Evaluation of International Assistance Programming in Haiti, 2016-17 to 2020-21 - Management Response and Action Plan (MRAP)
This evaluation covers the period from 2016 to 2021. During this period, Canada's programming in Haiti had been developed in response to the Strategic Development Plan put in place by the Haitian authorities, which aimed to make Haiti an emerging country by 2030. The scope of Canadian programming was then broadened from 2017 to also respond to the priorities set out in Canada's Feminist International Assistance Policy (FIAP). Added to this were the occurrence of multiple natural disasters (Hurricanes Matthew and Imam in 2016 and 2017, and earthquakes in 2018 and 2021) and economic shocks, coupled with the vulnerability of the Haitian population to cope with these. This led to the further expansion of Canadian programming to meet a multitude of needs at a time when the Haitian state did not have the capacity to finance the delivery of essential services to the population, nor to effectively manage and coordinate external aid, including that from Canada. For example, when Haitian ministries were reshuffled or staff changed, Canada's new interlocutors often had little or no knowledge of Canada's development programming. To facilitate synergies and collaboration between the development, trade and policy sectors, Global Affairs Canada (GAC) undertook restructuring between 2019 and 2020. As a result of this restructuring, the staff assigned to managing GAC's development program in Haiti was significantly reduced, both in the field and at headquarters. All these factors contributed to difficulties in communicating with the Haitian authorities, as well as with a number of stakeholders in the intervention sectors of Canada's development programming in Haiti during the period covered by this evaluation.
Since then, the political, security and humanitarian situation in Haiti has deteriorated considerably: a political impasse, a significant increase in violence perpetrated by armed gangs, a sharp rise in food insecurity and a reduction in donor commitments have made the population even more vulnerable. To better address this multi-dimensional crisis and its multiple challenges, in 2021 Canada renewed its commitment to Haiti with programming that embodies a "triple-Nexus" approach, combining more closely the mechanisms of humanitarian assistance, development aid and the strengthening of Haiti's security sector. In the short term, this approach aims to work closely with the Haitian authorities, the international community and civil society to combat insecurity, impunity and corruption, promote political dialogue and respond to the most urgent humanitarian needs. In the longer term, it aims to reduce poverty, particularly in the most vulnerable communities, by improving living conditions, and respecting and protecting human rights, especially those of women and young people. To better respond to the multiplicity of these challenges, particularly in terms of security, and to make up for the shortage of personnel, in the fall of 2022 Canada set up a task force bringing together the main players within GAC (humanitarian, development and peace and security) and other government departments (Royal Canadian Mounted Police and National Defence), and has also allocated additional resources dedicated to coordinating Canadian and international aid in the area of security, enabling a better surge capacity and management of Canada's response to the crisis in Haiti.
| Recommendations | Commitments | Actions | Responsibility Centre | Date Completed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1. NDH should focus the program in Haiti, targeting a limited number of intervention pillars and a longer-term programmatic approach that can maximize the impact of Canadian aid on structural strengthening, stability and governance, and sustainability. | NGM/NDH agrees with this recommendation. Projects in 2016 and subsequent years were guided by a country strategy for the Haiti Program that was developed in cooperation with Haitian authorities. For at least 5 years, numerous changes in the country’s stability, Government of Canada priorities, the various targets to be met and pressing needs to be addressed have all been factors that contributed to the fact that the program is in so many sectors. | 1.1 If the situation and resources allow for it and in cooperation with various stakeholders, the Haiti Program will undergo a sector analysis to identify strategic actions that take into account Canada’s expertise. Following the results of this analysis, the program will be able to focus its actions and investments in key sectors and establish measurable and sustainable results in terms of the structural strengthening, thus contributing to improved stability and governance in Haiti. This analysis will take into account vulnerability factors relating to environmental risks and susceptibility to natural disasters from a program perspective that will guide the projects’ approach. It will also evaluate the action required to strengthen the monitoring and evaluation framework and methods to support the identification and reporting of results and ensure that projects systematically develop realistic exit and transition plans to allow for local ownership. | NGM/NDH with the support of PRNCE | June 6, 2024 |
