On February 7th, 2007, Stewart Patrick spoke on a panel at an event sponsored by the United States Institute of Peace entitled “Haiti: No Longer a Failed State?” In his remarks, he offers reflections from his recent visit to Haiti and addresses four main points:
The marginal utility of describing Haiti as a “Failed State”
The inter-relationship among the main sets of challenges facing Haiti: (a) Security and the Rule of Law; (b) Institutions of Governance; (c) Development, including growth and social welfare
The need for donors to end their dysfunctional approach to Haiti, which has kept it a dependent ward of the international community, by embracing state building.
The transnational spillovers resulting from Haiti’s endemic state weakness, notably the reciprocal relationship between (a) drug trafficking and (b) Haiti’s insecurity, dysfunctional governance and stalled development.