Haiti

Haiti is evolving in a context of institutional fragility and unstable democratic governance, aggravated by the assassination of the President in 2021 and an ongoing constitutional crisis. This context of fragility and chronic instability has led to a confusion of roles between civil society and the political class. The decay of the State and the absence of coherent public policies over the long term have forced many CSOs to fill in the gaps (substitution logics) to respond, as best they can, to the needs of the population. In this context, the role of Haitian civil society remains essential, both in advocating for public policies that improve the situation of the population, and in providing basic services and reinforcing community solidarity and a spirit of citizenship.

With PAIESC, the EU is continuing its support to civil society after the 10th and 11th EDF. The programme aims to contribute to the consolidation of democracy and civic culture in Haiti through the growing, inclusive and effective participation of emerging civil society players, particularly young people, in the country's democratic, economic and social development process. It should therefore contribute to strengthening the organisational, technical, advocacy and proposal capacities of civil society players. PAIESC will be implemented through programme estimates.

General objective

Contribute to the consolidation of democracy and civic culture in Haiti

Specific objectives

• To provide technical assistance for the coordination, planning, implementation, monitoring and reporting of PAIESC, as well as its financial and contractual management.
• Provide the technical assistance and management, support and supervision measures required within the framework of the resources provided for in this contract, to ensure that the Programme Specification and related activities run smoothly, in particular the strengthening of the strategic, institutional and operational capacities of CSOs (in particular, NGOs), institutional and operational capacities of Haitian CSOs (including CBOs and small formal or informal associations in communities) to be responsible, informed and competent partners in economic, political and social life, and to support small communities in tackling structural problems through cascading grants to be awarded under the programme estimate

Under the 11th EDF, the European Commission has adopted the State Building Contract (SBC-II) adapted to the context of fragility, with a view to contributing to the implementation of key reforms in three priority areas:

• the modernisation of the administration
• public finance reform and
• education

The SBC-II programme aimed in particular to: a) support the strengthening of the governance of the Haitian state, through support for the State Reform Framework Programme (PCRE) and the modernisation of the civil service, b) improve the management of public finances, and in particular increase budgetary transparency and strengthen control and anti-corruption mechanisms, and c) target certain priority expenditures for the implementation of the national policy in the field of primary education.

The SBC-II programme was supported by this contract, and specifically by an awareness-raising and communication strategy to increase the visibility of the European Union's interventions in these areas and to strengthen the communication capacities of the actors involved in these reforms.

General objective:

Increase the visibility of the European Union's SBC-II budget support programme on the reforms undertaken by the Haitian State and ensure strong participation and involvement of the legislative power and civil society in the reform process.

Results:

• Result 1: The Haitian population and the European public are informed about the European Union's interventions in Haiti and perceive significant changes.
• Result 2: Communication and awareness-raising activities are implemented by the government and focus on the state, public finance and education reforms of the SBC-II programme in Haiti.
• Result 3: Civil society and representatives of the legislative and executive branches of government are made aware of good governance issues. They are better informed, equipped and involved in monitoring and citizen control of public action, and are therefore able to better inform the population. Good governance takes a central place in the public debate and becomes a national concern.

This project aimed to provide regular and ongoing technical assistance for the implementation of communication and visibility actions around the EU - Haiti partnership. It included the development and implementation of a communication strategy and monitoring tools, as well as related activities, contents and support products. The project also involved monitoring progress and evaluating results.

The overall objective of the project was to reinforce the perception that the European Union is a key partner for the sustainable development and social, economic and political future of Haiti.

The specific objective of the project was to increase the understanding of a multitude of audiences of the values and actions of the EU in favor of the women and men of Haiti and the development of the country.

