Public-Private Partnerships for Sustainable Development

by Robert M. Worth, PPAF Volunteer

Recognizing the health problems created by burning solid fuel for household cooking and heating, a group of concerned organizations launched the international Partnership for Clean Indoor Air (PCIA) at the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development

The Public-Private Alliance Foundation recently joined the Partnership’s approximately 400  partners in their efforts to reduce the impact of exposure to indoor air pollution by helping households adopt clean, efficient indoor cooking and heating methods.  The Foundation began working with biofuels and bioenergy in 2008 in the Dominican Republic, and has since organized four conferences related to ethanol, biofuels and bioenergy. The Foundation is currently working with partners to bring ethanol-burning clean cookstoves to Haiti. 

According to the World Health Organization, over three billion people rely on solid fuel, such as coal and biomass, for cooking and heating; the resulting indoor air pollution leads to over 1.5 million deaths annually. Because they spend more time preparing meals and near cookstoves, women and children are disproportionately affected.

PCIA takes a comprehensive approach to reducing reliance on solid fuel for cooking and heating by focusing on four priority areas: meeting social/behavioral needs; developing local markets; improving technology design and performance; and monitoring impacts of interventions. It assists with capacity building and provides technical assistance, project implementation, and knowledge management.

These efforts have led to 1.4 million households adopting clean cooking and heating practices, reducing exposure to indoor air pollution for more than 7.6 million people.

PCIA expects to impact 6 million more households by the end of 2010.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is the lead for the US government, and Winrock International is also part of the secretariat.  For more information, see: http://www.pciaonline.org/ and the Foundation’s involvement:  http://www.pciaonline.org/public-private-alliance-foundation

While videos don’t replace a visit to Jacmel, here are some that give a flavor of its history and charm, its devastation after the January 12 earthquake, and a glimpse into opportunities for the future.

Jacmel, Haiti (Documentary)  – March 11, 2008 (en francais) - Productions Fanal.   This documentarty is about the town of Jacmel located in the southeast of Haiti. The film talks about Jacmel’s history and its contribution to haitian culture, art, literature, and so on. (in French)

Reviving Jacmel: Haiti’s Cultural Capital - February 16, 2010 – Time Magazine

The Power Brokers  Meet a few of the key players in Jacmel. - April 6, 2010, Globe and Mail – embedded in the article.

Jacmel, Tourist Area in Haiti, Decimated by Quake - January 18, 2010, Associated Press

 Jacmel – Haitian Port City Shattered, Forgotten - January 17, 2010, Miami Herald

The World Summit for the Future of Haiti was held in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic on June 2, 2010   It was hosted by Dominican President Leonel Fernandez who opened summit along with Haitian President Rene Preval,  U.N. special envoy to Haiti former president Bill Clinton and Haitian Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive.  This was a follow up to the summit held in New York on March 31 in which a total of almost 10 billion dollars was pledged by the various countries and international organizations that attended.

The June 2 summit was organized in effort to begin to review the funds that had already been pledged in the months following the New York summit. The day was spent discussing ways to create and implement initiatives aimed at rebuilding the Haitian infrastructure after the devastating earthquake of January 12. The focus was on projects that would restore some of Haiti’s most basic systems such as water, sewage and electricity, as well as building housing for the many displaced Haitians.

Fifty-four donor countries and 35 international organizations attended the summit. According to President Fernandez, by its close, a total of 7.81 billion was promised to help aid in the reconstruction of Haiti- still short of the 10 billion originally pledged in New York.  Most of these funds have not yet been delivered.

“ All this leads to the figure of US$6.71 billion. If we add the US$1.30 billion offered by the United States in the Summit in New York to that, we’ve already identified US$ 7.81 billion in pledges for Haiti’s reconstruction” (President Fernandez) .

 Former President Clinton and Prime Minister Bellerive are charged with using $ 5.3 billion of those dollars to fund various reconstruction projects over the next 18 months. The new Interim Commission for the Reconstruction of Haiti (ICRH), will have their first meeting on June 14th to discuss further details.

Another concern was the safety of the million or so Haitians who are now homeless and susceptible to the 2010 Hurricane season which began June 1. Efforts are being made to ensure their protection and secure housing for the refugees in order to shield them from the effects of the harsh season and prevent further tragedy.

