

Cuba
60 doctors added to 400 medical staff already in Haiti
Cyprus $144,300

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Country/Agency
Monetary Pledge
Donor
(USD)
In-kind Support Pledge
Czech Republic
$1,139,451
Denmark $16,288,032

Dominican Republic
food and water, rescue crews; 20 technicians to help re-
establish telecommunications, 12 disaster management
specialists, 46 doctors, 8 mobile clinics, 8 ambulances, 100 units
of heavy construction equipment, transportation of
humanitarian aid and injured victims; 28 mobile kitchens
Ecuador
search and rescue team, 5 tons of food
Egypt
medical supplies and personnel
El Salvador
12-member search and rescue team
Estonia $356,421

Finland
$8,005,606 two IT experts and IT module
France
search and rescue teams, search dogs, three military transport
$33,844,153 helicopters, 130 tons of aid supplies, and troops, field hospital,
medical personnel and medical supplies
Gabon $1,000,000

Georgia
15-member rescue team, 5 doctors, 40 tons of emergency
supplies
Germany $11,745,213

Ghana $3,000,000

Greece
$288,600 team of physicians and healthcare professionals, rescue team,
Hellenic Aid officials, pharmaceuticals
Grenada $100,000

Guyana $1,893,000

Guatemala
rescue
team
Hungary
7 rescue and medical teams; medical supplies
Iceland
$56,000 35-member search and rescue team
India $1,000,000

Indonesia
humanitarian workers (doctors, rescuers, electricity
$1,700,000 technicians, construction and telecommunication experts);
tents, medicine, food, baby and children kits, one ambulance,
one truck, and water purifying tool
Iran
30 tones of aid including food, tents, medicine
Ireland
2,829,551 120 tons of emergency humanitarian aid and emergency
supplies; Irish Aid Rapid Response Corps members
Israel
delegation which includes rescue forces, 40 doctors,24 nurses
and representatives of the IDF Medical Corps to set up a
hospital
Italy
interforce military contingent; Engineering Task Force
consisting of 185 units equipped with: trucks, heavy tow trucks,
9,302,037 containers, cranes, tank trucks, illuminated tower trailers, and a
kitchen trailer; medical personnel of 37 doctors and nurses, 12
nurses; blankets, tents, beds
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Country/Agency
Monetary Pledge
Donor
(USD)
In-kind Support Pledge
Jamaica
rescue
teams
Japan
$25,744,798 team of 100 members (of whom about 40 are medical
professionals), engineering unit, emergency relief goods
Jordan
12-bed military hospital; dispatched two planes carrying a
mobile field hospital, rescue team, doctors and six tons of aid
supplies that include food, medicine and clothing
Korea, Republic of
$900,000 relief goods; search and rescue teams and medical teams; 217
personnel for MINUSTAH
Kuwait
$2,000,000 100 tons of food, medical supplies, tents and blankets
Lebanon
25 tons of tents, 3 tons of medicine, vaccines and other
supplies; sent aid workers to help in relief effort
Liberia
$50,000
Lithuania $20,896

Luxembourg
$1,731,600 search and rescue team and dogs, six civil protection technical
staff with localization material
Malta $202,020
emergency
assistance
Mauritius $500,000

Mexico
202-member rescue team, rescue equipment, 1,600 tons of
emergency relief items
Monaco $144,000

Montenegro $72,150

Morocco
$1,000,000 medical and pharmaceutical products
Netherlands
$ 4,329,004 60-member team with sniffer dogs
New Zealand
$1,022,497
Nicaragua
special brigade to repair electric power lines; 31 military
doctors of the Humanitarian Rescue Unit (URH) and
humanitarian aid
Nigeria $1,500,000

Norway
$25,303,291 tents and water equipment, staff support to UN
Panama
15 tons of food and other relief items, 10,000 bags of food,
45,000 pounds of food donated by the people of Panama, 21
rescue workers and 4 search dogs, 3 forensic doctors, 2
diplomats, 1 volunteer and 6 journalists
Paraguay
5,000 kilos of food; 400 blankets; 13 volunteers
Peru
54 tons of food and medicine
Philippines $50,000
medical
team
Poland
54 rescuers and trained dogs, 4 tons of equipment; food and
$2,031,169 medical supplies, medicines (first aid items), blood and blood
plasma, blankets, water
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Country/Agency
Monetary Pledge
Donor
(USD)
In-kind Support Pledge
Portugal
multidisciplinary team of 30 persons equipped to set a shelter
camp for around 400 persons and provide medical care
$ 1,443,001 services, including small surgeries; provision of camping gear,
tents, camp beds, medical supplies, generators, bed sheets,
blankets, hygiene kits and kitchen supplies
Qatar
aircraft loaded with 50 tons of urgent relief materials; rescue
team of 26 members and to set up field hospital
Romania $72,150

