ARTICLE - ALL ABOUT THE HRF

ALL ABOUT THE HAITI RECONSTRUCTION FUND (HRF)
(Haiti Libre) -

The public does not really know the role of the Haiti Reconstruction Fund (HRF) and even fewer the members of the HRF Secretariat team. We invite you to discover the HRF and these women and men in charge of this institution that allocates hundreds of millions of dollars to the Reconstruction of Haiti.

The Haiti Reconstruction Fund (HRF) is a partnership between the international community and the Government of Haiti to help finance post-earthquake reconstruction. The HRF mobilizes, coordinates and allocates contributions from bilateral and other donors to finance high-priority projects, programs and budget support. Proponents partner with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the United Nations (UN) or the World Bank (WB) to ensure that international standards for quality, good governance and financial management are met. All proposals for HRF financing must be endorsed by the Interim Haiti Recovery Commission (IHRC) as consistent with the Action Plan for the Recovery and Development of Haiti.

The HRF does not manage all of the resources pledged for rebuilding but is the largest source of un-earmarked financing. The HRF does not set reconstruction priorities or directly advise the Government. The Fund does not implement projects but rather works through implementing agencies that are acceptable to one of its three partners. It encourages coordination and the improvement of local capacity while building on each agency/actor’s comparative advantage.

The Haiti Reconstruction Fund (HRF) became effective on May 11, 2010 with an initial contribution by Brazil of US$55 million.

The HRF Secretariat

Joe Leitmann, a U.S. national, is the HRF Manager with responsibility for all aspects of the Fund's Secretariat. He has 30 years of international development experience with the World Bank, the U.S. Peace Corps and as a consultant in reconstruction, climate change, environment, forestry, urban development, clean energy, appropriate technology, and agriculture. Joe has a PhD in city planning from UC Berkeley and a Master's in public policy from the Harvard Kennedy School.

Diego Osorio, a Canadian national, is the HRF Senior Operations Officer with responsibility for communications, coordination with partners, donor relations, preparation of Steering Committee meetings, and acting on behalf of the Manager. He has 15 years of international experience with MINUSTAH, the UN Volunteer Programme, NATO, OCHA, UNDP, the Government of Canada, WFP, IOM, and other UN agencies. Diego has a Master's in international law and economics from the World Trade Institute and in public policy from the Harvard Kennedy School.

Pauline Zwaans, a Dutch national, is the HRF Operations Officer with responsibility for supporting all aspects of the Secretariat. She has six years of international development experience with the World Bank and UNHCR in agriculture, rural development, food security, and trust fund management. Pauline has a Master's in international relations from the University of St. Andrews and in international development and economics from the Johns Hopkins School for Advanced International Studies.

Sarah Mondiere, a Haitian national, is the HRF Team Assistant with responsibility for assisting the Secretariat team to perform their functions. She has six years of administrative experience with the Agence Française de Développement, USAID and the European Union. Sarah is currently completing her Bachelor of Arts and Law Degree
from the State University of Haiti.

Jean Yves Saint Dic, a Haitian national, is the HRF Logistician with responsibility for transportation and information technology. He has two years of experience with the World Bank, Sourire Rent-a-Car and Aproco. Jean Yves has a certificate in Computer Sciences from INUQUA, a private university in Haiti.