Humanitarian response to the 2010 Haiti earthquake

A survivor pulled from the debris of the Hôtel Montana

The response to the 2010 Haiti earthquake included national governments, charitable and for-profit organizations from around the world which began coordinating humanitarian aid designed to help the Haitian people. Some countries arranged to send relief and rescue workers and humanitarian supplies directly to the earthquake damage zones, while others sought to organize national fund raising to provide monetary support for the nonprofit groups working directly in Haiti. OCHA coordinates and tracks this on a daily basis.[1] The information is disseminated through the UN news and information portal, ReliefWeb. As of September 5, 2013, ReliefWeb have reported a total relief funding of $3.5 billion given (and a further $1 billion pledged but not given).[2]

A number of countries sent large contingents of disaster relief, medical staff, technicians for reconstruction and security personnel. Notably, the governments of the United States, the UK, Israel, the Dominican Republic, Canada, Brazil, Italy and Cuba[3] sent over 1,000 military and disaster relief personnel each, with the United States being by far the largest single contributor to the relief efforts. The international community also committed numerous major assets such as field hospitals, naval vessels, a hospital ship, aircraft carriers, transport aircraft and emergency facilities soon after the extent of the disaster became apparent. Dominican Republic was the first country to mobilize resources to aid and rescue Haiti immediately after the earthquake.

Progress in responding to the earthquake was hampered by a number of factors, including loss of life, a number of aftershocks, destroyed infrastructures, collapsed buildings blocking streets, the lack of electricity for gasoline station pumps, loss of the capital's seaport, and loss of air traffic control facilities. The damage to the Haitian government ministries, all of which suffered varying degrees of facilitys' destruction and personnel deaths, impeded coordination of the disaster response.

In April 2010, the Haitian government asked that food distribution in the Pétionville camp cease in order to allow the normal economy to resume.[4]

Appeals for aid

Appeals for international aid were immediately requested by Raymond Joseph, Haiti's ambassador to the United States and his nephew, singer Wyclef Jean,[5] The American Red Cross quickly announced that it had run out of supplies in Haiti and appealed for public donations.[6]

Response by national governments

Rescue supplies delivered to Haiti from US Navy ships

Response by intergovernmental organizations

EU

In early January 2010 the EU released €3 m in emergency funding.[7]

The European Council and its member nations later announced more than €429 million (US$600,000,000) in emergency humanitarian aid, rehabilitation aid and medium-to long-term reconstruction aid.[8] The aid was to be provided as detailed:

Humanitarian Assistance

The EU pledged €122 million in humanitarian assistance: Emergency relief aid package: €30 million (incl. a €3 million ECHO fast-track decision). Commission funds were to be distributed via UN agencies, international NGOs and the Red Cross. €92 million from member countries.

Support for Early Recovery and Reinforcing State Capacity.

The European Commission pledged to provide €100 million for short term recovery and rehabilitation.

Reconstruction and Rehabilitation.

The European Commission pledged to provide €200 million from the 10th and 9th EDF funds for Haiti. They would be in addition to bilateral contributions from EU Member States' budgets.[9]

The European Union thus pledged at least €429 million to Haiti in both emergency and humanitarian aid to help the medium and long term work of rebuilding the country devastated by the earthquake. In addition, the 27 countries decided to send some 150 troops from the European Gendarmerie to ensure that humanitarian aid would reach the people affected by the earthquake.

The financial contribution of the EU as a whole totaled €429 million, broken down as:

Organization of American States

The Organization of American States donated US$100 000.[11]

Union of South American Nations

The Union of South American Nations pledged US$300 000 000 to help rebuild Haiti on long terms. A meeting was held in Quito in order to discuss how it would be utilized.[12]

United Nations

As the extent of the catastrophe unfolded, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon commented: "There is no doubt that we are facing a major humanitarian emergency and that a major relief effort will be required". The U.N. mobilized an emergency response team to help coordinate humanitarian relief efforts.[13]

Response by non-governmental organizations

Many non-governmental organizations, including international, religious and regionally-based NGOs, immediately pledged support in the aftermath of the 2010 Haiti earthquake. NGOs contributed significantly to both on-the-ground rescue efforts and external solicitation of aid for those rescue efforts.