Results:

• Result 1: External communication on the cooperation of the EU Delegation in Haiti and on the values of the European Union is regular, coherent and adapted to the country's context
• Result 2: The visibility of EU interventions in Haiti is amplified and increased
• Result 3: The communication and visibility of the EU reaches more segments of the Haitian population
• Result 4: European institutions (in particular the Commission, the EEAS and the European Parliament), Member State institutions and European citizens are updated on EU activities in Haiti
• Result 5: The effects of the Delegation's communication and visibility activities are constantly monitored and evaluated, allowing the Delegation to convey relevant and targeted messages in a timely manner using the most effective tools

The Particip-led “Post Crisis Assessment and Recovery Planning: Support Office of the EU“ provided systematic support to all stages of disaster- and conflict-related needs assessment missions.

As part of the 2008 Joint Declaration on Post-Crisis Assessments and Recovery Planning, the World Bank (WB), United Nations (UN), and European Union (EU) have committed to providing joint support for assessing, planning, and mobilising efforts toward recovery, reconstruction, and development in countries affected by crises. This tripartite agreement was executed via the mechanism of joint Recovery and Peacebuilding Assessments (RPBA), Post-Disaster Needs Assessments (PDNA), and Pandemic Recovery Needs Assessments (PRNA).

The activities of the advisory team included:

• Provision of support to EU Delegations around the world and EU Services in Brussels in the planning, undertaking and reporting of post crisis assessments: RPBA: support to peacebuilding through short- and longterm support to specific EUDs. Trainings and and workshops for local authorities, ministries and EU staff. PDNA: post-disaster assessments and support to recovery including trainings and workshops. CRNA/PRNA: COVID/pandemic recovery needs assessments and support to recovery including trainings and workshops.
• Support to third countries to build their capacity to carry out RPBAs, PDNAs, and PRNA this includes institutional strengthening and inter-institutional coordination such as the HLAG (High-level-Advisory-Group) composed of WB, UN and EU;
• Facilitate coordination of EU and tripartite input to the implementation of the joint declaration (conceptual work and RPBA/PDNA/PCNA missions);
• Elaborate a preliminary early and longer-term framework (which identifies key recovery sectors, peacebuilding priorities, etc.)– in close cooperation with the EU Delegation and other relevant EU services, including identification/definition of sectors requiring additional EU support (whether provided through short-term assistance under the present project or not), essential cross-cutting issues, a tentative recovery calendar, recovery information management systems, the existing capacity in-country and institutional and legal arrangements for national Authorities, recovery support anticipated, etc.;
• Deployment of experts in RPBA/PDNA/PRNA missions, and
• Revise and/or updating the methodologies as necessary.

Recovery and Peacebuilding Assessments (RPBAs) offered countries a standardised and internationally recognised approach to identify the underlying causes and impacts of conflict and crisis. The RPBA had three primary purposes:

• to help governments identify, prioritise and sequence recovery and peacebuilding activities,
• to provide an inclusive process to support political dialogue and participation of stakeholders,
• to coordinate international support through a joint assessment and a joint recovery and peacebuilding plan as well as a monitoring system.

Post-Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) assisted governments with assessing the full extent of a disaster’s impact on the affected country and, on the basis of these findings, producing an actionable and sustainable Recovery Strategy for mobilizing financial and technical resources. The internationally recognised PDNA methodology is a key commitment mentioned in the the Joint Declaration on Post-Crisis Assessments and Recovery Planning. In May 2020, in order to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, the PDNA methodology was adapted to elaborate a COVID-19 Recovery Needs Assessment (CRNA) methodology.

Recovery and Peace Building Assessment (RPBA)

Myanmar (Jan 2018); Burkina Faso (Jun 2019-June 2021); Mozambique (RPBA Nov 2020-Nov 2021); Azerbaijan (Joint Recovery Needs Assessment - falls outside the RPBA framework, Scoping Mission March 2022); Libya (Stocktaking 2018-2019, RPBA 2022)

Post-Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) & Disaster Risk Framework (DRF)

Myanmar (Jan 2018); Syria (Feb 2018); Ivory Coast (July-Sept 2018); Tunisia (Oct 2018); Bangladesh (2018); Georgia (2018); Tonga (2018); Fiji (2018); Mozambique (Apr–Aug 2019);

