[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 1 (Wednesday, January 23, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E15]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               CURRENT UNITED STATES POLICY TOWARDS HAITI

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, January 23, 2002

  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my 
deep concern regarding current United States policy towards Haiti.
  Haiti, a country slightly smaller than the state of Maryland, is 
about 475 miles off the coast of the United States. It is the poorest 
country in the Western Hemisphere. 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 
TUNAIDS, 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%. 
Haiti's infant mortality rate stands at 74 of every 1,000 births, 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. 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 dangerously narrow 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. Among the blocked loans are $22 million to improve 
education, $23 million for health care, and $61 million for water and 
sanitation projects. Mr. Speaker, 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. If we 
do not act now, the deplorable conditions in Haiti will lead to a 
further deterioration in living conditions, social unrest, and a 
possible refugee crisis that will certainly affect our shores.

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