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OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHPU #0371/01 0931640
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O 031640Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9813

UNCLAS PORT AU PRINCE 000371 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR WHA/CAR AND H 
H PLEASE PASS TO CODEL CONYERS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OREP PGOV PREL ASEC HA
SUBJECT: SCENESETTER FOR CODEL CONYERS'S VISIT TO HAITI, 
APRIL 6-7 
 
REF: STATE 31244 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary:  Your visit comes as the Haitian 
President and his new Prime Minister face difficult 
challenges in the aftermath of the April 2008 food riots 
and a devastating 2008 hurricane season.  The storms and 
resulting flooding displaced hundreds of thousands of 
people and made Haiti's already dire economic situation 
worse.  More than 75 percent of Haitians live on less than 
two U.S. dollars per day.  Violent crime and drug 
trafficking remain problems despite significant progress on 
security issues since President Rene Preval's election in 
¶2006.   In the midst of Haiti's rebuilding efforts, its 
electoral authority is preparing long-overdue partial 
Senate elections, scheduled for April 19.  Visits in March 
by UN SYG Ban Ki-moon, former President Clinton, and UN 
Security Council representatives have focused U.S. and 
international attention on Haiti just as it heads toward an 
April 14 conference of donor countries in Washington, 
D.C.  Your visit will afford you the opportunity to survey 
USG efforts to strengthen democratic institutions and the 
rule of law in Haiti and encourage President Preval to make 
progress on important reforms.  End summary. 
 
MODEST PROGRESS INTERRUPTED BY RIOTS, FLOODS 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) Haiti is the hemisphere's poorest and most 
politically troubled country.  After the collapse of the 
Duvalier dictatorship in 1986, Haiti experienced a 
succession of military regimes and popularly-elected 
governments, interspersed with coups d'etat, the departure 
of an elected President in the midst of an armed rebellion, 
and other destabilizing events.  Even 
democratically-elected leaders sometimes resorted to 
political violence or failed to hold constitutionally 
mandated elections.  All these factors have exacerbated 
political instability and economic stagnation.   Although 
the two years following the departure of then-President 
Jean-Bertrand Aristide in 2004 were marked by violence and 
occasional disorder, the government that resulted from the 
presidential and legislative elections of 2006 gave Haiti a 
new chance to consolidate political stability and stimulate 
investment and economic growth.  However, rioting in April 
2008, caused in part by rising food and energy prices, 
brought political progress to a halt.  While there was 
genuine social grievance behind the April protests, much of 
the associated violence was organized by political forces 
seeking to oust then-PM Jacques-Edouard Alexis and 
capitalize on the resulting instability.  The Senate voted 
to dismiss PM Alexis on April 12. 
 
¶3. (SBU) In the five months following the dismissal of former 
PM Alexis and his cabinet, the Haitian government was 
paralyzed by political gridlock.  Parliament rejected two 
Prime Ministerial candidates on specious grounds.  After 
Preval nominated his third candidate, Michele Pierre-Louis, 
Haiti was hit by a series of hurricanes and tropical storms 
in August and September.  The resulting flooding killed 
almost 800 people, displaced hundreds of thousands more, 
crippled the country's transportation infrastructure, 
devastated livestock and crops, and caused nearly USD 1 
billion in damage.  In the face of strong public pressure to 
confirm a government able to respond to the hurricane damage, 
Parliament confirmed Pierre-Louis on September 5. 
 
MIXED RESULTS ON COUNTERNARCOTICS, SECURITY EFFORTS 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
¶4. (U) With considerable USG assistance, the Preval 
administration continues the struggle to overcome pervasive 
corruption, weak governance, and mismanagement, but this 
effort was complicated by the food riots in April and the 
impasse that resulted from the dismissal of former PM Alexis. 
 Haiti's government, however, with assistance from 
international donors -- principally the United States, the UN 
peacekeeping force, and Canada -- continues to promote the 
restoration of the rule of law.  The Haitian National Police 
(HNP) is midway through a reform plan to vet HNP personnel 
and build up the police force to 14,000 officers by the end 
of 2011, but weaknesses in law enforcement and the judiciary 
remain. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Narcotics trafficking is a growing problem in Haiti. 
 Despite Haitian and international efforts, Haiti's 1,125 
miles of shoreline, poorly controlled seaports, and numerous 
clandestine airstrips make it an attractive transshipment hub 
for drug traffickers to move cocaine and marijuana to the 
United States.  U.S. counternarcotics efforts focus on 
 
