Building a New World: crisis meets opportunity in Haiti
At the beginning of the year, Haiti was viewed as entering a new period of relative calm and stability. The country suffered from environmental degradation, pandemics, and economic dislocation. These problems, often incorrectly identified as endemic characteristics of the country, have been mutually reinforcing and fostered a climate of insecurity that has stripped the nation of social cohesion or political will.
Under new leadership the country of 10 million was seen by progressive US foreign policy experts as an applied model for testing the new paradigms of natural security and sustainable security. Bill Clinton was named US envoy to the island state and had set about his work with the same vigor that has marked the growing success of the Clinton Foundation.
Then, on January 12, 2010, a 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck off Haiti's coast and destroyed the capital of Port-au-Prince. Tens of thousands are dead; the country has become effectively lawless.
The US government has responded by sending 7000 military personnel to the island. The crisis is serving as a strong reminder of the increasing importance of the US Navy in supplying humanitarian aid to disaster zones around the world. The White House has issued online statements notifying US citizens of opportunities to assist with humanitarian relief and reconstruction. Hillary Clinton and high-level State Department officials are working on the ground to direct relief efforts and have issued a joint statement with the Haitian government. And the UN has issued an emergency appeal for $550 million to assist survivors of the earthquake.
As the US military moves in, large areas of the country remain "ungoverned zones." Looting and violence is rife as people struggle to meet the basic requirements to keep themselves and their families alive. Without proper levels of aid, that behavior should be expected from any human population. At the onset of the crisis, aid flows trickled in, sparking massive unrest and again highlighting the inability of governments to provide timely and adequate services to populations affected by humanitarian crises.
Rather than wasting more time criticizing governments for failing to provide a service they have never been able to fulfill, it should be obvious that more than ever, there should be strong global support for building resilient communities.
President Obama has been advocating partnership as the foundation of his vision for US foreign policy. This is a chance for the Obama administration to set a clear example of how a progressive vision of global security is an effective alternative to the paternalistic, unilateralism of the Bush Doctrine.
The Haiti crisis represents the perfect opportunity for global leaders to practice a new vision of state building/global security; practicing sustainable security by building equal partnerships with local stakeholders, using green diplomacy as an effective (light footprint) tool of soft power, and promoting natural security by funding sustainable development. Haiti needs to be an equal partner in that vision.