Central African Republic/CAR (July 2019); Somalia (Drought Impact Needs Assessment/DINA, July - Aug 2018); Albania (Dec 2019-Feb 2020); Lebanon (Rapid Damage Needs Assessment/RDNA, Aug 2020); Lebanon (DRF, Sep 2020-2021); Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (June–Aug) 2021); El Salvador (June-Dec 2021); Haiti (Sep-Oct 2021); Haiti (DRF, Nov-Dec 2021); Pakistan (Sep-Nov 2022); Pakistan (DRF, Nov-Dec 2022); Belize (Jan-Feb 2023); Turkey (Feb-Mar 2023); Ukraine Khakhova dam (June 2023), Myanmar (CMRNA , Sep 2023); Libya ( RDNA, Sep 2023); Afghanistan ( Oct 2023); Afghanistan ( AFPR-PDNA like Refugee support assessment, Nov 2023)

COVID-19 Recovery Needs Assessment (CRNA)

Ecuador (July 2020-Apr 2021); El Salvador (July-Sept 2020); Dominican Republic (Dec 2020-Feb 2021); Zambia (Feb-Aug 2021); Eswatini (Dec 2020-Nov 2021)

Trainings: Recovery and Peace Building Assessment (RPBA)

Bangkok, Thailand (Dec 2017); Lebanon (Apr 2018)

Trainings: Post-Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) & Disaster Risk Framework (DRF)

Dominican Republic (Nov 2017); Fiji (Mar-Apr 2018); Vanuatu (Apr 2018); Somalia (May 2018); Myanmar (Aug 2018); Mauritius (Oct 2018); Djibouti & Ethiopia (Feb 2019); Chad (Apr 2019); CAR & Congo (July 2019); India (Aug 2019); Kenya (Sept 2019); Caribbean (Nov 2019); St. Lucia (Nov 2019); Balkans (Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Feb 2020); Mexico (Feb 2020); Liberia (Mar 2020); Senegal (May 2021); Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States/ECIS region (Jun 2021); University of West Indies (Training of Trainers/ToT, Dec 2021); Panama (PDNA/DRF, Latin American countries/LAC, Mar 2022); Belgrade (ECIS DPPI-SEE, Jun 2022); Regional ECIS (DRF, June 2022); Columbia (PDNA/DRF, July 2022); Costa Rica (PDNA/DRF, July 2022); Barbados (Caribbean countries, Mar 2023); Training Togo Regional ECOWAS (PDNA/DRF, May 2023); Antigua and Barbuda, Saint Johns (DRF, Sept 2023)

Trainings: COVID-19 Recovery Needs Assessment (CRNA) & Pandemic Recovery Needs Assessment (PRNA)

Sahel Region Academia (Nov 2020); Sahel Region government staff and regional organisations (Dec 2020); Ghana (Mar 2021); India (PRNA, Mar 2023)

Other Events

Fragility Forum (RPBA, Mar 2018); Paris Peace Forum (RPBA/PDNA 2019); Paris Peace Forum (RPBA/PDNA, Nov 2020); EU Information Session (Oct 2021); EU Information Session: Asia/Pacific Hub (April 2022); World Reconstruction Conference 5 and Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction/GPDRR (Apr 2022); International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ISPRS) Congress (satellite, June 2022); EU Information Session: Caribbean Region (online, June 2023); Slow Onset Event Damage and Loss Workshop ( Nov 2023); Cyclone Mitch 25 year Commemoration ( Oct 2023)

In particular, this evaluation served to:

