[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 158 (Thursday, November 15, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2084-E2085]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                   UNITED STATES POLICY TOWARDS HAITI

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, November 15, 2001

  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to 
express my deep concern regarding current United States policy towards 
Haiti.
  Haiti's human and development statistics are alarming. The life 
expectancy of the average Haitian is only 53 years, and this number is 
certain to decline as the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the country becomes even 
more severe. According to UNAIDS, the United Nations agency responsible 
for addressing the HIV/AIDS pandemic, more than 5% of the adult 
population is HIV-positive, and some sectors of the population have 
infection rates of over 50%. In other human development categories, 
Haiti's record is just as lamentable. Half of Haitian adults are 
illiterate, and more than 1 in 4 children under the age of 5 are 
malnourished. Haiti ranks 152nd out of 174 on the United Nations 
Development Program's Human Development Index, below such countries as 
Bangladesh and Sudan.
  In previous years, the United States pursued a constructive 
relationship with Haiti, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. 
Between FY 95 and FY 99, the United States provided $884 million in 
critical development assistance funds to support agricultural 
development, democracy and governance, teacher training, health care, 
and many other programs. The United States also supported multilateral 
institutions that worked to improve the lives of ordinary Haitians. 
More recently, however, the United States has pursued a myopic policy 
towards Haiti and has used its veto power to prevent the disbursement 
of funds from multilateral institutions such as the World Bank and the 
Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). The board of directors of the 
IDB has already approved $146 million in social sector loans for Haiti, 
but because of United States policy, these funds have been blocked from 
improving the lives of 8 million Haitians. This policy must change.
  In order for the living standards and life chances of ordinary 
Haitians to improve, international development assistance is critical. 
The United States must change its current policy towards Haiti so that 
it may receive multilateral funds for pressing development needs.

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