As announced, the situation in Haiti was at the heart of discussions in the U.S. Senate on Thursday, July 27, 2023.
Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Brian Nichols and Deputy Administrator of the Latin America and Caribbean Bureau of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Marcela Escobari were invited to answer questions from the Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Transnational Crime, Civil Security, Democracy, Human Rights and Global Women’s Issues.
The Subcommittee is represented by Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia, for the Democrats, and Marco Rubio of Florida, for the Republicans.
Discussions focused on arms trafficking from the United States to Haiti, the political and security situation, and the humanitarian crisis, among other topics. Participants also addressed de facto Prime Minister Ariel Henri’s request for the deployment of a foreign force in Haiti to support the Haitian National Police.
CaribbeanTelevisionNetwork has transcribed the entire session.
Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, Transnational Crime, Civil Security, Democracy, Human Rights and Global Women’s Issues
HAITI: NEXT STEPS IN THE INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE
Hearing:
Brian Nichols: Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs.
Marcela Escobari: Deputy Administrator of the Latin America and Caribbean Bureau of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
Opening statement by Senator Tim Kaine:
Hello. This is a hearing of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, Transnational Crime, Civil Security, Democracy, Human Rights and Global Women’s Issues.
The session is now open.
It is my pleasure to welcome our panel of government witnesses for this important hearing on Haiti.
I would like to thank Senator Rubio and his team for their help in developing this hearing. I’m proud of the work we’ve done together for several years on Latin American and Caribbean issues, during our time together in the Senate. And there is still much to do. Today’s hearing is about the security crisis in Haiti and the next stage in the potential international response.
In July 2021, President Jovenel Moise was brutally assassinated in his home. A month later, a magnitude 7.2 earthquake devastated the country, which is still recovering from the 2010 quake that killed over 200,000 people. Since then, criminal gangs have fomented terror and violence in the country, leading interim Prime Minister Ariel Henri to officially request international aid last October. In the meantime, Haitians continue to suffer from the brutal and reprehensible violence perpetrated by gangs that are supported by political and business bosses in Haiti. The number of homicides in the country has risen sharply, by more than 35% between 2021 and 2022.
Kidnappings have more than doubled. Gangs compete for territory. Gangs resort to gang rape and other horrific gender-based violence against women, children and the elderly. The violence has been exacerbated by natural disasters which have led to a humanitarian crisis where almost 5 million Haitians are facing acute levels of starvation. Haitian government agencies are struggling to cope with these challenges, including cholera, as vulnerable neighborhoods have been choked off by gangs fighting for territory. Understandably, Haitians are desperate to escape this violence, fleeing to the region’s growing number of neighboring countries and to the United States.
In recent days, we’ve seen scenes of Haitians fleeing the violence in their neighborhoods and gathering at the U.S. Embassy in Haiti because they feel they have nowhere else to go. They want to be safe in the midst of violence. We must recognize that there is an illegal flow of American firearms into Haiti.
Reports indicate that the Haitian National Police, which the U.S. government has long supported, is constantly outgunned by Haitian gangs. Federal law enforcement agencies have described the recovery of sophisticated weapons destined for Haitian ports, from 50-caliber sniper rifles to belt-loading machine guns.
Tragically, it’s not surprising that the number of Haitian police officers killed has only increased since 2019. We must recognize that gun trafficking is a problem not only in Haiti, but in other parts of the Caribbean, Mexico and throughout the hemisphere. It’s no coincidence that countries in the region have some of the highest homicide rates in the world.
The violence unleashed by firearms trafficking from the United States is stabilizing the Western hemisphere. It increases the pressure of irregular migration. I am pleased to note that the Biden administration announced in June the creation of a Caribbean Firearms Prosecution Coordinator within the Department of Justice.
In the Senate, Senator Ruby and I introduced the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative Authorization Act. We are also both co-sponsors of President Menendez’s Haitian Criminal Collusion and Transparency Act. These pieces of legislation would help strengthen regional security cooperation in the Caribbean and punish political and economic elites for empowering gangs in Haiti.
But for these interventions to work, security must first be restored and a Haitian-led solution found to the political crisis. Just this month, UN Secretary General Antonio Gutierrez reiterated his call for a strong international security presence in Haiti. I’d like to hear from our State Department and U S A I D witnesses on the latest discussions with international and multilateral stakeholders.
I’d also like to hear about U.S. efforts to support the Haitian people through humanitarian aid. I now turn the floor over to my colleague, Senator Rubio, for his comments, after which I will introduce our panel.
Opening statement by Senator Marco Rubio:
Thank you, Mr. President, for convening this meeting, and thank you both for coming.
Haiti today is a real disaster. I mean, it’s as bad as it’s ever been and I’ve been following it not only because South Florida where I live is a huge, uh, Haitian American community, 650 miles from Miami. Everything that happens there is both heartbreaking and has a direct impact on the state of Florida and, ultimately, the country.
I think it’s as serious a situation as any on the planet. It’s not getting the attention it deserves. Uh, but, uh, I, I know a few places on earth right now that are facing the challenges they’re facing and despite. That long history of problems and challenges. It’s probably, I can be corrected, but it’s probably as bad as it’s been in a long time.
You know, 60% of the country is controlled by gangs. When the most powerful person in your country is nicknamed “barbecue”, that’s not a good thing. Is it? And 60% of the country is gang-controlled, run by people like this guy, 75% of its major cities are gang-controlled. I think it was last year that they took over the port and stopped people from getting water, fuel, medicine, drugs, I mean, it’s unbelievable that this could happen.
