From the 2018 anti-corruption protest up to now, the state of ungovernability in Haiti has progressively worsened and the situation is deteriorating day by day. While the space for humanitarian access to the population held hostage by armed gangs is in danger of closing, people are dying every day from violence and starvation, all avoidable losses of life.
AVSI has been working in Haiti since 1999 implementing development and humanitarian aid projects. Due to the major humanitarian crisis over the last 5 years, AVSI's activities have increasingly focused on emergency interventions in response to the massive needs of the population, without however losing sight of building lasting development.
Funds are currently inadequate to cover these skyrocketing needs, as the Scale Up of Humanitarian Action adopted by U.N. Agencies in April 2023 has not yet resulted in an actual increase in funding and the security situation is constantly worsening, causing the cost of operations to increase.
Only 26% of the Humanitarian Response Plan 2023 is covered with funding.
(UNOCHA)
AVSI and Hon. Fabio Massimo Castaldo, former Vice-President and Non-Attached Member of the European Parliament, are organizing the round-table discussion "Haiti: act now to overcome the crisis" on Monday, November 27 (at 3-5 pm CET) to raise attention to this country and to recommend immediate concrete actions.
On this occasion, AVSI will present a position paper that, drawing on its long experience in the field and direct knowledge of the local reality, describes the current context and points to specific areas where donors and implementers can act immediately to help accompany Haiti out of the crisis.
This document will be further enriched with the outcomes of the discussion and new proposals for action.
Download AVSI position paper on Haiti
Haiti: act now to overcome the crisis. The event
Concrete proposals from the field
Brussels, European Parliament Meeting Room SPINELLI 1G1 | Monday, November 27, 2023 | From 3 to 5 pm (CET)
Languages: English and French
Co-hosts and organizers: AVSI Foundation in collaboration with Hon. Fabio Massimo Castaldo, Former Vice-President and Non-attached Member of the European Parliament
In-person event: registration required by November 20, 2023.
The program
3:00 - 3:10 PM Introduction
- Fabio Massimo Castaldo, Former Vice-President and Non-Attached Member of the European Parliament
- Maria Laura Conte, AVSI Communication Director
3:10 - 3:45 PM Haiti: the current context
- Stefano Gatto, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the European Union to the Republic of Haiti (online)
- Jocelyne Colas, Executive Director of “Commission Episcopale Nationale Justice et paix” (online)
Presentation of AVSI’s Position Paper
Fiammetta Cappellini, AVSI Regional Manager in the Caribbean
3:45 – 5:00 PM Reactions, additions and dialogue
- Uberto Vanni D’Archirafi, Special Envoy for the Caribbean, Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (online)
- Valentina Auricchio, Head of Unit Asia, Latin America, Caribbean and Pacific, DG ECHO
- Marisela Silva Chau, Head of Delegation Panama (covering Haiti, online) and Stephanie Siklossy, Deputy Head of Delegation to the EU, NATO and the Kingdom of Belgium, International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
- Carmen Blanco Reinosa, Head of Haiti Office, Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) (online)
- Ferdinando Regalia, Manager of the Social Sector (SCL), Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)
- Nilse Ryman, Regional Manager, Global Partnership for Education (GPE) (online)
- Laura Lima, Global Programs Manager, Cities Alliance
- Mónica Silvana Gonzalez, Member of European Parliament (S&D)
Moderator: Maria Laura Conte, AVSI communication director
Closing remarks from the debate
Nesmy Manigat, Minister of Education and Vocational Training of the Republic of Haiti (online)
Conclusion
Fabio Massimo Castaldo, Former Vice-President and Non-Attached Member of the European Parliament
How to participate
If you registered by November 20, 2023, you should have received a confirmation e-mail.
- Please be at the main entrance of Place Luxembourg 15 minutes before the event. After the badges have been distributed by the assistants, each person must undergo a security check on site.
- Please bring a valid ID or passport (you will not be able to enter without it).
- Please stay close to the assistants that will guide you to the room and later on to the exit.