strengthening the HNP (including the Haitian Coast Guard) and 
providing technical assistance with anti-corruption and 
strategic planning measures.  The Drug Enforcement Agency 
shares intelligence with Haitian authorities, conducts 
bilateral investigations, and provides training.  The 
Embassy's Narcotics Affairs Section (NAS) procures vehicles 
and equipment for the HNP, funds police academy and 
in-service training, and refurbishes and constructs police 
stations.  NAS also oversees U.S. Treasury training and 
technical assistance to investigators, judges, and 
prosecutors involved in money laundering and corruption 
cases.  Defense Department representatives are working to 
increase the capacity of the Haitian Coast Guard, a sub-unit 
of the HNP, to interdict narcotics shipments and illegal 
migrants.  Upcoming funding from the Merida Initiative will 
help Haitian authorities establish a base in Port-de-Paix, on 
Haiti's northern coast. 
 
¶6. (U) The UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) is 
the product of unprecedented hemispheric security cooperation 
among regional partners of the United States.  Brazil, 
Uruguay, Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, and Peru contribute over 
half of MINUSTAH's 7,000 troops.  This UN mission, which we 
strongly support, makes a crucial contribution to Haiti's 
security and stability.  Under the leadership of SRSG Hedi 
Annabi and Force Commander Major General Floriano Peixoto 
Veira Neto (Brazil), over 7,000 MINUSTAH troops and 2,000 
police remain critical to maintaining the minimal security 
Haiti needs, filling the gap left by inadequate force levels 
and capabilities of the HNP.  In MINUSTAH's UN police 
operations pillar, Formed Police Units (gendarmerie-type 
police units from individual contributor countries) aid the 
HNP with riot control operations, as they did during the 
April 2008 disturbances.  UN Police (UNPOL) advisors from 
various countries, including the United States, provide 
support to HNP operations. 
 
ECONOMY STAGNANT 
------------------ 
 
¶7. (SBU) The two decades of political instability following 
the collapse of the Duvalier dictatorship caused economic 
regression and stagnation to the point that Haitian GDP per 
capita, today around USD 700 per year, is barely higher 
than it was in the late 1950s.  More than 80 percent of the 
population lives below the poverty level, and at least 60 
percent of the population is unemployed or underemployed. 
The Preval government has focused primarily on security but 
has done little to facilitate foreign and domestic 
investment and create jobs.  Current perceptions of 
security levels, inadequate infrastructure, and an 
inhospitable business climate deter investment in Haiti 
today.   The August storms reduced the 2008 growth rate to 
1.3 percent, less than the 2.5 percent population growth 
rate.  We have encouraged President Preval and the 
Government to help Haitian and foreign investors take 
maximum advantage of the second Haiti Opportunity Through 
Partnership Encouragement Act (HOPE II), a trade preference 
bill that allows many types of textiles manufactured in 
Haiti duty-free access to U.S. markets.  That program thus 
far has created about 11,000 jobs. 
 
LONG-DELAYED ELECTIONS SCHEDULED FOR APRIL 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶8. (SBU) Amidst the country's rebuilding efforts, Haitian 
authorities are preparing to hold elections for the 12 
vacant seats in the 30-member Senate, a void that has made 
it difficult for that body to muster a quorum.  Haiti's 
electoral authority, the Provisional Electoral Council 
(CEP), is organizing the April 19 balloting.  The USG has 
already made USD 4 million available to help fund the 
elections, and international donors will contribute 
approximately USD 11 million of the budgeted USD 16 million 
in election-related expenses.  The terms of another third 
of the Senate, along with the entire Chamber of Deputies, 
will expire in January 2010, necessitating yet another 
round of elections in November of this year. 
 
¶9. (SBU) The April elections have generated considerable 
controversy, primarily because the CEP disallowed the 
candidacies of all applicants from Fanmi Lavalas, the 
fractured political party of former President Aristide. 
CEP officials announced February 5 that Lavalas candidates 
had all failed to provide an explicit authorization by 
Aristide to represent the party in the coming elections. 
Aristide, currently in exile in South Africa, declined to 
provide explicit authorization for any candidate, or to 
formally delegate that authority to any of the Lavalas 
 
leaders present in Haiti.  The fact that two factions of 
Fanmi Lavalas presented competing lists of candidates 
further undermined the party's case.  The CEP did not 
relent to calls from the major international donors to make 
the elections more inclusive.  Protests organized by 
Lavalas activists have so far failed to inspire significant 
grassroots support. 
 