“We have more than one million people that are currently living in very precarious conditions, in camping tents,” stated Clinton, who is the United Nation’s Special Envoy to Haiti. “We can not allow for people to die during this Hurricane Season because they inhabit temporary dwellings.”

As Haiti starts to recover from the earthquake, but while access to much of the promised funding is yet unavailable, it’s important to remember the beginnings of the tragedy.

The PPAF YouTube channel now provides links to several videos from the United Nations in Action series that recount the first two months after the earthquake in Haiti.   Also linked is an earlier video on the protection of mangroves in the north. 

MINUSTAH hit hard by Haiti’s earthquake

Haiti’s Earthquake disaster

Haiti: Emergency medical care after the quake

Haiti: Search and rescue

Haiti: Food aid continues

Haiti Earthquake: UNICEF helps children to reunite with their families

Les soins médicaux d’urgence à la suite du séisme en Haïti

L’aide alimentaire continue en Haïti

Durement touchée par le tremblement de terre en Haïti

L’opération de recherche et secours en Haïti

Haiti: mangrove protection

The Haiti Economic Lift Program (HELP) Act of 2010  (H.R. 5160) was passed by both houses of Congress and signed into effect by President Obama on May 24, 2010.  A broad spectrum of organizations, from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to Oxfam America, supported passage of this act,  which allows Haiti to increase its apparel exports to the US duty free and extends existing US trade preference programs with Haiti for 10 years.  This should create many new jobs in Haiti, which are desperately needed to aid recovery from the earthquake. 

FAVACA, the Florida International Volunteer Corps, has announced that Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, P.A. (ST&R), a customs and international trade law firm, will provide a free Webinar about the HELP Act and how to do more business in Haiti.    This will take place on Tuesday, June 8, from 1:00 – 2:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. (Webinar ID #1109).

The presentation  will include details of these expanded benefits, including:
· New apparel products covered
· Increased Tariff Preference Levels for Knit and Woven apparel made from 3rd country inputs.
· Extended duration of Preference Programs for Haiti
· Modified earned import allowance ratio for knit and woven apparel,
· New duty free treatment for made-up textile products wholly assembled or knit to shape in Haiti.
 
The one hour webinar will be presented by Tom Travis and Elise Shibles.

Register online at  www.strtrade.com
Select “Invoice Company” as the payment method when registering, to allow registration to go through.  There will be no invoice and Login information details will be sent within 24 hours of registration.

PPAF and SImACT, Inc. will hold the Reconstruction and Business Opportunities in Southern Haiti conference on June 12-13 at the Cap Lamandou Hotel in the coastal city of Jacmel.

Nearly 50 participants from over 30 organizations have registered, and represent businesses, professional associations, NGOs, media outlets and government officials from the U.S., Haiti, Canada, the Dominican Republic and several other countries.

The event will focus on areas of development and business including agriculture, infrastructure including seaport and airport, ethanol cookstoves, energy, housing and construction, distribution, tourism, transportation / logistics, the Historic District of Jacmel, social venture capital, healthcare, education, microfinance and art & artisans.

Participants will tour the area and will be able to meet local and national governmental authorities, become acquainted with needs and opportunities in Southern Haiti, and meet potential investors and business and NGO partners.

Jacmel, home to artisans and the arts, historic buildings that predate New Orleans, beautiful beaches and a developing tourist site, was strongly affected by the earthquake – for example, the hospital was demolished and many lost their homes or places of business. But large parts of the city remain untouched, and as the main city in Southeastern Haiti, Jacmel offers important prospects for reconstruction, for business and tourism and for development toward a bright future. The government of Haiti has proposed Jacmel for placement on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Must Reading!  If you’re not already familiar with it, view the on-line website of The Globe and Mail, published in Toronto, Canada.  That site is devoting significant amounts of space to “Project Jacmel: A City Rebuilds.”   PPAF would like to commend the paper for its excellent coverage, which surpasses anything else available.

Click here for a description of the concept and passions behind Project Jacmel, as well as facts about the city and area.  Articles posted cover seven principal areas and characters:  store, tent city, hotel, the student, power brokers, artisans, church, plus the blog and other stories.

