Public-Private Partnerships for Sustainable Development

Nou Bouke: Haiti’s Past, Present and Future has won a regional Emmy.  The film depicts the Haiti earthquake of 2010.   It can be viewed at http://vimeo.com/21211925 

Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/12/03/2530465/miami-herald-staff-wins-regional.html#ixzz1fctvakc0

At the Disaster Response and Recovery Summit in Orlando, Miyamoto International was a major sponsor and its president, Kit Miyamoto, made an impressive presentation on his company’s work for assessing earthquake damage in Port-au-Prince and engaging in repair of buildings.  See his presentation on Miyamoto’s Disaster Response Work in Haiti . Miyamoto also posted this video: Haiti Earthquake: One Year Later. 

On March 11 Kit Miyamoto was riding the subway in Tokyo when the Japanese earthquake and tsunami struck.   In a moment he became an observer, participant and expert.   He has written several circulars on what he has seen, and on March 24 his company posted this lengthy video Japan Earthquake March 11, 2011 – Presentation by Miyamoto  

Both the people of Haiti and Japan are suffering through the effects of calamity, and deserve all possible assistance.  Miyamoto International is one of the companies contributing to recovery.  We of the Public-Private Alliance Foundation offer condolences to families who have lost so much. those involved and a desire to work together for a brighter future.

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

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

We have just viewed the excellent video  Thirty-Five Long Seconds – the Earthquake in Haiti  which shows the collapse of the presidential palace and other immediate effects of the earthquake, as well as interviews with prominent Haitian government officials.  This is important to watch, to give again the context for the work needed and the work being done in Haiti.  Thank you to Jean-Marie Wolff of SImACT for bringing this to our attention.

Haiti:  Building Back Better was the underlying theme of three meetings held at the United Nations on February 24.  UN Webcasts are available for all three — click on the blue titles below.  

David Stillman spoke at the morning session – the Communications Workshop.  A group of PPAF and related colleagues attended, including Scott Wright and Jeanne Betsock Stillman, board members; John L. German, Senior Fellow; Rosario Rodriguez, Associate; and colleagues Rodney Leon and Renan X. Pierre, Haiti Initiative for Building, Infrastructure and Sustainable Communities (HIBISCUS), Alex Krutansky (businessman) and Dr. Leo Slutsky.  Stillman’s remarks can be found at:   39’42″ and Q&A at 1:12′ 53″ and 1: 35′

UN Department of Public Information/NGO Communications Workshop on “NGOs responding to crisis: Meeting new challenges – The case of Haiti“.  1 hr 49 min. Ambassador Jean-Wesley Cazeau, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Mission of Haiti to the UN, gave opening remarks on the situation in Haiti.  Speakers included: Nicholas Reader, Deputy Spokesperson of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA); Patrick McCormick, Senior Emergency Communications Specialist and Deputy Chief of Media Relations at UNICEF HQ; Jocelyn McCalla, Senior Advisor to the Special Envoy of Haiti for the United Nations; David Stillman, Executive Director of the Public-Private Alliance Foundation (PPAF); and Patricia Sacristan, past Chair of the Young Professionals for International Cooperation, United Nations Association of the USA, Southern New York State Division.  The Moderator was Gail Bindley-Taylor Sainté, Information Officer, NGO Relations, UN Department of Public Information.

Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General focused on the Situation in Haiti.  1 hr. 4 min. Anthony Banbury, Acting Principal Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) briefed journalists on the situation in Haiti.

Special Event: “Haiti Re-Building Against All Odds: Fostering Partnerships”.  1 hr. 41 min. Organized by the United Nations Association of Haiti in Collaboration with the Permanent Mission of Haiti to the United Nations.   The event was opened by Harvey Dupiton, new Secretary-General of the United Nations Association of Haiti.   Ambassador Francis Lorenzo, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Dominican Republic to the UN, co-founder of the UN Association of the Dominican Republic, and Vice-Chair of the PPAF Board, gave welcoming remarks.   Ambassador Leo Merores, Permanent Representative of Haiti to the United Nations, gave the keynote address.   Panels included ”Community Level Participation in Education and Health,” “Partnerships in Microfinance and a Diaspora-originated Investment Fund for Haiti” and ”How Can Haiti’s Dynamic Music and Art Culture Boost Development?”

Currently all United Nations Webcasts on Haiti are being grouped at the following site:  http://www.un.org/webcast/haiti.html

PPAF has posted materials on its website (see Events Section) relating to the Bioenergy Sectoral Meetings held at the National Energy Commission of the Dominican Republic from 2 to 4 December 2009.   This includes the Spanish language report approved by the CNE as well as links to the invitation, photos and videos filmed in the D.R. with Dominican TV Revista 110 and by PPAF.

PPAF ha publicado material en su sitio web (Sección Eventos), relativa a las reuniones sectoriales de Bioenergía, celebrada en la Comisión Nacional de Energía de la República Dominicana 2 a 4 diciembre de 2009. Esto incluye el informe en español, aprobado por el CNE, así como enlaces a la invitación, fotos y vídeos.

The meetings brought out the views of representatives from the public sector, the financial community and companies with pilot field experience, and academics and the private sector — over 55 people in total.  

En las reuniones participaron los representantes del sector público, la comunidad financiera y las empresas con la experiencia sobre el terreno, y los académicos y el sector privado – más de 55 personas en total.

