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While canals have filled up with trash in Port-au-Prince, extensive cleaning by the Government and  the international community has helped to improve the situation.

Over the past few days, UN Humanitarian Coordinator Joel Boutroue has been assessing the damage caused by Hurricane Gustav in some of the poorest neighborhoods in Port-au-Prince, including Cite Soleil and Marissant.  This hurricane caused major flooding and mudslides in the southern of Haiti and parts of Santo Domingo. 

“While there are many areas which experienced serious flooding and, tragically, casualties in particular in the South, the scale of the damage in Port-au-Prince does not seem to be as extensive as we have seen in the past,” Boutroue said. 

Boutroue attributed this to projects aimed at reducing flooding in the capital city.  Until recently, huge piles of trash would block the drainage canals resulting in severe flooding in these neighborhoods.  While canals are still blocked, extensive cleaning by the Government and  the international community has helped reduce the gravity of the situation.  UNDP is also playing an important role in this, notably through a project which collects garbage in one large slum area, and recycles it in particular into briquettes used to cook food. 

A UNDP-sponsored project that collects garbage in one large slum area, and recycles it into briquettes used to cook food..

Boutroue was accompanied by UN Under-Secretary-General and UNDP Associate Administrator Ad Melkert who is in Haiti on an official visit. While in Haiti, he met with President Preval and cabinet ministers, and discussed the role the international community has to combat severe poverty and strengthen Haiti’s ability to recover from years of stalled development.

“In my view, there are three vital areas for progress in Haiti: employment, energy, and environment,” Melkert said.   “Currently, Haitians have huge unemployment, limited access to energy, and severe environmental degradation. The international community, working with the Haitian government, should invest in policies and programmes which link these issues in a sustainable way.”

UNDP Associate Administrator Ad Melkert (left) and UN Humanitarian Coordinator Joel Boutroue (right) assessing flood-affected areas on a map of Haiti

Haiti is often hit by tropical storms and hurricanes during the Atlantic hurricane season, which lasts from June until November each year.  These storms can severely set back development efforts in a country already beset with huge social, economic and environmental challenges which decrease its capacity to respond and cope with natural disasters.

In 2004, when tropical storm Jeanne hit Haiti, particularly the Gonaives region, 300,000 people were affected and over 3,000 Haitians lost their lives.  This storm also carried an estimated financial cost of US$265 million - 7% of Haiti's GNP. 

UNDP has been working with Haiti's national disaster risk management system since 1999, after hurricane George prompted the government to establish a national civil protection programme.