In the context of worsening insecurity, gang violence and humanitarian situation in Haiti and the reappearance of cholera in popular neighborhoods and prison centers in the country, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is deploying an elite Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) to help government authorities respond to growing humanitarian needs.
According to a USAID release sent to ZoomHaitiNews, “USAID DART disaster experts will assess needs and work with the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince, humanitarian partners and the Haitian people to determine how to provide assistance to the most vulnerable.
The response team, which is already working in the country, has about 15 members in its ranks. Seven are working in Haiti and eight are working remotely in support of those deployed in the country, the USAID memo said.
The United States continues to monitor the situation in Haiti closely and is working with international partners to determine needs and provide additional assistance, the memo says, adding that USAID remains committed to helping the people of Haiti during this difficult time.
Meanwhile, it should be noted that the United States, so far, has not yet given any definitive and clear answer on whether or not to send troops to Haiti to help the country overcome the daunting challenge of gangs that prevent the movement of goods and people.
At a conference Thursday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the United States has been working in partnership with other countries for some time to do a number of things. One is to increase the capacity of the Haitian National Police. The other, he said, is to support a political dialogue with the prime minister, with the Montana group, with other stakeholders, to try to move Haiti toward elections.