There haven’t been any elections since 2017. There’s not a single democratically elected leader in the whole country. Um, and then you think about the impact this has had on, on migration, I think in 2023 alone, the coast guard intercepted 7,400 people this year. And these are the ones who live long enough to be intercepted.
We don’t know how many died. Um, on this path, but we know there have been a lot. Um, and that doesn’t count those stranded in the Bahamas and, and other places too. Um, over the last twenty years, one hundred and forty 6,000 migrant encounters, although some obviously come from third countries where they were working perhaps, in construction, the work dried up and so they made their journey here too, but also a very dangerous journey.
So, and, and listen, I mean, the, the talk has been about an international force. The truth is, the last international force that went in didn’t work very well. They brought cholera. They were, they are, they are accused of, uh, of, uh, abuses against the population, including sexual abuse. So I understand the reluctance of countries around the world to engage in this enterprise.
Frankly, we’ve spent a lot of time thinking about this. You know, we tabled our bills together. We have the Haitian Criminal Collusion Transparency Act that Senator Menendez and I introduced with Senator Warnock, and I’ve introduced legislation to extend the Haitian economic assistance program to ensure that trade benefits are extended to 2035.
But like us, I don’t want to pretend that I have an answer in my pocket on how to solve this problem. It’s a very difficult Rubik’s cube to line up. There are many problems. Some are historic and long-standing, others are more recent. There’s the whole structure of their government.
It’s not for us to structure their government, but they’ve tried to marry this French and American system and ended up with a constitutional system of government that I think is, uh, flawed by design and has contributed somewhat to some of these problems. You know, security is something that everyone agrees you have to have before anything else is possible, but you have to have a significant percentage of national police candidates currently waiting for the parole program that the Biden administration created. It’s never a good sign when the people who are supposed to be doing this, uh, believe that their best option is to leave the country. So I think the most important question of today’s hearing, and I know it’s an unfair question in many cases, is what is the Biden administration’s plan or vision for the solution?
I know there have been efforts at the UN Security Council and so on, uh, because frankly, I can’t figure out, uh, what, I’m not, it’s not a blame. It’s kind of a testament to the complexity of this problem, how difficult it is, what path to take because it impacts the United States.
It’s not on the other side of the world. As I said, it’s not far from Florida and the southeastern United States. So thank you for coming to answer this very difficult question. I’m just beginning to get an idea of the broad outlines, the way forward and what we can do, what the United States can do to contribute to a solution.
Some glimmers of hope. What otherwise continues to be a growing disaster. By the way, I just wanted to mention to the witnesses and the Chairman that the Appropriations Committee meeting has four votes today. We can’t vote by proxy on bills. So you may see me running out the door.
Fortunately, it’s in the same building. That’s the good news. The bad news is that it’s 10:45 a.m., but as soon as I finish these votes, I’ll be back here if the session’s still on. Thank you for coming and thank you for organizing this session.
Senator Kaine:
Thank you, Senator Rubio. Let me now introduce our witnesses. Brian Nichols is Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs at the State Department.
Previously, he was U.S. Ambassador to Zimbabwe and, prior to that, Ambassador to Peru. He also served as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs. In May, President Biden nominated Secretary Nichols to the rank of career ambassador. President Biden nominated Secretary Nichols to the rank of career ambassador, which is the highest rank in the Foreign Service.
Marcella Escobar is Deputy Administrator of the Office of Latin America and the Caribbean at the U.S. Agency for International Development. Ms. Escobar previously held this position in 2016, during which time she helped strengthen U.S. support for Peace Columbia. She mobilized humanitarian response to the disaster, er, response plan for Hurricane Matthew and Haiti, and also supported humanitarian aid delivery efforts in Venezuela.
Prior to her government service, Ms. Escobar was a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and executive director of the Center for International Development at Harvard University. It’s a pleasure to have you both with us today. I’d now like each of you to make your opening statements, starting with Secretary Nichols.
Before you begin, Assistant Secretary Todd Robinson was invited to join us today, but was unable to speak to some of the security dimensions of this challenge. He did, however, submit a written statement, which I will attach to the record. With that, Secretary Nichols, we’ll start with you.
Brian Nichols Opening statement:
Chairman Kane, Ranking Member Rubio, members of the committee. Thank you for the opportunity to testify on our efforts to address the security and humanitarian crisis in Haiti. We remain committed to supporting the Haitian people’s right to a democratic, peaceful and prosperous future. The Haitian people must determine their own future through dialogue and elections.
We will help them to do this by working with them, with our international partners and with members of the diaspora dedicated to Haiti, to support Haitians in their efforts to create a better future for the country. To this end, we are supporting the political reconciliation process. We are training and equipping the Hades police force. We have also significantly increased our efforts to implement financial and visa restrictions, to promote accountability for those seeking to destabilize the country.
We provide development aid and humanitarian assistance. We encourage the private sector to develop, and we seek to mobilize international security assistance for Haiti. Haiti remains a top priority for President Biden, Secretary of State Blinken and myself. My interagency colleagues and I have visited Port-au-Prince on numerous occasions.
We are in daily contact with Haitian stakeholders and the diaspora in the United States, as well as in the region. Gang activity, including targeted sexual violence, underage recruitment, large-scale kidnappings and sniper killings of neighborhood residents, is a scourge on the Haitian people. Gangs also hamper the Haitian government’s ability to deliver public services and fight poverty.
As we work with our partners to urgently respond to Haiti’s request for a multinational force to support the Haitian National Police, we intend, with the support of Congress, to allocate more than $120 million to build police capacity. This funding will strengthen the Haitian National Police’s anti-gang unit through recruitment and training, technical assistance and equipment.