• determine the extent to which the AP3C programme (programme to support the integration of climate change into Haiti's development) has achieved its intended results, in particular by contributing to the implementation of the national strategies of the governments concerned in the NCCP (National Climate Change Policy) and NDC (Nationally Determined Contribution), by proposing opportunities for improving the implementation of national procedures and policies;
• pay attention to other aid modalities of the EU and other international partners (trust funds/pooled funds, projects), in order to assess the complementarity and synergy (or divergence) of these modalities with the AP3C programme;
• assess the ownership of the project results by the Haitian authorities;
• assess the effects of the AP3C programme on the monitoring and evaluation systems in the sectors supported by the programme;
• assess the way in which the gender dimension has been integrated and operationalised in the project and its results;
• take stock of what has been achieved in order to draw lessons and recommendations, and to be able to inform stakeholders on:
  • the conditions under which the AP3C programme has had an effect (or not), and the possible intensity and nature (positive or negative) of this effect in Haiti in the environmental sector and more specifically in the fight against climate change;
  • the design and implementation of future budget support operations in Haiti in the environmental sector and more specifically in the fight against climate change;
  • improvements that the EU (or other international partners) should make to maximise the impact of AP3C measures in Haiti in the environmental sector and in particular in the fight against climate change;
  • any limitations arising from public policies, institutional structures and administrative arrangements in Haiti that may hinder/have hindered the effectiveness of budget support on expenditure, or on the targeted public policies and reforms;
• and the extent to which the AP3C programme has mainstreamed gender in the implementation of the programme and what recommendations would be made to other similar programmes to mainstream gender.

The main purpose of this exercise is to produce an independent assessment of the past and current support of the EU in food and nutrition security, sustainable agriculture and fisheries at country, regional and global levels. The evaluation aims more specifically at:

• Informing strategic decisions on the implementation and future mid-term review of the new Multi-annual Financial Framework (MFF);
• Improving cooperation with EU partners under the new MFF and in the light of the new EU Sustainable Agri-Food Systems (SAFS) approach;
• Nurturing the design of new interventions in support of Agri-Food Systems transformations;
• Guiding choices for scaling up and replicating innovative/pilot approaches.

The evaluation covers non-spending (e.g., policy dialogue and advocacy) and spending activities funded under geographic (DCI Latin America, DCI Asia, EDF for Africa and Pacific and Caribbean) and thematic financing instruments (DCI-FOOD, DCI-ENV/DCI-GPGC, etc). The analysis considers interventions financed through other thematic budget lines such as the DCI-CSO&LA, and the Trust funds (e.g. the EU Trust Fund for Africa, Trust Fund Bêkou, Trust Fund for Colombia).

The temporal scope focuses on the MFF 2014-2020 and considers any major developments that occurred in 2021.

The geographical scope of the evaluation is essentially worldwide, but in practice will focus on 59 partner countries for which food and nutrition security or sustainable agriculture have been a priority sector in the previous MFF (2014-2020). A thorough selection of case studies identified a representative and evaluable sample of countries: Niger, Kenya, Malawi, Colombia, Haiti and Cambodia.

Following the 2020 4th Biennial Report and the 2019 EU Achievements Report, four EU priorities for addressing the challenges of food and nutrition security, as well as sustainable agriculture, are at the heart of the evaluation:

• Enhancing the resilience of the most vulnerable to food crises;
• Fostering specific nutrition outcomes;
• Increasing responsible investments in agriculture and food systems;
• Stimulating innovations for sustainable agri-food systems.

The purpose of this assignment is to collect, collate and systematically present, in the form of Evaluation Portraits and Country Evaluation Briefs, findings from existing evaluations and other documents of development interventions in five Norwegian partner countries: Ethiopia, Haiti, Mali, Myanmar, Nepal and Tanzania.

The objective of this assignment is to provide accessible and relevant knowledge about Norwegian and other donors’ development efforts in Norway’s partner countries through systematising findings from existing evaluations of development interventions. The exercise emphasises learning, supplementing a growing database of systematised, relevant, context-specific and accessible information. Beyond its intrinsic value, this knowledge forms a basis for development policies and strategies, contributes to development efforts in the field and reveals knowledge gaps that could be covered by future evaluations.

The main target groups for the study are the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Norad and Norwegian embassies in the selected partner countries and elsewhere.

