In a statement released this week, Nigel Fisher, the Humanitarian Coordinator of the UN in Haiti, revealed that the call for funds of 382 million U.S. launched in 2011 by the humanitarian community through the Consolidated Appeal Process (CAP) received only 55% of the needs expressed, resulting in the progressive and continuing withdrawal of many partners providing critical services in camps and cholera-affected areas.

Currently, the 2012 CAP of US$ 231 million is funded at 8.5%.

The Government of Haiti and its humanitarian partners express their deep concern over the lack of financial resources at their disposal for continued humanitarian operations and for sudden onset disaster response. This scarcity of resources is curtailing their ability to fully provide frontline services to the most vulnerable population.

Although the camp population has declined dramatically since 2010, almost half a million people still live in camps, exposed to cholera outbreaks and risks of flooding that will be exacerbated by the upcoming rainy and hurricane season from May to November.

Due to this funding shortfall, Haiti was selected to receive an emergency allocation of US$ 8 million dollars through the United Nations Central Emergency Fund (CERF) window for underfunded crises. This grant will enable partners to address urgent priority needs, but it will not be sufficient to match the many challenges faced by humanitarian actors in 2012.

The humanitarian community is urgently requesting US$ 53.9 million for the April-June period.

Without proper funding, the many resettlement initiatives that have benefited hundreds of thousands of displaced people are likely to be terminated. The gains in the fight against cholera through the promotion of hygiene practices may be lost and the existence of hundreds of thousands of IDPs living in camps will be in danger.

HL/ HaitiLibre