2. NDH should ensure continued and strengthened collaboration with Haitian stakeholders (credible and legitimate actors from the Haitian state, Haitian civil society, and local communities) in international assistance planning to foster project ownership, the use of endogenous solutions, and the sustainability of results from a localization of aid perspective. | NGM/NDH partially agrees with this recommendation. Cooperation with all stakeholders is always pursued. Canada actively participates in numerous sectoral tables and maintains bilateral relationships with various stakeholders. The Government of Haiti and the relevant civil‑society organizations are also an integral part of the governance of projects funded by Canada. The current situation (difficult political and security context, i.e. lack of democratically elected government, showdown between the police and gangs) poses several challenges to ongoing and effective cooperation, particularly with Haitian authorities, who are significantly weakened by this situation. | 2.1 In areas where there are challenges, the Haiti Program is committed to fully restoring cooperation with all stakeholders, when the political and security climate allows it to do so, to set the course for an improved local ownership of development. In the meantime, we will continue to engage the Government of Haiti in our planning, even without a response on their part. The Embassy of Canada to Haiti will continue to engage and undertake political dialogue with the Government of Haiti. | NGM/NDH with the support of PRNCE | Target date to be determined when situation allows |
3. NDH should mobilize branches active in Haiti (IFM, KFM, MFM) to develop a collective analysis of the context of fragility and vulnerabilities to improve linkages between branches in a triple nexus approach and programming effectiveness. | NGM/NDH agrees with this recommendation. | 3.1 NDH will regularly consult the branches active in Haiti (IFM, KFM, MFM) with the goal of developing a collective analysis of the fragility and vulnerability context allowing for an improvement in the alignment of the branches in a triple Nexus approach and ensuring the effectiveness of the programming. This analysis will be based on and complement the Canadian Integrated Conflict and Fragility Analysis Process (CICAP) and the Integrated Peace and Security Plan (IPSP) made by PSOP and will also be informed by various internal and external sources, including reports on security and on various sectors made by the FSSP, PRNCE and the security task force, as well as reports from the United Nations, development banks, NGOs and other relevant information sources. This collaboration aims to establish a joint planning to develop common objectives. It also aims to identify solutions and practices to improve, on an ongoing basis, the communication between the branches and the connections between their actions. | NGM/NDH with the support of PSOP, KFM, MFM | December 31, 2023 |
4. NGM should develop a human resources strategy to equip HQ and mission with the required capacity and skills, for example, by identifying surge capacity to meet increased workloads and prioritizing the recruitment of staff with experience in managing development programs related to the triple nexus. | NGM/NDH partially agrees with this recommendation. During the internal restructuring that took place from 2016 to 2021, several positions within the program were eliminated (from 40 in 2016 to 25 in 2021. In 2016, there were 13 positions within the development program at headquarters, including a program director. In 2021, the number of positions was reduced to 9 and the program director position was abolished along with 2 project officer positions. For the same year, the development section at the Embassy went from 14 to 12 positions, of which only 8 positions are filled.) These cuts led to the departure of skilled employees with significant expertise in several key areas, such as project management and analysis. Recruitment processes, rotational, non‑rotational, FS vs. PM, that are outside the control of NDH are also obstacles to recruiting and retaining staff. Moreover, the high workload at headquarters and in the field, which is increasing with the various crises in Haiti, and which affects the security situation in the field, are major barriers to hiring competent employees. | 4.1 The Haiti Program established a task force working group in the Fall of 2022 to provide surge capacity for managing the current security crisis in Haiti. This team is made up of members from NDH, PSOP, RCMP and DND. However, this team exists at the expense of existing human resources within NDH, thus reducing NDH’s ability to absorb an increased workload. Moreover, the position of Head of Cooperation in Haiti has been established again and no longer includes political functions, in order to strengthen development capacity in the field. 4.2 The program will consider the option of creating, within the department and in other departments, an opportunity for an assignment within this task force and, in this way, regaining the three NDH team members who were assigned to the task force. 4.3 The program in collaboration with human resources will explore the possibility of prioritizing recruitment and offering incentives to recruit staff in the mission with established experience in managing development programs relating to the triple Nexus. | NGM/NDH with the support of HFP and PRNCE | June 30, 2024 |
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