Russia
$5,700,000 100 tons of emergency relief, mobile air hospital, SAR team
deployed, including medical personnel (psychological support)
Saint Lucia
$185,185
Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines
$ 100,000
Saudi Arabia
$50,000,000
Senegal $1,000,000

Sierra Leone
$100,000
Singapore $50,000

Slovakia
field hospital, medical unit consists of 17 personnel/paramedics,
$324,675 3 tons of medical/first aid items; 2 tons of relief materials of 15
tents, 58 sleeping bags, 58 beds and 58 blankets
Slovenia $173,160

South Africa
rescue teams of medical staff and engineers; 10 tons of search
and rescue equipments and medical supplies
South Korea
emergency relief workers and supplies
Spain
A team of 40 experts in rescue operations and dogs; team of
$45,493,628 doctors and health specialists, medical equipment, humanitarian
aid (tents, blankets, medical kits, water and sanitation material,
etc.)
Suriname $1,000,000

Sweden $24,038,800

Switzerland
dispatched an inter-disciplinary expert team (7 persons) to
$8,932,039 carry out a needs-assessment and a second team with 10
experts in the fields of water and sanitation, health and shelter;
goods and transport contribution
Syrian Arab Republic
30 tons of humanitarian aid
Taiwan
rescue team; medical team dispatched
$1,165,078 by MND; six tons of medical supplies
Thailand
$120,000
Trinidad and Tobago
$1,000,000 relief aid
Tunisia $1,000,000

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Country/Agency
Monetary Pledge
Donor
(USD)
In-kind Support Pledge
Turkey
field hospital, 2 healthcare survey unit, medical unit (17
personnel/paramedics) and 10 tons of medical/first aid items,
$2,000,000 20 tons of relief material consisting 200 tents, 2000 blankets,
145 set of kitchen materials, 1000 plastic bags for corps and 3
relief personnel, 1.5 tones of logistic equipment including food
and cloths, 10 search and rescue team of AKUT Association
Turkmenistan $500,000

United Arab Emirates
assessment team and 77 tons of medical supplies and assorted
food items, transport contribution; delegation together with
$3,100,938 100 tons of medical supplies and personnel, tents and blankets
from Abu Dhabi, UAE to the RCA team on the ground in
Dominican Republic to deliver into Haiti (channeled through
the UAE Red Crescent Society)
United Kingdom
$33,070,138 64-strong UK search and rescue team with heavy lifting
equipment
United States
teams including up to 72 people, six search and rescue dogs
$425,523,748 and up to 48 tons of rescue equipment; USAID disaster
experts who will help assess the situation in Haiti
Uruguay
rescue team of 5 military staff and 5 specialized canines
Venezuela
616 tons emergency relief, establishment of shipping and air
corridor, medical and SAR teams; 116 tons of special
machinery for reconstruction; In addition, the Venezuelan
government provided food, non-food items, medicines and fuel
and transported SAR teams on six flights (total 107.5 tons)