Since 2021, we have donated around 100 vehicles, over 1,000 items of protective equipment, 37,400 ready-to-eat meals and additional equipment for the anti-gang unit. Our funding will also help to improve Haiti’s overcrowded prisons, which are in a poor state of repair, both by building infrastructure and by implementing health programs to curb colibacillus epidemics.
We are also working with the DHS to set up a transnational criminal investigation unit within the police force. This will enable us to better partner with Haiti to investigate and prosecute transnational crimes with the U.S. Nexus. Our financial sanctions and visa restrictions are a deterrent to the political and economic elites who fund gang leaders and foment the current crises in Haiti.
The U.S. has imposed visa restrictions and financial sanctions on more than 50 individuals involved in street gangs, other Haitian criminal organizations, drug trafficking, extensive corruption or gross human rights violations. We have named more people than any other country. And we continue to press other countries and international institutions to follow suit.
The United States is proud to have co-sponsored with Mexico the UN resolution creating a new sanctions regime for Haiti, the first in the Western Hemisphere, on July 14. With the support of the United States, the UN Security Council unanimously renewed the mandate of the UN Integrated Office in Haiti.
The United States also supports the Haitian people as they chart a course for democratic governance and development in their country, notably through the Global Fragility Act. This Act allows us to work with Haitians to develop long-term solutions. As we tackle today’s acute multi-dimensional crisis, we encourage political, economic, religious and civil society actors to become involved in the peace process.
We encourage political, economic, religious and civil society actors to work together to solve Haiti’s political and security problems. The United States supports the Caribbean community, RACOM’s efforts to encourage a Haitian-led political dialogue, a process negotiated by former prime ministers of the region. On July 6, I joined Secretary of State Blinken in Trinidad and Tobago, where he urged Prime Minister Ri to negotiate seriously with other political forces to achieve a broader political consensus leading to elections as soon as possible.
Haiti has made significant progress in breaking the political deadlock it has been in for a year, but more needs to be done urgently. We welcome the creation of the Conseil Supérieur de Transition in Haiti, which is essential to restoring democratic order and improving security, and an even broader and more inclusive leadership structure will offer a greater conference of confidence to all Haitians.
On the economic front, we strongly support acts of hope and aid at this critical time. Producers and investors in Haiti, those with whom they do business and the workers on whom they depend, need certainty about the uninterrupted continuation of the Hope and Help preferences The apparel sector, created largely thanks to the Hope and Help laws, has been represented.
Around 90% of Haitian exports employ over 34,000 Haitians and support over 205,000 Haitians in 2022. But over the past year, some garment manufacturers have closed their factories and laid off workers. Partly because of uncertainty as to whether Haiti will continue to benefit from these preferences.
We must continue to support economic growth, job creation and investment wherever possible. Equally important, we must tap into the enormous talent and expertise of the Haitian diaspora, which remains essential for a brighter, more stable and more secure future. Haiti Mr. Chairman, Mr. Cain, Mr. Rubio, members of the committee, thank you for the opportunity to testify before you today.
I look forward to answering your questions.
Marcela Escobari Opening statement :
Chairman Kane, Ranking Member Rubio, thank you for the opportunity to testify about USAID’s work in Haiti. When I visited Haiti earlier this year, I saw, as many of you did, the situation on the ground: gang violence leaves Haitians vulnerable to horrific crimes. Our mission staff live this reality on a daily basis, especially our brave foreign service nationals who, in some cases, have been displaced from their homes or even kidnapped.
But our staff have continued to work because they know that our work makes a crucial difference to the lives of the Haitian people. Our budget of over $150 million a year supports the economic health and governance work we have adapted to the security situation. We have also stepped up our humanitarian response.
U SS A I D has released an additional $112 million for year 23 alone to meet the most urgent needs. We are providing drinking water, food and medical supplies. We have responded swiftly to the cholera epidemic and are supporting victims of gender-based violence. We bring food aid to hundreds of thousands of people a month, and have helped lift nearly 20,000 people out of near-starvation conditions in the port.
But we are also continuing to lay the foundations for long-term stability in Haiti. Over the past ten years, USAID investments in food security have helped more than one hundred thousand farmers adopt new technologies, generating nearly $30 million in new sales and supplying local markets. We’ve invested in promising Haitian companies that are now selling products like peanut butter, maringa and limes to stores across the US and Canada.
These investments have created jobs and increased incomes. U S A I D has also made progress in strengthening the country’s water supply system, which is essential to progress in all other sectors, from health to economic growth. We have helped set up 22 public micro-services that are now fully functional, with water meters and data-tracking devices that make it possible to know when water is cut off or interrupted in the event of a natural disaster.
More importantly, these investments have provided drinking water to over 320,000 Haitians and are self-sufficient. There are things that work in Haiti. Improving health outcomes is also a major objective for U S A I D. Our partners run over 160 dispensaries. 40% of people accessing health services in Haiti do so.
In a clinic supported by U S A I D, we vaccinate 76,000 children, all children, every year. 50% of all children in Haiti are fully vaccinated. The years we spent strengthening the Ministry of Health and investing in public health infrastructure proved invaluable in containing the latest cholera epidemic.
But as our staff in Haiti know, protecting these gains and continuing progress will require significant improvements in security. USAID and I N L have joined forces to combat gang violence in some of Port-au-Prince’s most dangerous neighborhoods. Last month, USAID launched a $12.5 million program to support community policing, provide life skills to at-risk youth and help the Haitian government deliver social services to survivors of violence.
We recognize that we can and must continue to protect livelihoods, as unemployment puts families at even greater risk and contributes to insecurity. Vice President Harris said the administration strongly supports the extension of “hope, help” trade preferences. This certainty will keep jobs in Haiti and preserve, if not develop, the labor-intensive textile sector.