Le vendredi après-midi 11 Juin, PPAF et SImACT, Inc. tiendront une table ronde sur la reconstruction dans le sud de Haïti a la Conférence de la Chambre de commerce américaine << Construire une Nouvelle Haïti >>

Les membres du groupe seront: Patrick Delatour, ministre de Haiti pour le Tourisme (et reconstruction); Dr. Lesly Kernisant, président de SImACT, Inc; Roland Zenny, président de la Chambre de commerce de Jacmel et le Dr David Stillman, directeur  exécutif de PPAF.

Le lendemain matin, les inscrits partent pour le voyage à Jacmel.

PPAF et SImACT, Inc. tiendront un événement sur la reconstruction dans le sud de Haïti, à l’Hôtel Cap Lamandou à Jacmel les 12-13 Juin. L’événement mettra l’accent sur les domaines du développement retenues par les participants. Domaines possibles: agriculture, infrastructures, notamment portuaires et aéroportuaires, les fourneaux à l’éthanol, l’énergie, le logement et construction, distribution, tourisme, transport / logistique, l’arrondissement historique de Jacmel, de capital-risque social, la santé, l’éducation, la microfinance, l’art et les artisans et autres thèmes identifiés par les personnes inscrites. Les participants seront en mesure de répondre aux besoins locaux et ses autorités gouvernementales nationales, se familiariser avec les besoins et les possibilités dans le sud de Haïti, et de rencontrer des investisseurs potentiels et les entreprises et les ONG partenaires.

Coût du voyage à Jacmel est de 100 $, payable PPAF. Voir le formulaire d’inscription, qui devrait être soumis et payés par Juin 1.

Cet événement aura lieu immédiatement après la « Construire une nouvelle Haïti » conférence, qui sera tenue du 9 au 11 Juin nord de Port-au-Prince (au Club Indigo, la Côte des Arcadins, Montrouis). PPAF / SImACT assurera le transport du Club Indigo à Jacmel le samedi matin, 12 Juin et le retour à Port-au-Prince, le 13 Juin, à ceux qui s’inscrivent à ce sujet. L’espace est limité. SVP vous inscrire avant le 1er Juin en utilisant ce formulaire d’inscription.   D’obtenir le formulaire en francais, email:  ppafoundation@gmail.com

NOTE: Si vous souhaitez séjourner jours supplémentaires, écrivez à ppafoundation@gmail.com pour plus de détails.

PPAF y SImACT, Inc. llevará a cabo un evento sobre la reconstrucción en el sur de Haití, en Cap Lamandou Hotel en Jacmel en junio 12 a 13. El evento se centrará en áreas de desarrollo elegido por los participantes. Posibles áreas: agricultura, infraestructura, incluyendo puertos y aeropuertos, las estufas de etanol, energía, vivienda y construcción, distribución, turismo, transporte / logística, el distrito histórico de Jacmel, capital de riesgo social, la salud, la educación, la microfinanciación, el arte y la artesanía y otros temas identificados por los solicitantes de registro. Los participantes podrán reunirse con las autoridades gubernamentales locales y nacionales, se familiaricen con las necesidades y oportunidades en el sur de Haití y se reunirá con inversionistas potenciales y socios de negocios y organizaciones no gubernamentales.

Gastos de viaje lado Jacmel es de $US 100, a pagar a Public-Private Alliance Foundation (PPAF). Ver la ficha de inscripción, que debe ser presentado y pagado por 01 de junio. Este evento tendrá lugar inmediatamente después de la conferencia “Construyendo un Nuevo Haiti” celebrará del 9 al 11 de junio en el norte de Port-au-Prince (Club Indigo, Costa Arcadin, Montrouis). PPAF / SImACT proporcionar transporte Club Indigo en Jacmel en la mañana del Sábado, 12 de junio y volver a Port-au-Prince el 13 de junio, aquellos que se inscriban en este tema. Favor de registrarse antes de 01 de junio de usar este formulario de registro.   email: ppafoundation@gmail.com para el formulario en espanol.

NOTA: Si usted desea permanecer días adicionales, por favor escriba a ppafoundation@gmail.com para más detalles.