European Union
$4,76,190,475 ECHO decisions for short and long-term rehabilitation,
restoration of government capacity, emergency relief, food aid
Inter-American
Immediate emergency aid to help Haiti deal with the
Development Bank
$200,000 devastating earthquake (to provide food, potable water,
medicines and temporary shelter to victims of natural disasters)
Pan American
shelter kits with tents, tarps, water purification tables; food;
Development Foundation
medical supplies; family tool kits, including shovels;
telecommunications equipment
Pan American Health
12-member team of health and logistics experts, including
Organization (PAHO) and
specialists in mass casualty management, coordination of
World Health
emergency health response and the management of dead
Organization (WHO)
$16,420,804 bodies;10 trauma kits, emergency assistance, medicine and
medical supplies, 4 Interagency Emergency Health Kits;
reactivation of Basic Health Services
United Nations (CERF)
CERF Rapid Response Grants for emergency
$24,285,115 telecommunications, food assistance, NFI assistance to
vulnerable victims, access to safe water, humanitarian services,
rubble removal/cash-for-work, restoration of food production
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Country/Agency
Monetary Pledge
Donor
(USD)
In-kind Support Pledge
United Nations World
86 metric tons of ready-to-eat meals and high energy biscuits
Food Program
to feed 30,000 for up to 7 days; first aid kits and satellite
phones for Rapid Response Teams; seven logistics staff and
three telecommunications staff to help support relief efforts
through the activation of the Logistics and Telecommunications
Clusters; two staff counselors; deployment of EMERCOM
Global Radius in support of UNDAC/OCHA operations in
Haiti
World Bank
$100,000,000 Emergency grant funding to support recovery and
reconstruction
Source: OCHA at http://www.reliefweb.int/fts, Factiva and LexisNexis.com news databases.
Prepared by Julissa Gomez-Granger, Information Research Specialist, Knowledge Services Group.

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Appendix G. How to Search for or Report on
Individuals in Haiti68

Regarding U.S. Citizens in Haiti
The U.S. Embassy in Port Au Prince has set up a task force at the Embassy which is taking calls
as conditions permit. The Embassy is working to identify U.S. citizens in Haiti who need urgent
assistance and to identify sources of emergency help. U.S. citizens in Haiti are urged to contact
the Embassy via email (ACSPaP@state.gov) to request assistance. U.S. citizens in Haiti can call
the Embassy’s Consular Task Force at 509-2229-8942, 509-2229-8089, 509-2229-8322, or 509-
2229-8672.
The Department of State has also created a task force to monitor the emergency. People in the
United States or Canada with information or inquiries about U.S. citizens in Haiti may reach the
Haiti Task Force at 888-407-4747, or by email at Haiti-Earthquake@state.gov. The Task Force
phone number for those outside the United States and Canada is 202-501-4444.
In order to expedite requests for information about persons in Haiti, the following information is
needed:
• full name
• date of birth
• citizenship
• time
• date
• place of last known location
• any contact information, such as a cell phone number or hotel/church number
where the person could be reached
• the person’s e-mail address
• passport information, if known
It is also important to provide the requestor’s contact information, including phone numbers,
relationship to the person about whom the inquiry is being made, and any special or emergency
circumstances.
For additional information, the Department of State’s Consular Affairs website at
http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/pa/pa_haiti_info_number.html provides frequently updated
information .

68 Prepared by Anne Leland, Information Research Specialist, Knowledge Services Group.
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According to the Voice of America (VOA), people wishing to contact someone in Haiti may
record a message in English, Creole, or French, to be broadcast by VOA radio, by calling 202-
205-9442, code 42.
The International Committee of the Red Cross also has a directory for missing and located
persons in Haiti at http://www.familylinks.icrc.org/wfl/wfl_hti.nsf/bottin?openview.
Haitian Citizens in the U.S.
Haitian citizens in the U.S. trying to locate people in Haiti can register their names with the
International Committee for the Red Cross at http://www.icrc.org/web/doc/siterfl0.nsf/htmlall/
familylinks-haiti-eng?opendocument.
They can also call the Haitian Embassy in Washington, DC, at 202-332-4090, or the Haitian
Consulate in New York City, 305-859-2003.
The Miami Herald provides a page to help families connect with family members at
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/americas/haiti/connect/#vmix_media_id=9304036.69
Haitian citizens in the U.S. may also consult the directory on the International Committee of the
Red Cross website for missing relatives, friends and colleagues at
http://www.familylinks.icrc.org/wfl/wfl_hti.nsf/bottin?openview.
U.S. Citizens with Pending Adoption Cases in Haiti
U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Napolitano has announced a humanitarian
parole policy for two categories of Haitian children in the process of being adopted by American
citizens. This policy is explained at http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/
menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=
9c22546ade146210VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD&vgnextchannel=
68439c7755cb9010VgnVCM10000045f3d6a1RCRD.
U.S. citizens with adoptions pending should send detailed information to The U.S. Department of
Homeland Security(USDHS)/U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) at
HaitianAdoptions@dhs.gov. This email address is intended only for submitting documents for
pending adoption cases. Additional information may be found at the USCIS website at
http://www.uscis.gov.
The U.S. Department of State has a dedicated website to Intercountry Adoptions at
http://adoption.state.gov/news/children_affected_by_natural_disasters_conflict.html. The
Department of State also hosts a dedicated blog about Intercountry Adoptions at
http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/site/entry/haiti_earthquake_and_intercountry_adoption. They
have also established an email address for questions at AskCI@state.gov.