It’s still possible to do business in Haiti. Last month, we helped negotiate a $4.5 million investment between two Haitian companies to develop a unique leasing model for solar energy. So, despite the challenges, U S A I D programs not only meet acute needs, but also contribute to long-term stability.
This includes supporting institutions, including those that will lead to elections that Haitians can trust, and ensuring that Haitians can participate in them. We are helping to distribute over 2 million national identity cards that Haitians can use to access services such as banking, but also to vote.
So, thanks to our team in Port-au-Prince, our partners on the ground and the generosity of this Congress, we believe that all is not lost in Haiti, but that there is still much to lose. There will be even more to lose if we do not continue to support these crucial efforts. Thank you and I look forward to answering your questions.
Thank you for your attention. Deputy Administrator Escobar will begin the round of questions.
Senator Kaine:
Secretary Nichols, I’ll start with the title of this hearing, “Next Steps on the International Response”. So I’d like to start there. We, we, we have barely scratched the surface in all our opening comments on the depth of the challenge.
To that end, what can the department now share publicly, uh, about a possible multinational international force in Haiti to help with security? Tell us a little bit about what we’re doing as a department and share any discussions you can have with this UN security advisor, our international partners.
Brian Nichols:
Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We’ve been working intensively on this issue since I’ve been here. The most recent activities have been the renewal of the UN office in Haiti. And in that resolution that was renewed, uh, earlier this month, the Secretary-General was asked to provide recommendations for, uh, more things that could be done to address the security situation in Haiti within 30 days of adoption.
Senator Kaine:
So August 15, uh, would be the deadline for that report. And, and just for, as we have a dialogue here, it was remarkable because it’s a UN Security Council resolution, a unanimous vote. Countries like Russia and China, who don’t always agree with us, rallied behind this initiative.
That’s at least a positive sign, isn’t it?
Brian Nichols:
That’s right, Mr. President. And, uh, we continue to consult with the other members of the Council, whether permanent, uh, or elected, uh, with the major contributors to peacekeeping around the world. Assistant Secretary Robinson is doing that right now. That’s why he couldn’t be with us today.
He is continuing these conversations. We’re talking to potential contributors to a multinational force, which we see as the quickest solution to deploy, and one that responds specifically to the Haitian government’s request, while we’re looking at other solutions that might include some kind of evaluation of the peacekeeping operation in the future.
Uh, but we think it’s urgent to have, uh, forces on the ground that can support the Haitian national police, uh, in accomplishing their mission, specifically targeting the gangs that are preying on the Haitian people.
Senator Kaine:
Uh, you know, the challenge with the idea of a multinational force is that, uh, I, I think you’ve done a good job of identifying not only the United States, but other nations that are willing to participate.
If it’s well designed, it’s hard to get one country to agree to lead it. Senator Rubio referred to this in his opening remarks, and there are many reasons for this. Some nations have a history with Haiti that would make it difficult for them to lead the initiative due to historical issues. In addition, the history of other peacekeeping operations or multinational efforts in Haiti has had its own difficulties, making some reluctant to take the lead.
What are the lessons learned from past multinational efforts or peacekeeping operations that we should keep in mind as we try to approach this particular formation of a multinational? multinational?
Brian Nichols:
Well, I think that, uh, having a narrow, focused scope for the operation, uh, the security situation in Haiti, uh, is very different depending on where you are in the country.
The situation in Port-au-Prince, in the Capitol, is extremely bad. It requires urgent assistance. In other parts of the country, the situation is much better. A force is needed to provide security around key infrastructure sites. The deputy mentioned the seizure of the Vero few TER fuel terminal, er, late last year, as an incident.
We need to protect sites like this so that the Haitian National Police can interact with the population and ensure security. We also need to develop police forces in parallel with the deployment of a multinational force. Let me ask you one last question, and then I’ll give the floor to my colleague. I’ll have more questions on the U.S. and India, uh, in a second round for you.
Senator Tim Kaine:
Ms. Escobar, you mentioned that in Trinidad and Tobago, Secretary of State Blinken urged Interim Prime Minister Onri to engage in a good-faith dialogue with all sectors of Haitian society in order to consider a next political chapter, my Haitian-American diaspora community in Virginia. They’ve been very critical. Um, I, I wouldn’t say it’s a monolithic critique.
I wouldn’t say it’s a monolithic critique. But there has been a lot of criticism of the interim Prime Minister’s unwillingness to engage widely with all sectors of Haitian society. We talk about this in the political section of expo. Um, what have you observed so far? Mr Nichols, on the Prime Minister’s efforts to do what Mr Blinken encouraged him to do.
Brian Nichols:
Uh, thank you, Mr. President. The Prime Minister visited Jamaica under the auspices of Caricom. He met with various political and social stakeholders in Haiti, uh, in off-site conversations. These took place under the auspices of three eminent foreign ministers, former or prime ministers of other Caribbean countries.
These conversations continued in Port-Au-Prince. It’s a positive step. Uh, he proposed, uh, to, uh, not. To be re-elected or to be elected, I should say, uh, as well as the cabinet, which is an important guarantee for the process. He needs to broaden the political representation within his cabinet. Uh, and, and frankly, I think, uh, the high transition council should be expanded to include other political forces.
The December 21 agreement that he signed with many of those who see him in a more favorable light does not provide for the enlargement of the High Transitional Council. This is therefore a point of considerable debate within the country. But it is vital to deploy a vast national effort to bring the country to elections as quickly as security will allow.
Thank you all for turning the floor over to my colleague Senator Rubio.