The assignment is guided by the following questions:

• What are the key contextual features characterising each of the studied case countries?
• How do these contextual features affect development interventions in the respective country/-ies?
• What is the nature of the programmes and projects studied, including levels of development support?
• What are the major obstacles/challenges faced by those interventions?
• What are the major findings in the assessed material concerning the goals, methods, challenges, results and sustainability of the interventions studied?
• How do the programmes and projects perform in terms of such cross-cutting issues as gender equality, environmental concerns and anti-corruption?
• Which, intended and, if any, unintended effects of the programmes and projects, positive and negative, can be identified?

The general objective of the project was to increase the visibility of the European Union's SBC (State Building Contract) budget support programme focused on the reforms undertaken by the Haitian State and to ensure strong participation and involvement of the legislative authorities and civil society in the reform process.

The specific objectives of the project were:

• Objective 1: To increase the visibility of the European Union in the framework of SBC budget support in Haiti
• Objective 2: To improve the Government's capacity to communicate effectively on the SBC budget support programme
• Objective 3: To facilitate a structured and regular dialogue between civil society and the legislature on the one hand, and the government on the other.

The technical assistance organised the implementation of communication and visibility actions around the Haitian State Construction Support Programme.

The implementation of these actions made the SBC and its methods of intervention in Haiti better known; it communicated the reforms undertaken and the progress made; it strengthened the image of the European Union as a reliable and committed partner of Haiti, which "helps the country to help itself" and finally, strengthened the State's accountability thanks to a forthright sharing of information with civil society and parliament.

The services provided by the technical assistance included the implementation and monitoring of the communication and visibility actions of the SBC programme, direct technical support and advice.

The overall objective of this assignment was to conduct a final evaluation of the IcSP actions under Commission decision 39786.

The specific objectives of this final evaluation were:

• to assess the performance of the two projects, including types of interventions, design and execution of assignments;
• to assess if and to what extent the projects have contributed to facilitating EU support to third parties engaged in the migration crisis in Haiti;
• to describe the possible steps that could have been taken to minimize the risk of unsuccessful implementation any further (if any);
• to describe the possible positive outcomes despite not achieving certain results;
• to make an assessment of the project’s visibility, information and communication;
• to identify and document key lessons learned;
• to produce a set of recommendations that will assist the EU in designing and implementing future actions in this sector.

The general objective of the Binational Programme was the promotion of socioeconomic development in the two countries, in the border regions and in the Northern Corridor of the Island.

The Binational Programme consisted of two programmes with two distinct Financing Agreements. The first programme, whose coordination was assured by the National Authorising Officer in Haiti, was in the areas of trade, environment / local development and in the reinforcement of the Joint Bilateral Commission. The second programme, coordinated by the National Authorising Officer of the Dominican Republic, aimed to reinforce the infrastructure in the Northern Corridor.

Both programmes aimed at strengthening the planning, implementation and monitoring of public environmental and infrastructure policies.

The specific objectives were:

• to assist the National Authorising Officers and the Ministries of Environment and Public Transport in the two countries in the coordination of activities and in the management and implementation of the Binational Programme;
• to give technical support to operators and partners in the implementation of technical and administrative issues and financial resources required for the effective operation of the Binational Programme;
• to assist the authorities of the two countries in assuring the strategic steering of the programme by pursuing global coherence in the implementation of the Binational Programme and its connection with other national or regional programmes financed by the resources of the cooperation;
• to assist in the capitalisation of the programme results by systematising the experience and by popularising the important lessons learned.

The aim of this project was to understand how and why gender inequalities persist in Haiti (while overcoming preconceptions, particularly with regard to foster care or schooling), and in particular in the priority sectors of European cooperation (EDF, other EC tools, Member States, etc.); how they interact with other inequalities and how they impact on human rights.

The aim was also to identify the efforts made by the EU and the MS in Haiti to move towards gender equality and the emancipation of women, and the results and benefits obtained.

Finally, the analysis would look at the commitment and capacity of the Haitian government and its partners to work on these issues of gender equality.