69 Liz Heron, “Web Sites Offer Help for Reuniting Families Separated by Quake,” The Washington Post, January 15,
2010, p. A9.

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The following information will need to be included in any inquiries addressed to either
the Department of Homeland Security or the Department of State:
• Subject Line: “Haitian Adoption Information”
• Full name and contact information (including e-mail address) of parents
• Full name(s) of child(ren)
• Date(s) of birth of child(ren) (if possible)
• A brief summary of the status of the case
• Name and contact information for the orphanage
For more information on the U.S. Government’s response to Haiti’s most vulnerable children,
people may contact HaitianChildrenUSAID@usaid.gov or (202) 712-0550.
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Appendix H. How to Contribute to Relief Efforts70
How to Make Donations
According to Inter Action and other relief agencies, the best way to help is to donate financially to
organizations responding to a disaster. Cash allows relief professionals to procure exactly what is
needed in a disaster situation and ensure that donations are culturally, dietetically, and
environmentally appropriate. Cash donations do not use up other scarce resources, such as
transportation, staff time or warehouse space. As needed, cash can also be transferred quickly to
where it is needed, helping bolster the economy of the disaster-stricken region.71
The White House suggests that those wishing to make a donation to relief efforts may contribute
online through ClintonBushHaitiFund.org., or Text “QUAKE” to 20222 to charge a $10 donation
to the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund (the donation will be added to your cell phone bill); or, text
“HAITI” to 90999, and $10 will be given automatically to the Red Cross, charged to your cell
phone bill. Those wishing to donate may also visit InterAction at http://www.interaction.org to
contribute to other non-governmental organizations.
The Department of State suggests that those who have significant in-kind contributions to make,
such as a plane, a cargo ship, a team of doctors, portable generators, or large-scale water
purification equipment go to http://www.usaid.gov/helphaiti/.
USAID, through the non-profit organization, Aidmatrix Foundation, Inc., at
http://www.aidmatrixnetwork.org/fema/PublicPortal/ListOfNeeds.aspx?PortalID=133 provides a
searchable database to connect donors with needs. The lists of needs may be filtered by category,
NGO, or item description. A second option allows the donor to submit details of in-kind
donations, and Aidmatrix will use the information to confirm the need with an NGO.
Volunteer Opportunities
People who wish to provide assistance or expertise in Haiti are asked to contact the Center for
International Disaster Information at http://www.cidi.org/incident/haiti-10a/. The Center, operated
under a grant from the United States Agency for International Development’s Office of Foreign
Disaster Assistance, has established a dedicated page to coordinate Haiti support.

70 Prepared by Anne Leland, Information Research Specialist, Knowledge Services Group.
71 Inter Action at http://www.interaction.org/how-help.
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Appendix I. Links for Further Information72
U.S. Government Agencies

U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)
http://www.usaid.gov/helphaiti/
USAID Humanitarian Assistance to Haiti for the Earthquake and Earthquake
Affected Areas Maps

http://www.usaid.gov/helphaiti/documents/01.29.10-USAID-
DCHAHaitiEarthquakeMapbook17.pdf
U.S. Department of Defense
http://www.defense.gov/home/features/2010/0110_haiti/
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
http://www.hhs.gov/disasters/emergency/naturaldisasters/earthquake/haiti/index.html
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
http://www.dhs.gov/ynews/releases/pr_1263861907258.shtm
Federal Emergency Management Agency: Lists of Needs
http://www.aidmatrixnetwork.org/fema/PublicPortal/ListOfNeeds.aspx?PortalID=133
U.S. Department of State
http://www.state.gov/p/wha/ci/ha/index.htm
U.S. Department of State Embassy, Port-au-Prince
http://haiti.usembassy.gov/
U.S. Geological Survey