Response by corporations

Responses by notable persons and groups

Response by online communities

Long term affect of humanitarian response

As of 2015, 5 years after the earthquake, over 500,000 victims were still living in temporary shelters without electricity, plumbing or sewage. Lack of proper sanitation is thought to be the foundation upon which the ongoing cholera outbreak is based.

Much of the US aid funding was hindered by US statutory restrictions limiting spending to US products, materials and employees, which had to be transported to Haiti. This not only raised the costs involved, compared to local, but also prevented the aid from stimulating the Haitian economy.[53]

See also

References

  1. "Haiti earthquake aid pledged by country", The Guardian, 14 January 2010.
  2. Reliefweb: Haiti Earthquakes funding tracker http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/fts.nsf/doc105?OpenForm&rc=2&emid=EQ-2010-000009-HTI
  3. Tom Fawthrop. "Cuba's Aid Ignored By The Media?", AlJazeera.net, February 16, 2010. With a total of 930 health professionals, Cuba initially sent the largest medical contingent to Haiti. Another group of 200 Cuban-trained doctors from twenty-four countries in Africa and Latin American, and a dozen American doctors who graduated from medical schools in Havana, went to Haiti to provide reinforcement to existing Cuban medical teams. By comparison, the internationally renowned Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF or Doctors without Borders) had approximately 269 health professionals working in Haiti. MSF is much better funded and has far more extensive medical supplies than the Cuban team. One of the extraordinary features of media coverage of the international response is that most western media more or less ignored the huge Cuban role despite official praise from PAHO,WHO and UNICEF. http://www.projectcensored.org/12-cuba-provided-the-greatest-medical-aid-to-haiti-after-the-earthquake/ Retrieved July 14, 2010.
  4. St. Pierre, Mary (April 23 – May 6, 2010). "Rebuilding Haiti one small step at a time". Florida Catholic (Orlando, Florida). pp. A1.
  5. "Appeals for aid after quake strikes Haiti". CNN. 13 January 2010
  6. "American Red Cross says it has run out of medical supplies in Haiti". latimes.com. Associated Press. Archived from the original on 2010-01-16. Retrieved 2010-01-15.
  7. "RTÉ News: Charities appeal for Haiti earthquake aid". Rte.ie. 2010-01-13. Retrieved 2010-01-13.
  8. Sapa-AFP (2010-01-18). "EU earmarks over €420 million for Haiti". Businessday.co.za. Retrieved 2010-01-23.
  9. "Factsheet on Haiti earthquake". EU Commission. 20 January 2010. Retrieved 8 August 2013.
  10. "EU nations pledge $575 million for Haiti aid – Yahoo! News". News.yahoo.com. Archived from the original on 2010-01-22. Retrieved 2010-01-23.
  11. "OAS donates $100,000 in aid to Haiti". Etaiwannews.com. Associated Press. 2010-01-15. Retrieved 2010-01-23.
  12. http://english.cctv.com/program/worldwidewatch/20100210/108198.shtml
  13. U.N. chief calls on world to help crisis-hit Haiti.
  14. "Security Council authorizes 3,500 more UN peacekeepers for Haiti". UN News Centre. 19 January 2010.
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  20. OCHA, "OCHA's Response – Fact Sheet", 29 January 2010 (accessed 9 February 2010)
  21. "Aniston donates $500k to Haiti appea". Ireland Online. January 26, 2010. Retrieved 2010-01-26.
  22. "Charles Aznavour to record music video to raise funds for quake-stricken Haiti". Kuwait Times. January 18, 2010. Retrieved 18 January 2010.
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  24. 1 2 3 Donaldson-Evans, Catherine (15 January 2010). "Gisele Gives $1.5M to Haiti, Other Stars Step Up to Help". People. Retrieved 16 January 2010.
