FY 2006 World Disasters Report

Today marked the release of the FY 2006 Disaster Report [link], put together by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (185 chapters in all). The topic of the report is 'forgotten disasters', defined as disasters which are unreported, unaccounted for, and/or under-funded. A selection of chapters included unsafe motherhood in Nepal, famine in Malawi, boat migrants to Europe, etc.

An audience member asked if Haiti could be considered a disaster, having lost most of its forest cover which has exponentially made Haiti more vulnerable to disasters such as flood and mud-slides. According to Jerrod Diamond, who has compared Haiti and the DR, side by side in his book 'Collapse', Haiti will go the way of Easter Island...eventually unable to support life.

First of all, I think this pessimism grossly under-estimates the toughness of Haitians. Second, countries are able to turn themselves around when the right precedents are in place. Mozambique, an utterly dirt poor post-conflict country, has been able to make significant gains in recent years. They too are prone to disasters, but with time, have become better crisis managers as opposed to passive responders. The money may be in disaster response, but disaster preparedness is what will save lives and infrastructure.

Mozambique is not completely stable. But it is stable enough. Stable enough to attract investment, retain human talent, and sink money into social investments besides keeping its capital city safe. Haiti may have all the problems of the developing world except landmines, but there is still hope. Leadership and stability alone won't do it, but it creates an environment conducive to change.

Haiti may never/probably will never/won't ever be a developed country. The damage is severe. However, I hope that one day it can feed itself, provide a social safety net for its people, part of which would be preparing for and responding to disasters.