72 Prepared by Anne Leland, Information Research Specialist, Knowledge Services Group.
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http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eqinthenews/2010/us2010rja6/#details, and
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/
White House: Help for Haiti
http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2010/01/13/help-haiti
Other Resources
Caribbean Community (CARICOM)
http://www.caricom.org/jsp/pressreleases/pres04_10.jsp?null&prnf=1
Center for International Disaster Information (CIDI)
http://www.cidi.org/news/haiti-quake.htm
Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI)
http://www.eqclearinghouse.org/20100112-haiti/
European Commission for Humanitarian Aid (ECHO)
http://ec.europa.eu/echo/index_en.htm
Information on the Haitian Earthquake
Haiti Earthquake Damage Map
http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/fullmaps_am.nsf/luFullMap/
0573522688593A18C12576AA00483368/
$File/100112_07.45NYT_Haiti_Epicenter.pdf?OpenElement
Haiti Earthquake Epicentre Map
http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/fullmaps_am.nsf/luFullMap/
4E193026CC1680C7052576AA00125CF6/$File/EQ-2010-000009-
HTI_0112.pdf?OpenElement
Haiti Earthquake Intensity Map
http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/fullmaps_am.nsf/luFullMap/
A4228B2905DCFFE6C12576AB0028581B/$File/map.pdf?OpenElement
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Inter Action/Haiti Earthquake Humanitarian Emergency
http://www.interaction.org/article/interaction-members-respond-earthquake-haiti
Inter American Development Bank
http://www.iadb.org/haiti/index.cfm?lang=en&id=6407
International Monetary Fund
http://www.imf.org/external/country/hti/index.htm
Organization of American States: Pan American Disaster Foundation
http://www.panamericanrelief.org/
Pan American Health Organization
http://new.paho.org/disasters/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1088&Itemid=1
Red Cross Movement
The American Red Cross:
http://www.redcross.org
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
http://www.ifrc.org
The Haitian Red Cross
http://www.ifrc.org/address/ht.asp
The International Committee of the Red Cross
http://www.icrc.org and http://www.familylinks.icrc.org/WFL_HTI.NSF/Bottin?OpenView
Relief Web Funding and Appeals
http://ocha.unog.ch/fts/pageloader.aspx?page=search-reporting_display&CQ=
cq210110172333czMjdQ2CDB
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United Nations
United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)
http://www.unicef.org/index.php
United Nations Habitat
http://www.unhabitat.org/content.asp?cid=7780&catid=5&typeid=6&subMenuId=0
United Nations News Center
http://www.un.org/apps/news/infocusRel.asp?infocusID=91&Body=Haiti&Body1=
United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH)
http://www.un.org/en/peacekeeping/missions/minustah/
United Nations World Food Program (WFP)
http://www.wfp.org/stories/haiti-wfp-bring-food-devastating-quake
World Bank
http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/LACEXT/
0,,contentMDK:22440566~pagePK:146736~piPK:146830~theSitePK:258554,00.html
World Health Organization (WHO)
http://www.who.int/hac/crises/hti/en/index.html





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Author Contact Information

Rhoda Margesson
Maureen Taft-Morales
Specialist in International Humanitarian Policy
Specialist in Latin American Affairs
rmargesson@crs.loc.gov, 7-0425
mtmorales@crs.loc.gov, 7-7659


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Key Policy Staff

Area of Expertise
Name/Title
Telephone
E-mail
Maureen Taft-Morales
Haiti
Specialist in Latin
7-7659 mtmorales@crs.loc.gov
American Affairs
Rhoda Margesson
Humanitarian Issues
Specialist in International
7-0425 rmargesson@crs.loc.gov
Humanitarian Policy
Steve Bowman
Military Assistance
Specialist in National
7-5841 sbowman@crs.loc.gov
Security
Marjorie Ann Browne,
United Nations
Specialist in International
7-7695 mbrowne@crs.loc.gov
Relations
Peter Folger
Earthquakes
Specialist in Energy and
7-1517 pfolger@crs.loc.gov
Natural Resources Policy
Julissa Gomez Granger,
General
Information Research
7-8981 jgomezgranger@crs.loc.gov
Specialist
J. F. Hornbeck
Trade
Specialist in International
7-7782 jhornbeck@crs.loc.gov
Trade and Finance
General
Anne Leland, Information
Research Specialist
7-4704 aleland@crs.loc.gov
Ruth Ellen Wasem
Immigration
Specialist in Immigration
7-7342 rwasem@crs.loc.gov
Policy
Martin A. Weiss
Debt Relief
Specialist in International
7-5407 mweiss@crs.loc.gov
Trade and Finance


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