Haitians may yet have a stadium to match their passion for soccer. Below is a New York Times blog about a stadium scheduled for construction in Cite Soleil. The majority of the $5 million dollar project will be financed by Delos LLC as part of the Clinton Global Initiative. The stadium will seat 12,000 but could be expanded to 20,000 over time. Best of all, it will be built with local materials and by local workers, maximizing the economic impact.
The Fund for Peace and Foreign Policy Magazine released the 2011 Failed States index today. Of 177 countries, Haiti was ranked the fifth most vulnerable when compared against twelve key social, economic, and political indicators. Few would dispute Haiti’s fragility. Still, the index does not convey that Haiti has major assets, such as its Diaspora and potential for economic development. Improvements depend in large part on the extent to which Haitian civil society and the international community can have confidence in the leadership of the Haitian government. A fair assessment or not? Please feel free to post your thoughts in the comment section.
Below is a report released by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on the current state of reconstruction efforts in Haiti. It identifies ten critical issues for rebuilding Haiti. A recurring theme is the tension between the desire for the Haitian government to lead and the reality that, without increased human and technical resources, it will not be able to do so. Financial resources alone will not be sufficient. The report also emphasizes the United States Government must do a better job of coordinating with the broader international donor community and ensure that it supports Haitian plans/priorities. For now, Haiti remains at a crossroads between relief and development.