Senator Rubio:
Well, just on that point of security. I think we all hope to see a Haiti that has, uh, a thriving economy that provides opportunity and a functioning government. But I think there’s a prerequisite for both of those things to be possible. I mean, there won’t be any investment in the country without security, and I don’t know how you can organize elections under the current security conditions.
So security is paramount, and it’s a very difficult issue to deal with. Firstly, the argument in favor of a multinational force, which the administration and others support, is not unanimously accepted by the political players inside Haiti. This is true. Many are opposed to this solution.
Brian Nichols:
Uh, I should say there are a few. Yes, I’ve spoken with dozens of Haitians in Haiti and members of the diaspora. I would say that opinions about a multinational force, uh, have evolved over time. And the people I talked to who, uh, were against it, uh, two years ago are, are now very much in favor of it, or 18 months ago, I should say.
Uh, the guarantee they want is that it won’t be used as a means to keep, uh, the Prime Minister in power indefinitely. Uh, and, uh, I think we have many assurances from him directly to the Secretary of State and, uh, to other actors in the country, uh, that he, uh, will not remain in power and that his goal is to hold an election.
Senator Rubio:
Uh, we need that security, as you rightly said, to be able to do that. So, under what auspices? For example, the August 15 deadline is for the UN to recommend action. Through the Security Council, have the Chinese expressed their opposition to the presence of an international force inside Haiti to ensure security?
Brian Nichols:
So, uh, I want to be careful in characterizing, uh, another country’s position. But, uh, uh, they have expressed, uh, concerns about how any future effort would be different from, uh, the manu militari effort that lasted 13 years. Uh, the, uh, they, uh, supported the resolution, uh, that, uh, was passed earlier this month. Uh, and they said they’d like to see the text, uh, of the Secretary General’s recommendations, uh, and what a resolution says before presenting a final opinion.
Senator Rubio:
So, which countries have expressed an openness? For example, the Kenyans, are they a potential partner or leader in a peacekeeping effort?
Brian Nichols:
Secretary Robinson has just left Nairobi and we’ve spoken to them. They are, uh, one of the major contributors to UN peacekeeping operations, uh, and multinational operations, uh, around the world.
But we’ve also had discussions with many other countries. Uh, one of the things that I think is important to focus on is that, uh, while we may, uh, ask a specific country to be the lead, we envision this as a multinational force with members from this hemisphere, uh, developed and developing countries, uh, with different levels of, uh, skill sets that they would bring to solving the problem.
Senator Rubio:
Yes, I guess the reason I ask that question is simply, it’s. Historically, the UN, the U.S., Canada and others have been criticized in the past for these efforts for many reasons. The 13 years or whatever happened during that time. Uh, other incidents that have occurred during these, uh, during these interventions, uh, for peacekeeping purposes.
So I think it’s harder to get Canadians or French or anybody else excited about it. So I’m glad to hear that some countries have spoken out. What about the Caribbean?
Brian Nichols:
The RACOM member states have publicly declared their willingness to participate in a multinational force.
Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and the Bahamas have all publicly stated that they would be willing to participate, as have other Caribbean countries. Interestingly, some of the smaller Caribbean countries have Creole speakers, uh, and uh, that could be an important resource for the multinational force for interpretation and translation.
Senator Rubio:
So the problem isn’t finding countries that are potentially willing to contribute. It’s about finding a nation willing to say and lead. On, on command?
Brian Nichols:
Uh, yes sir, that has been, uh, the, the challenge we’re facing. We think we’re making progress in that area. Uh, and it’s, it’s vital that we do.
Uh, and I’d like to note that any country that takes the lead, uh, I’m sure we’ll have, uh, the support, uh, of other key contributors, uh, to peacekeeping, uh, as well as the United States, Canada, France, uh, in terms of supporting their efforts.
Senator Rubio:
My last question, and again I apologize because this is an appropriations vote.
Uh, uh, it’s in a few minutes. With regard to the security assistance we’re currently providing, the training mission, equipment training and so on, what are the details? Obviously, part of this training involves retention. All on-site security personnel face the same challenges as our local employees on the mission. They have to deal with the same problems of housing, security and so on. So it’s telling that a significant percentage of the current security forces are looking to leave the country.
Could you tell us a little more about how this program works? Where does the training take place mm-hmm. Um, in the country, how does it work? And, obviously, is recruitment also part of this program?
Brian Nichols:
Absolutely, sir. The Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement has 14 subject matter experts embedded in the Haitian National Police, providing training and assistance to the police.
In addition, UN political officers, two at the moment, also provide training to the police. We’re working with the police on recruitment, selection, training, at the police academy, in the Port of Prince area, and other facilities, as well as programs to develop the anti-gang unit, the transnational criminal investigation unit, the sexual and gender-based violence unit.
Uh, the Inspector General function, which is like their office of professional responsibility to make sure that bad actors are identified and removed from the police force. We’ve had conversations with the police, uh, around, uh, their growth plans, their maritime operations with the Haitian Coast Guard, which is associated with the police.
Uh, we’re also providing assistance, uh, to, uh, maintain an equipped coast guard, uh, visiting vessels, uh, inside Haiti. In addition to the U.S., other countries are providing assistance to the Haitian National Police, Mexico, France, Brazil, Canada, to name a few, have provided training, both in Haiti and outside of Haiti, to the police.
I can go on if you like. Uh, uh, it’s pretty complete. It was very complete. I appreciate your response and I apologize. I’ll be right back after the vote. When we’ve voted on these matters. I was trying to think of the appropriations bills we’re going to vote on that deal with funding all of this, but we already did that last week.
Senator Kaine:
Thank you, Senator Ruby. I’m going to, I’m going to have a series of questions that I want to ask you, uh, for, for a minute. Um, Secretary Nichols. As I mentioned in my opening remarks, Senator Ruby and I introduced the security of the Caribbean Basin.
