U.S. Policy Toward Haiti

Mr. Chairman, I thank you and other members of the Committee for this opportunity to appear before you and testify about the Administration’s policies in Haiti.

While much energy since September 11, 2001 has focused on the war against terror, we have remained deeply engaged in the Hemisphere. Since September 11, President Bush has made six trips to the region. The President has received in Washington nine leaders from the region. The Secretary of State has also been active, making 10 trips to the Hemisphere.

I want also thank the Committee, and the Senate as a whole, for acting promptly on the nomination of Ambassador-designate James B. Foley to Haiti. The Committee also moved expeditiously on the nomination of Ambassador Roger Noriega as Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs. We look forward to working with the Senate to complete his confirmation process.

The United States is connected to Haiti by geography, history, and values. Hundreds of thousands of Haitians live and work in the United States, making important contributions to our economy and society. Next year, Haiti will celebrate the bicentennial of its independence - an historic event reminding us that Haiti was the second republic to be formed in the Hemisphere.

What will it take to help Haiti become a peaceful democratic country that respects human rights and the rule of law? How can the U.S. support Haiti in building an economy with opportunities for its people to lift themselves out of poverty, illiteracy, and hunger? How can we help settle the political crisis made worse by the flawed elections in 2002? And how can we safeguard our own national security from the dangers posed by illegal migration and narcotics trafficking?

These are difficult challenges. Success will require engagement, consistent policies and clear priorities.

Here are four key parts of the Administration’s Haiti policy:

First, we support full implementation of OAS Resolution 822. Our support has included a $2.5 million financial contribution to the OAS Special Mission to Strengthen Democracy in Haiti.

The Government of Haiti joined consensus on Resolution 822; it committed itself to a series of actions that would promote a climate of security and confidence for free and fair elections to be held in 2003.  Although the Government of Haiti has taken some steps, it has not complied with many of its most important commitments under Resolution 822, particularly those that would contribute to a climate of security.

Together with the OAS, the U.S. has repeatedly and consistently urged the Government of Haiti to meet its commitments under Resolution 822. Our efforts have included participation by Presidential Special Envoy for Western Hemisphere Affairs in the High-Level OAS/CARICOM delegation to Haiti in March.  We also remind the opposition and civil society that they must participate in forming a credible, neutral, and independent Provisional Electoral Council once the Government takes concrete steps in good faith toward meeting its commitments.

Hemispheric patience is running out. OAS Resolution 1959, adopted by the OAS General Assembly in June, calls for the Secretary General to provide an assessment by September of the ability of the OAS Special Mission to fulfill its mandates under the circumstances of delay and resistance.

We will continue to consult with our partners in the hemisphere and in Europe regarding next steps in Haiti. Secretary Powell, speaking in Santiago, called for a reevaluation of the OAS role in Haiti if by September the Government of Haiti has not created the climate of security essential to the formation of a credible, neutral, and independent Provisional Electoral Council.

Second, we are focused on the plight of the Haitian people and maintaining assistance programs to meet humanitarian needs. As my colleague Treasury Under Secretary John Taylor will testify, the realization of full normal relations with the International Financial Institutes took a big step forward when Haiti on July 8 paid its arrears to the Inter-American Development Bank.

The U.S. remains Haiti’s largest bilateral donor. Our aid, distributed through U.S.-based and Haitian non-governmental organizations, supports programs in food assistance, health (including substantial programming to stem HIV/AIDS), democracy, education, and economic growth.

For example, economic growth programs -- totaling $7.8 million in FY 2003 and focusing on credit for micro-businesses and marketing help for small farmers and artisans -- have provided support for thousands of Haitians and their families. And a network of over 30 local health organizations serves an estimated 2.5 million Haitians. In those areas where these organizations work, child immunization is up and malnutrition down. On family planning and HIV/AIDS, U.S. aid programs have increased prenatal consultations and use of contraceptives.

Our aid programs can help, but as with the political situation, the key element for progress is the willingness of the Haitian authorities and people to act, and to embrace the need for good governance and inclusive, competitive markets.

Third, we must stem the flow of narcotics through Haiti to the U.S.

Sadly, narcotics-related corruption is pervasive in the Haitian National Police. Our efforts to combat corruption center on visa revocations and pressure on the highest levels of the Government of Haiti to remove corrupt officers. These steps have certainly raised awareness in the Government about the importance of this issue to us.

Haiti was decertified in 2002 because it failed to adhere to international narcotics agreements and to take counter-narcotics measures required by U.S. law. President Bush granted a national interest waiver of sanctions, which if imposed would have required withholding of certain types of U.S. assistance.

It is important that we continue to work with those elements in the Haitian National Police, most notably the Haitian Coast Guard, that we can rely on. The Drug Enforcement Agency has mounted joint operations with its Haitian counterparts with some positive results, but others have been compromised by corrupt officials.

Fourth, illegal migration is an important U.S. security concern. We want to deter illegal migration while treating migrants in a fair and humane fashion. And we support legal migration from Haiti: approximately 15,000 immigrant visas are issued to Haitians every year.

Illegal migration from Haiti is very sensitive to changes or perception of changes in U.S. policies regarding repatriation and parole into the community pending resolution of asylum claims.

For example, in November 1991, a month after the coup that removed President Aristide from power, Haitians took to the seas in an effort to reach the United States. U.S. policy at the time was not clearly established -- most were taken to Guantanamo Bay for asylum processing but about one-third were paroled into the U.S. The result was a wave of Haitian migrants, nearly 38,000 from the end of 1991 to June 1992.  After the first President Bush ordered the direct repatriation of boat migrants, almost all of whom were found to be intending economic migrants, not political refugees, the number dropped to 2,404.

We support Department of Homeland Security policies designed to deter illegal migration from Haiti by promptly repatriating migrants interdicted at sea who have no legitimate fear of persecution and by detaining those who are successful in reaching the U.S. while their claims are processed.

The Department of Homeland Security interviews all migrants, whether interdicted at sea or detained in the U.S., who establish a credible fear of persecution, to determine whether or not they have a well-founded fear of persecution. People detained in the U.S. who meet the well-founded fear threshold are granted asylum here; those who are interdicted at sea and are found to require protection are resettled in third countries.

These policies have been successful in deterring migrant flows, which have leveled off to approximately 1,300 to 1,400 per year over the past 3 years while providing protection to those who need it.

Thank you again, Mr. Chairman, for including me in today’s hearing. I will be happy to respond to any questions you or other members of the Committee may have.