Haiti Aid: Throwing Good Money After Bad?
As Haiti goes to the polls, is it an aid success or a triumph of “disaster capitalism”?
The Real Story · BBC World Service
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Show Notes
Five and a half years ago Haiti was hit by a massive earthquake, affecting three million people. It was already the poorest country in the Americas, and the disaster prompted an unprecedented response – including the largest-ever humanitarian appeal launched by the UN in the wake of a natural disaster. Haiti is now choosing its new parliament and the Prime Minister has described the elections as a “significant moment” for the country.
So is Haiti a “republic of NGOs” or a burgeoning democracy? Is it an example of the success of aid, or the poster child of “disaster capitalism”? Join Owen Bennett Jones and his panel of experts as they discuss how the international community can make sure that its response to natural disasters doesn’t do more harm than good.
Photo: A US Navy helicopter by Haiti's presidential palace, shortly after the January 2010 earthquake. Photo credit: AP Photo