We’re on the right track. We’ve tried to tie it into the National Defense Authorization Act. I’m not sure we’ll succeed. But I wanted to ask you about Assistant Secretary Robinson. We referred to him during this hearing. He couldn’t join us today for the reasons you described, but our federal law enforcement agencies are focused on gun trafficking and, uh, can you briefly describe the department’s role in combating gun trafficking to Haiti and the Caribbean region?
Brian Nichols:
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The State Department has supported, along with the Department of Homeland Security, the FBI and the Department of Justice, the creation of a transnational criminal investigation unit in Haiti. There’s also the Gun Crime Investigative Union and Port of Spain Trinidad.
We provide training and access to the Ttra software platform, which enables police officers worldwide to trace the serial numbers of weapons found at crime scenes, for investigative purposes. Uh, you referred, uh, in your opening statement, Mr. President, uh, to the new coordinator position within the Department of Justice, uh, which we believe will be a very important tool to help prosecute straw purchasers.
The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which this body passed, and we thank you for that, provides important tools that allow us to prosecute straw buyers. Um, provides important tools that allow us to prosecute straw purchasers of, of weapons that are used in crimes, um, overseas, uh, who have knowledge or expectation that the weapons they purchase would be used in, in criminal activity.
We have, uh, I think, made significant progress, uh, in attacking the, uh, arms trafficking in the region. But there’s still much, much work to be done. Uh, and as you rightly point out, this is a vital task for, uh, this administration and, and our partners in the region. And I know, sir, that you personally heard that from our partners during your, your travels and your participation in the Summit of the Americas.
Senator Kaine:
Over and over again, I’ve heard it throughout the region. Um, we, you referred earlier to the UN integrated office in Haiti, which I believe is called the benu, and the fact that the Security Council extended its mandate by your, share a little bit about what this integrated office is doing.
What is the scope of its work?
Brian Nichols:
It coordinates the activities of the UN country team in Haiti. All the specialized agencies provide political, mediation and intervention services. They have specialized police officers who provide training, uh, within the Haitian national police, uh, as well as security for some of their own sites.
Uh, the number of police officers in the mission was actually almost doubled when the resolution was renewed, so they’ll be able to do more things around training, uh, coordination of humanitarian efforts in Haiti, not just within UN country team agencies like the World Food Program or unicef. It also extends to other donors. And, uh, Deputy Administrator Escobar, uh, could talk to you about how they’re working, uh, with B new in that regard. Excellent.
Senator Kaine:
You mentioned in your testimony, Secretary Nichols, the role of the Haitian diaspora in the United States. And, uh, I think that’s an intriguing reference, uh, that there’s a significant diaspora in the, in the D M V in this region. Senator Rubio talked about the diaspora, very large in South Florida. Tell us a little bit about how you see the role of the Haitian diaspora, of Americans of Haitian descent. Mm-hmm. Uh, in, in, in helping the transition to a better chapter in the life of the country.
Brian Nichols:
The Haitian diaspora, I’ve met them in Miami, I’ve met them here in this region.
I’ve met them in New York. Uh, virtual meetings, uh, of people with people across the, the country. It’s an incredibly talented group, as you know. Business leaders, doctors, lawyers, dentists, and they want to help Haiti. They have economic resources, they have professional skills.
Historically, we’ve worked with Haitian-American police officers to support the Haitian National Police in the past. Uh, the, uh, ability to. This community to provide aid. also depends on the security situation in Haiti. They need to be able to travel safely and work with Haitians in the country, in the major areas of development.
We’re proud to have Americans of Haitian origin working at the State Department and even on behalf of Haiti. So that’s very important to us.
Senator Kaine:
Excellent. I’d like to move on to humanitarian issues. Uh, Deputy Administrator Escobar. In my opening remarks, I mentioned the fact that this latest wave of political unrest and violence, uh, following the assassination of the president, uh, shortly thereafter, there was an earthquake, but there have been even more recent challenges. Uh, the flooding from an earthquake just in June, uh, of this year, uh, led to 55 deaths, but left more than 13,000 people homeless. And the UN said in a March 2023 report that gang violence had displaced at least 160,000 people.
So the scale of this challenge is very striking, but you said there were some good things happening. I think the statistics you mentioned on the healthcare system, the percentage of Haitians receiving healthcare and the clinics that have been supported by USAID, the work done by USAID and the Haitian government on healthcare, healthcare facilities, I think those statistics are very powerful.
How do these healthcare facilities function in an environment where gangs control much of the country? Are health clinics seen as safe spaces where gangs haven’t interrupted their work too much? Or are you seeing significant restrictions on the work of these facilities due to gang violence in the country?
Marcela Escobari:
No. Thank you, Senator. Um, for your question and, and. Your sustained support for Haiti in the health sector is probably where we’re strongest at USAID. There are over 160 clinics that are run with USAID support and 90% of them are currently operational. I think this is due to a combination of the elements you mentioned.
Many of our partners come from these communities, work in these communities and serve these communities. So I think everyone is motivated to keep them open, especially in the current CIR environment. And they provide everything, don’t they? They provide primary health care. They were instrumental in the cholera epidemic.
They’re the first point of contact for, you know, the response to gender-based violence. So they’re an integral part of these communities and have remained open even in the worst of times.
Senator Kaine:
And are these facilities part of the government’s public health network? Or are they facilities run by NGOs and non-profit organizations?
Marcela Escobari
There’s a mixture, but most of our support goes to the Ministry of Health in Haiti. These are investments made over the last ten years to strengthen the Ministry’s capacities and put in place a public health infrastructure, standards that enable people to know how to respond to cholera. And, and really all these investments have paid off, uh, in these institutions that have been able to respond.
