In response to the new wave of violence in Haiti, the United Nations has announced the allocation of 12 million dollars from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), the United Nations central emergency response fund – also supported by Italy to enable an effective and rapid response to humanitarian crises by organizations present on site.
Since February 29, 2024, armed groups have set fire to the Haitian cities of Port-au-Prince and Artibonite, to force Prime Minister Ariel Henry to resign. On March 3, following the escape of several thousand inmates from a prison that had been attacked by criminal gangs, a state of emergency was declared. An estimated 50,000 people have had to leave their homes to escape the violence since the start of the year.
The latest data from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) shows a 14% increase in acute food insecurity (5 million people). The closure of hospitals and healthcare facilities has a negative impact on hundreds of thousands of people. The CERF allocation for Haiti will strengthen the operational capabilities of the agencies, so that they can reach the areas under the control of armed groups and guarantee the population access to basic services.
Specifically, the sum will be allocated to a multi-sectoral response (food security, WASH, protection and health) to displaced people and the communities that are hosting them, treatment for acute malnutrition among children and support for hospitals.
Since its establishment, Italian Cooperation has invested in CERF according to the annual budget availability from the portion dedicated to humanitarian aid. In light of growing global humanitarian needs, since 2016, Italian support to the United Nations fund has been steadily increasing. In 2022, Italy reached (for the first time since the establishment of CERF) 9th place among the Fund’s donors, with over 17 million dollars. In 2023, the disbursement of 15 million euros allowed to position itself in the group of the main 10 donors of the Fund which currently sees the Netherlands, United Kingdom, Sweden, Germany, Norway, Denmark, Canada, USA, Belgium and Italy.