  25. "Samuel Dalembert of the Philadelphia 76ers supports UNICEF's emergency relief efforts in Haiti :: News from the Field :: Media Center :: U.S. Fund for UNICEF". Unicef Usa. 2010-01-15. Retrieved 2010-01-23.
  26. "Leonardo DiCaprio Donates $1 Million to Haiti Relief". Hollyscoop.com. Retrieved 2010-01-23.
  27. Haiti earthquake: 'Baby Doc’ Duvalier pledges £5m aid
  28. Press Association (14 January 2010), "Brown urges Haiti quake donations", The Guardian (London), retrieved 15 January 2010
  29. "The Queen's message to The President of Haiti". Official website of the British monarchy. Royal Household. Retrieved 23 December 2013.
  30. "United Nations Foundation » Evanescence Teams Up with the United Nations Foundation". unfoundation.org. January 22, 2010. Retrieved 2010-01-22.
  31. "Welcome to the United Nations Foundation: Donate to the CERF". Unfoundation.org. Retrieved 2010-01-23.
  32. Vena, Jocelyn (15 January 2010). "Lady Gaga Pledges Haiti Earthquake-Relief Donation On 'Oprah'". MTV. Retrieved 16 January 2010.
  33. "Lady Gaga Fans Raise $500,000 For Haiti". ContactMusic.com. 27 January 2010. Retrieved 27 January 2010.
  34. "Alyssa Milano: My Tweet Challenge: Will A Corporation Match My Donation?". Huffingtonpost.com. Retrieved 2010-01-23.
  35. Patricia McDonagh and Jason O'Brien, Irish Independent, "O'Brien pledges €3.5m as charities plead for money", Thursday January 14, 2010
  36. "Tampa Bay Rays' Carlos Peña doing anything he can to help neighbors in Haiti – St. Petersburg Times". Tampabay.com. Retrieved 2010-01-23.
  37. "T-ara is donating $10,000 of their own income to Haiti". Allkpop.com. 2010-01-19. Retrieved 2010-01-23.
  38. "James Taylor to Perform Benefit Concert for Haiti at Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center". TheaterMania.com Theater News. 2010-01-19.
  39. "Miguel Tejada lleva ayuda a Haití". Elnuevodiario.com.do. 2009-08-16. Retrieved 2015-06-16.
  40. "John Travolta flies aid and Scientologist group to Haiti". USA Today. January 26, 2010. Retrieved 2010-01-26.
  41. "'House' star Olivia Wilde in Twitter appeal for Haiti earthquake | Amy Andrews Gossip Girl". IrishCentral. 2010-01-13. Retrieved 2010-01-23.
  42. 1 2 "Oritsé talks of the disaster in Haiti". JLSOfficial.com. Retrieved 2010-01-19.
  43. "Tiger Woods donates $3m to Haiti quake victims". Timesofindia.indiatimes.com. 2010-01-15. Archived from the original on 2010-01-18. Retrieved 2010-01-23.
  44. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/8477345.stm BBC
  45. http://www.justgiving.com/CharlieSimpson-HAITI
  46. http://www.mirror.co.uk/celebs/news/2010/01/26/simon-cowell-praises-schoolboy-charlie-simpsons-haiti-fund-as-it-hits-s160-000-115875-21995249/
  47. James Meikle (2010-01-25). "Schoolboy Charlie Simpson raises £120,000 for Haiti". London: The Guardian. Retrieved 2010-01-26.
  48. 1 2 "London boy raises £130k for Haiti quake aid by cycling". BBC. 2010-01-25. Retrieved 2010-01-26.
  49. "Charlie's Fundraising for Haiti page". JustGiving. 2010-01-26. Retrieved 2010-01-26.
  50. Agnes Teh (2010-01-25). "Boy, 7, raises $240,000 for Haiti appeal". CNN. Retrieved 2010-01-26.
  51. "Direct Relief International: Support Us – Tributes:". Dri.convio.net. Retrieved 2010-01-23.
  52. "Belfast's Haiti Relief Fund". fastfude.org. 2010-02-01. Retrieved 2010-02-02.
  53. "Haitian Money Pit". Vice (29). 24 April 2015. Retrieved 14 May 2015.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to 2010 Haiti earthquake relief efforts.
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Emergency aid
Contacting friends and relatives in Haiti
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