And the government was able to respond during the recent cholera outbreak in October and keep the death toll at WHO level, you know, 1% case fatality, uh, 800 people. Uh, have, uh, died of cholera in this recent outbreak. After 2010, the figure was 10,000. I’m just saying there’s a big difference in how the government was able to respond to the crisis,
Senator Kaine:
Right? And the U.S. investment, along with other partners, in this public health infrastructure linked to the Department of Health, which began ten years ago, has been absolutely critical. During the mad cow crisis, for example. Before that, there might have been isolated clinics or people running health facilities, but there was no solid public health infrastructure under the aegis of the Ministry of Health, and the creation of this architecture made it possible to deal with the pandemic.
It is useful in the current situation. But describe it for us a little bit, because I think it’s hard to get used to the idea that there’s no democratic government operating in this sense. There is no elected representative in Haiti right now who has a mandate. There have been no elections that have allowed people to exercise a mandate.
So how does a Ministry of Health maintain itself? I mean, how does it fund clinics? How does it keep the clinics safe so gang violence doesn’t interrupt it? A little bit.
Marcela Escobari:
Look, the U.S. works in some very complicated places. You know, we work in South Sudan, we work in war zones in Ukraine, and, and we’ve learned to work with the partners we have.
And in Haiti, you know, we often work at the community level and we work with the institutions and officials that exist. And that’s with partners who want to work with us. That’s what we found, and I met the Minister of Health when I visited in January. They are partners in the provision of healthcare in response to emergencies.
And we have found such partners in other institutions. Um, and when we find those partners, you know, we redouble our efforts to strengthen them, regardless sometimes of, of, of, of, uh, instability at, uh, at the national level.
Senator Kaine:
I’m focusing on the health issue because I think Senator Rubio rightly pointed out that before we get to the health issue.
Significant economic activity, investment or, or, or new elections. You have to have a base of security. And I would say that a functioning healthcare system is another of those prerequisites. So, of all the things we could do while we’re looking for that, the next step forward, hopefully with a multinational force to provide security assistance, will do what we can do to continue to train, police and maintain, through our assistance, that functioning healthcare network.
These are the two preconditions which, if all else fails, must be met, because it is on these bases that a political resolution will have to be billed. Yes, that’s true. So I encourage the USDA in its efforts, and I think you’re right, that of all the work the USDA is doing in Haiti and perhaps in many other countries, the work on health care is probably, uh, the, the fundamental work that’s most important.
Let me ask you a question. In March, OGAF published a report recommending that USAID and State improve the management and evaluation of reconstruction activities. The report looked at USAID’s investments after the 2010 earthquake. It found that despite USAID’s efforts to strengthen partnership with local entities to manage funding, and that this is capacity building as well as service delivery, uh, uh, value.
US-based partners implemented the majority of USAID’s direct reconstruction activities rather than local partners, and received most of the funds committed between 2010 and 2020. What could we do as part of reconstruction activities? We’re now talking about reconstruction activities outside the healthcare field, other types of civil society reconstruction activities.
What could we do? Increase localization efforts as a means of providing services and building capacity.
Marcela Escobari
Thank you, Senator. And, uh, as you know, renewing our commitment to localization is among our priorities within the agency,
Senator Kaine:
That’s right. Ambassador Power said we should be doing 25 percent, you know, a minimum of 20 percent of assistance through local partners by 2024 across the U SS A I D portfolio.
Marcela Escobari:
And, and, and, and, you know, she often says that, uh, even 25% seems, you know, low when we think that our core mission is to really create capacity in the places where we work. So it’s important for the agency and it’s always important and a priority for Haiti, even if we have to recognize that localization means more staff, more people, more money.
At a time, you know, that’s a challenge. All these elements are challenges for Haiti. But despite these challenges, Haiti made a huge improvement last year by doubling the percentage of funds allocated to local partners from 10% to 22% from year 21 to year 22. And we have. Created a new partner engagement unit within our mission to be able to work with civil society and really, uh, not only help them fulfill their functions, but also work with them to help them work with us.
We know we’re sometimes an expensive organization because we have to account for every taxpayer dollar, and we do, but we’re working, uh, to train these organizations to work with us and we’re making progress.
Senator Kaine:
Let me explore just one example during your opening testimony. I’m curious how this is localized. You talked about USAID’s investments in public microservices for access to drinking water and eventually other public services for hundreds of thousands of Haitians, and you used the phrase in your testimony that these investments were self-sustaining. Are these investments in public services made with local partners?
Marcela Escobari:
Well, they’re managed by the communities. That’s what, uh, uh, you know, what we want to bring is institutionality. That, that, that these public services can not only provide services, but that people are willing to pay for them. And that’s what we’ve seen in these, uh, in these micro utilities, is that, you know, they’re not just operating, providing drinking water, but they have a water meter.
They have the ability to pay online. So they’ve gone from receiving nothing and being bankrupt to three of them receiving, I think, over $70,000 in revenue. So they’re self-sufficient. The same goes for sanitation and water management, which really make a difference. Patients are willing to pay for services if they are provided. And what we’ve done is help these services to be managed at the community level.
Senator Kaine:
Thank you very much. Secretary Nichols. I was in the Dominican Republic in October and met with Prime Minister Abinadair, and we talked about the Haitian, uh, uh, Dominican border and some of the challenges there. The percentage of births in Dominican hospitals to Haitian women who have crossed the border because they don’t have an acceptable option in Haiti.
