OCHA Situation Report
Haiti
Report for September 2006
26 October 2006


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

I. OPERATIONAL ENVIRONMENT AND SECURITY SITUATION

1. According to MINUSTAH and UNDSS reports the security situation 
improved in the whole country, with only minor security incidents. 
Nevertheless in Port au Prince the violence intensified since July and, 
despite the joint efforts of the MINUSTAH and the Haitian National 
Police (HNP), the scene of routine murders in some areas of the capital 
along with kidnapping randomly occurring in different parts of the town, 
even during daily hours, continue to be high risk factors.

2. As per request of Haitian Government, MINUSTAH had to give priority 
to improve the security in the capital, deploying military staff from 
the different regions and concentrating them in some strategic areas. At 
the same time MINUSTAH and the HNP have increased their presence around 
Cite Soleil and other neighbourhoods of Port-au-Prince (Simon-Pele, Cite 
Militaire) as well as in other provincial cities, and a significant 
number of alleged criminals and weapons was arrested/seized.

3. The resources of MINUSTAH remain focused on securing the environment 
and increasingly participating in joint operations within the framework 
of the announced "campaign against criminality". Escorting humanitarian 
operations has been reduced / reviewed on a case by case basis depending 
on security environment, purpose of the mission and available MINUSTAH 
resources.

4. Concerning the electoral process, in September 2006, the President of 
Haiti officially announced the local elections, scheduled for the 3rd 
December 2006, for which it will be required a total budget of US$ 16, 9 
million. Some donors have already confirmed their contributions: USAID - 
US $ 4 millions; EU - US$ 5 millions; Canada - US$ 4 millions; Japan - 
US$ 0.8 millions. Nevertheless, it is neither yet clear which will be 
the contribution of the Government of Haiti nor of other donors.

5. The Provisory Electoral Committee (CEP), the Organization of American 
States (OAS) and MINUSTAH work together to facilitate the electoral 
process. In this sense, the Electoral Assistance Section of the UN 
peace-keeping mission works, in coordination with the CEP, in order to 
give a technical, logistic and security support.

II. HUMANITARIAN COORDINATION

6. A two-day workshop (19 and 20 September) on the UN Humanitarian 
Reform was organized by the OCHA Regional Office for Latin America and 
the Caribbean area (RO-LAC), the OCHA Office in Haiti and the UNDP and 
attended by UN Agencies' representatives and focal points of the 
peace-keeping mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), as well as members of 
International Federation of the Red Cross (IFCR). The head of RO-LAC 
presented the main components of the reform, such as the cluster 
approach, the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) and the 
strengthening of humanitarian coordinators' capacities. This workshop, 
lead by the OCHA RO-LAC, was the first at country level in the whole 
region. Afterwards on September 21st, during the bi-weekly Humanitarian 
Forum, OCHA shared the main goals of UN Humanitarian Reform with NGOs, 
donors and international organizations.

7. To start implementing the Humanitarian Reform in Haiti, the UN 
Technical Committee for the preparation and the response to natural 
disasters has submitted a proposal to the UNCT, concerning the cluster 
approach, that having to be validated. This draft proposes to give the 
leadership of the cluster on water and sanitation to PAHO/WHO, with the 
collaboration of UNICEF, in order to continue the current coordination 
structure in this sector. IOM have confirmed its close support to the 
clusters concerning shelter, early recovery and protection (emergency 
education).

8. Regarding the MINUSTAH Task Force on Martissant (a poor slum of 
Port-au-Prince), a meeting was held between community leaders and 
MINUSTAH representatives. The improving of security situation is 
mandatory in order to continue development activities in the zone.

9. Concerning the National Poverty Reduction Strategy (NPRS), a specific 
committee has to be set up in each department. In this sense, the Tables 
de Concertation, which currently exists in some departments, could be 
enlarged to form these committees. For those departments not currently 
having this coordination mechanism, Civil Affairs Section and HDCS, of 
MINUSTAH, have submitted a joint project proposal on the 
capacity-building under the UN Transitional Appeal.

10. A meeting organized by the Delegation and the Directorate of 
Planning and External Cooperation for the West Department met around the 
same table, for the first time in many years, the majority of 
departmental authorities in this Department. The aim of the meeting, 
supported by the Humanitarian and Development Coordination Section 
(HDCS) of MINUSTAH was to bring together the departmental authorities to 
discuss the implementation of two coordination mechanisms:

a) The Technical Council, as a monthly meeting for departmental 
directors chaired by the departmental delegate.

b) The Table de Concertation, as a monthly meeting to coordinate the 
provision of basic services and development activities which also 
includes UN agencies, NGOs and civil society organizations.

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