In addition to the National Energy Commission (CNE) as host and leader, the Public-Private Alliance Foundation and ResearchPAYS, Inc. benefited from collaboration and sponsorship from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the RJS Group, S.A., and the United Nations Office for Partnerships (UNOP).  The December discussions expanded upon the recommendations reached at the introductory session held in Santo Domingo in early October, where Grupo Vicini, the Intergovernmental Renewable Energy Organization (IREO) and the Center for Export and Investment of the Dominican Republic (CEI-RD) were sponsors as well.

Además de la Comisión Nacional de Energía (CNE), como anfitrión y líder de la Public-Private Alliance Foundation y ResearchPAYS, Inc. beneficiado de la colaboración y el patrocinio del Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, el Grupo de RJS, SA, y la United Nations Office for Partnerships (UNOP). Los debates de diciembre ampliaron las recomendaciones formuladas en la sesión preliminar celebrada en Santo Domingo a principios de octubre, donde el Grupo Vicini, la Organización Intergubernamental de Energías Renovables (IREO) y el Centro de Exportación e Inversión de la República Dominicana (CEI-RD) fueron los patrocinadores también.

Life for millions of people in Haiti changed dramatically on January 12, 2010.  Current estimates make 100,000 a conservative estimate of deaths.   By January 15, the Dominican Republic was in the midst of responding to the crisis.  As a staging area for international assistance, the D.R. channeled popular and governmental outpouring of humanitarian aid.  Be sure to watch PPAF’s video on the crisis.

We have uploaded to PPAF’s Flickr photo gallery photos of readily visible external aid.  I spoke with Spanish pilots and firefighters.   The pilots were bringing in heavy equipment in C-130 transports.  The Poles, from the national fire department, are part of the United Nations International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG).

INSARAG is a global network of more than 80 countries and disaster response organizations under the United Nations umbrella.   It responds to urban search and rescue needs.   In addition to fire department work at home, the Polish group had worked in post-earthquake situations in Italy, Turkey and Pakistan.

Dominican Aid

PPAF has uploaded to its YouTube channel a video where I talk with Dr. Virgilio Malagon.  See Haiti Crisis: Dominican and PPAF Response . In addition to his role as adviser to the president of the National Energy Commission, he is a ham radio operator and long-standing volunteer with the National Emergency Commission. 

Malagon said that the D.R. is establishing a buffer zone to accommodate refugees from the crisis.  President Fernandez already traveled to Port-au-Prince to offer Dominican support.  Hardware supermarkets are donating quantities of hammers, shovels, picks and other equipment for Haitians seeking loved ones by hand, and lumber and other construction materials to start the reconstruction process.  The D.R. started a campaign for 100 pesos for Haiti, to encourage individuals to donate funds.  It had raised the equivalent of US$ 500,000 in a couple of days.

PPAF Role

We are mobilizing immediate and longer-term support through partnerships.  We encourage readers to see our blog of January 15 and to make contributions to Airline Ambassadors International and to Project C.U.R.E.  They obtain donated materiel and medical supplies and equipment and deliver this to areas in need.

In the coming months PPAF will work with its partners to establish jobs and other income generating activities that are crucial to help Haiti move beyond this crisis.  Planning and outreach have already begun.   PPAF partners have offered biofuel and generators, construction engineering consultancy and management, and links to various potential financial and professional resources.

Please consider giving to PPAF for its work in intermediate rebuilding of Haiti.

PPAF has uploaded a video of Dr. Virgilio Malagon, adviser to the president of the National Energy Commission (CNE), interviewed by Dr. David Stillman, PPAF Executive Director.  On January 15, 2010, they discussed results of the two seminars held in October and December 2009, of which PPAF was a co-sponsor.  The CNE President has declared 2010 to be the “Year of Renewable Energy” and aims to put into service at least 50-75 megawatts from wind power, solar panel and some thermal generation of electricity.   The link for the video is Renewable Energy in the Dominican Republic.

The CNE is formulating a national energy program involving perspectives from government, economic, financial and religious sectors.   Three main points are resources for the CNE, pilot projects and public education.   Malagon and Stillman agreed that PPAF should continue and strengthen its involvement with CNE in these matters.

Renewable Energy – Dr. Virgilio Malagon, CNE Adviser

Dr. Virgilio Malagon, Adviser to the President of the National Energy Commission of the Dominican Republic (Comision Nacional de Energia), discusses (en espanol) the recent October and December conferences on renewable energy.  Dr. David Stillman, PPAF Executive Director, also provides comments (in English).  The interviewer is Enriquillo Rivas, host of Sabado Agropecuario, Revista 110 TV.   The interview took place on 5 December 2009.

 Bioenergy, RJS Group and Ethanol in the D.R.

Lic. Rafael Fernandez, Chairman/CEO, RJS Group Republica Dominicana, S.A., describes his company’s investment and pilot project for ethanol production.  The interviewer is Manuel Gonzalez Tejera, co-host, Sabado Agropecuario, Revista 110 TV.  The interview took place on 21 November 2009.

You can watch these and other videos on PPAF’s YouTube Channel, and subscribe to receive updates automatically.

To support the work of the Public-Private Alliance Foundation, go to the Donate page on the PPAF website.