Roland Dubertrand, Ambassador of France in Dominican Republic told reporters after having accompanied a group of French senators who visited yesterday the Congress, to exchange ideas with their Dominican counterparts, that "France is committed, since the earthquake of January 2010 for 486 million euros in aid for the reconstruction in Haiti" [?]

According to the diplomat, of this total, over 50% have been disbursed and helped build schools, hospitals and public buildings [?] However, the Ambassador acknowledged that the reconstruction process has not progressed as had been expected, justifying the delay by the fact that it is a very complex process...

If we refer to the article that we published in May 2010, on the financial commitments of the France, which at the time was supposedly of 306 million euros, https://www.haitilibre.com/article-151-haiti-reconstruction-aide-de-la-france-des-promesses-a-moitie-prix.html (in french) it seems that nothing has really changed and the commitments of France are in reality at least, at 50% of effects of announcements...

Especially since the official figures (Source IHRC) report for 2010 alone, the commitments of the France (in USD) are:

Reprogrammed funds : 23,427,867

New funds : 145,992,602

Total : 169,420,469 dollars (2010 only either ± 120 million euros)

What is far from the 486 million euros supposedly committed since the earthquake.

If we add the commitments of the France for 2011

Reprogrammed funds : 18,494,684

New funds : 67,817,509

Total : 86,313,194 dollars (for 2011)

For a Grand Total of (2010-2011): 255,733,663 dollars (either ± 200 million euros... either ± 40% of the amount advanced by Ambassador)

On these "commitments" of $ 255 million, 46 million are not allocated, 74 million are in budget support and $136 million in p136 million in projects assistance. First question: Where are these schools, hospitals and public buildings, which according to Ambassador represent over 50% of 486 million euros ? Second question from where are these 486 million of commitments that are not included in the figures of the IHRC (even as a mere promises) ?

It is time that our new president asks to the "friendly countries" detailed accounts of what is actually promised, committed and disbursed, what remains to be paid and what was actually done with that money. It would be a first real step towards change.

HL/ HaitiLibre