ARTICLE - HAITI RECONSTRUCTION FUND

UPDATE ON THE HAITI RECONSTRUCTION FUND (HRF)
(Haiti Libre) -

The Haiti Reconstruction Fund (HRF) informs that the HRF Steering Committee has to date approved funding requests totaling US$274 million for 17 projects. Of this US$254 million for 15 projects or 93% of approved funding has been transferred to Partner Entities.

Of the US$274.08 million in project funds allocated, 93% or US$254.08 million has already been transferred to the respective Partner Entity. The United Nations serves as Partner Entity for ten out of the seventeen approved projects, representing 47% of total project funds allocated. The World Bank supervises three projects and the Inter-American Development Bank four projects, representing respectively 38% and 15% of project funding approved.

Fifteen projects are under implementation with total project-level disbursements at US$55.73 million, representing 20% of total funds approved for projects. Project level disbursements increased by 43% in the last three months. This rapid increase in disbursements shows that project implementation is now well underway.

Some key results from projects under implementation include, 171,810 cubic meters of debris have been removed, temporary employment has been created for 3339 people through debris removal activities, 1503 permits for mechanical and manual destruction of red homes were obtained, the demolition of the general hospital of the University of Haiti will be completed at the end of December (6000 cubic meters will have been removed at this site), set up and operationalization of two workshops for the training and production of construction materials out of recycled debris, 200 people trained in disaster risk management and over 300 people in IDP camps trained in First Aid, 5 new community evacuation centers constructed in Port-au-Prince and Petit Goave, and 9 community centers rehabilitated in Gonaives, Delmas, Port-au-Prince, Jacmel, Cabaret and Tabarre, Completion of the return to a sustainable housing solution in their neighborhoods of origin for the displaced families in Place Saint Pierre and Place Boyer, the 2010 budget gap was filled through emergency budget support, a school census to assist in the strengthening of the governance of the education system was completed, land studies are underway for the construction of 7 schools, 120,000 school kits are being procured for the 2012-2013 school year, Guarantees were issued for a value of US$3.3 million, guaranteeing US$10.6 million in loans through three Banks. The guarantees assisted 245 micro-enterprises and 8 medium-sized enterprises.

The donor contributions to the HRF represent 16% of total funds disbursed for the reconstruction of Haiti as of December 2011. The HRF funding has been a significant source of flexible financing to respond to government priorities and to finance activities in underfunded sectors and regions. Most notably, the HRF has contributed 22% of the funding for IHRC-approved projects in the South.

During the last quarter the HRF received two final project funding requests from the IHRC before the end of its mandate on October 21st. A total allocation of US$7 million for the Development of Milk Production and Processing in Haiti and the Support to the Education Plan and Reform in Haiti was approved by the Steering Committee on October 31st. Following the end of the mandate of the IHRC, the Government of Haiti has decided to transfer the responsibility of the review and approval of HRF funding requests to the Prime Minister’s Office. With the approval of 17 projects to date, the overall processing time for HRF funding requests is on average 116 days.