And it’s a good thing they have that option. The Dominican Republic. It creates its own challenges. Tell me a little about relations between Haiti and the Dominican Republic. The Dominican Republic is a good ally of the United States. It’s also a pro-democracy nation that has formed the Alliance for the Development of Democracy in the region.
Tell us a little about Haiti and the Dominican Republic. In the past, there have been challenges in the courts of the Dominican Republic and other efforts that have been seen as attempts to close down or reduce the historic sense of welcome that Haitians have found in this country. But tell us a little about the current state of relations.
Brian Nichols:
Uh, the Dominican Republic has been, uh, very vocal in, uh, urging the international community to support Haiti. They have stressed that the global responsibility to help the Haitian people is something that they are focused on. They believe that the Dominican Republic is home to thousands and thousands of Haitians, as well as hundreds and thousands of others who have historical or ethnic roots in Haiti. Uh, they’ve provided, uh, training and assistance to the Haitian government, uh, over time. President Abinadair, Foreign Minister Alvarez, in our conversations with them, repeatedly stressed the importance of providing aid to Haiti. The future of the island of Espanola depends on Haiti’s prosperity and success. Uh, and, uh, the Dominican Republic as prosperous and successful as it is, uh, and will become even more so. It needs a stable, prosperous neighbor. I want to emphasize that we are very honoured that the, I’m proud to hand over the presidency of the Summit of the Americas coordination process to the Dominican Republic, which will host the next Summit of the Americas. As you alluded to, the Dominican Republic is committed to strengthening democracy, human rights, the rule of law and private sector-led growth in our region. So we see them as a valuable partner.
Senator Kaine:
Excellent. Well, one of the things we can do is ask you both a question. The concluding question, unless other colleagues are coming, is: what would you ask of Congress right now to enable you to do the work you need to do in Haiti?
What could we do that would be more useful? I’ll give you an answer. We had a very good hearing yesterday with, uh, Ambassador named Haskins to be the ambassador to Haiti. It’s always better to have a confirmed AM ambassador. Ambassador Haskins has already served in Haiti during his career and understands the situation.
He looks forward to returning. We have experienced a slight slowdown in the confirmation of some ambassadors, particularly in the hemisphere. I’ve worked hard with my colleagues to release a number of them. But I think the confirmation of an ambassador to Haiti is a very important step for the Senate.
But in addition to that, uh, why don’t we take each of you. We’ll take a little time to wrap up, uh, and offer, uh, any additional comments you have on things we could do to be helpful.
Brian Nichols:
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Obviously, I completely agree, uh, with, uh, the importance of confirming, uh, Dennis to be our ambassador, uh, to Port of Prince.
Uh, beyond that, uh, the renewed hope and aid legislation will be incredibly valuable in ensuring Haiti’s economic stability, uh, and economic growth. I believe we are currently well positioned to provide resources for a multinational force in Haiti. Uh, but the, the continued generosity of this body to support our efforts.
It’s vital to help the Haitian people and to ensure security in Haiti. And I thank you for, uh, for your leadership on this and, for the willingness of this corps to, uh, to support this generously. Uh, the last note I’d like to make is, uh, broadly, uh, in, uh, in, uh, our efforts to promote greater, uh, stability and security and difficult places in the world. It’s very important to provide resources to our diplomatic security colleagues to ensure the safety of our citizens, wherever they may be in the world. So I thank you for your support, which has been unwavering in this area as well.
Senator Kaine:
Virginia is home to both the training center for the Marine Guardsmen who provide embassy security, but also the security training center for the Department of State, uh, Foreign Affairs, in southern Virginia. So we’re very committed to the security of our citizens, and we’re proud to host security training facilities in the Commonwealth,” said Administrator Escobar. How can we be more helpful to you?
Marcela Escobari:
Thank you very much, uh, Senator for that question. Let me repeat what my colleague said. I hope that immediate help would be extremely valuable. You’re right to say that there are, you know, certain things that are necessary and fundamental. Safety is one. Health is another, but there are still things going on in Haiti. You know, the worst violence is happening in Port-au-Prince. We work in the north and the south.
People are still exporting their goods. They produce one out of every two jobs in agriculture. People need these jobs. And the textile sector at one point employed over 50,000 people. They work in free-trade zones where they benefit from a certain institutional protection. And I think these investors are making those decisions.
Your commitment to the continuation of these activities would send a very strong signal. The second thing would be to engage our, uh, pursuit. Draw attention, as at this hearing, to our international partners and how important it is for them to join us. We’re the biggest donor. Uh, and, uh, but that requires, uh, mobilizing the entire international community so that we can make a difference because the humanitarian needs are, uh, are immense. And I don’t think all is lost, but we need a supporting force to make sure that we can continue to save lives as we try to turn the tide of Haiti’s history. Thank you very much.
Senator Kaine:
Thank you very much. I know I’m looking forward to the Secretary-General’s report or recommendations to the Security Council in mid-August.
I don’t know if we’ll have a hearing on that, but you can expect us to reach out to the state, uh, once those recommendations are delivered, to continue the dialogue on that. You know, there does seem to be an overall plan to move forward. I mean, my assessment of the situation before today, but it’s certainly been highlighted in your testimony, is that there are a number of partners who really want to participate, uh, in this multinational effort.
If it’s, if it’s properly delimited, properly defined. Learning from past challenges. I think the challenge is not finding willing participants. The question of leadership, uh, is difficult, but at least there are partners around the table who want to participate and that should give us hope.
So I look forward to the report of the 15th, and then further dialogue with you on how we can move forward to provide appropriate security assistance. I’m going to ask that the record of this hearing remain open until close of business tomorrow, in case any members were unable to attend and would like to ask questions for the record. If so, I encourage you to answer them fully and promptly, and the hearing is adjourned.