DONOR CONFERENCE SET FOR APRIL 
------------------------------ 
 
¶10. (SBU) A donor conference is scheduled for April 14 in 
Washington to help Haiti address the significant damage 
wrought by the 2008 riots and hurricane season, and to shore 
up a difficult budget year for the Haitian Government.  Haiti 
is likely to use the conference to press for direct budget 
support, although international donors generally prefer to 
work through international NGOs, public international 
organizations, or UN agencies in view of the limited 
technical capacity of GOH institutions. 
 
THE ASSISTANCE PICTURE: RULE OF LAW/GOVERNANCE 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶11. (U) Our assistance efforts in Haiti -- financed by USAID, 
CDC, the State Department's Bureau of International Narcotics 
and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL/NAS), and the U.S. Coast 
Guard -- seek to implement reforms, build public 
institutions, improve law enforcement and corrections 
capability, and help deliver basic services.  Rule of Law 
programs target Haiti's justice system by helping increase 
judicial authorities' administrative, management and 
technical capacity.  Good Governance programs provide 
technical assistance and training to Haiti's Parliament in 
the areas of legislative drafting, legal and judicial reform, 
and rules of procedure.  Programs aimed at conflict 
mitigation address poverty and gang-related violence through 
creation of short- and long-term employment and transfer of 
job skills trough labor-intensive reconstruction of social 
and productive infrastructure.  Another program targets the 
Provisional Electoral Council to help it solidify its 
organization and modernize the voter registration process. 
Civil society programs assist a variety of local media, 
regional journalist associations, and public service 
associations, including those that monitor corruption. 
 
HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE 
----------------------- 
 
¶12. (U) The steep rise in food prices in 2008 followed by the 
four hurricanes sharply exacerbated Haiti's chronic food 
insecurity, to which approximately 3 million Haitians are now 
exposed.  USAID contributed USD 45 million in emergency food 
aid and another USD 14 million for post-hurricane recovery. 
USAID is continuing its programs to build disaster early 
warning, response and mitigation capacity.  The Ambassador 
officiated in November at the ground-breaking ceremony for an 
Emergency Operations Center for Haiti's disaster response 
agencies.  Following the hurricanes, Congress appropriated an 
additional USD 96 million over three years for the 
restoration of public services, repairs to public use 
infrastructure, provision of income-generating activities, 
asset restoration, and support to affected families. 
 
HEALTH AND EDUCATION/ECONOMIC GROWTH 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶13. (U) Basic health programs help increase access to 
essential health services in 72 public sector clinics and 80 
NGO clinics.  Nearly 50 percent of Haiti's population 
receives at least some health services financed by the USG. 
USAID-financed education programs include a new basic 
education project to strengthen the Ministry of Education's 
management and supervisory system, help it extend supervision 
over the vast private-sector education system, and provide 
scholarships.  Social assistance programs support Haiti's 
most vulnerable citizens.  Economic growth programs target 
trade and investment, financial sector programs for small and 
medium enterprises, and programs for agricultural 
productivity and marketing.  Reducing environmental 
degradation is the goal of USD 25 million in programs that 
focus on restoring watersheds to thwart periodic flooding. 
 
HIV/AIDS RELIEF 
--------------- 
 
¶14. (U) Haiti has the highest rate of HIV/AIDS infection in 
the Western Hemisphere.  The President's Emergency Plan for 
AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) will provide just short of USD 100 
 
million in FY 2009 to prevent infections and place 
HIV-positive persons into treatment.  Implemented by USAID 
and CDC, PEPFAR programs target HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis, 
but also benefit large parts of Haiti's health care system. 
The PEPFAR program in Haiti is the largest in the hemisphere. 
 
POLICE REFORM/CORRECTIONS 
------------------------- 
 
¶15. (SBU) The U.S. is the lead donor in implementing the 
MINUSTAH/Haitian National Police (HNP) reform plan, which 
foresees building up the HNP from its current strength of 
9,600 to 14,000 officers by the end of 2011.  In concert with 
MINUSTAH's mandate to enhance Haiti's border security, the 
U.S. Coast Guard provides training for the Haitian Coast 
Guard, financed by INL/NAS.  Facility renovations, additional 
boats, and a new operating base on the north coast will be 
funded by INL/NAS in 2009.  The U.S. made a commitment in 
2007 to assist in improving the conditions and respect for 
human rights in Haiti's prison system, and remains the lead 
donor to Haiti in this sector. 
SANDERSON