Foreign aid to Haiti: Help or Entrapment?

Haiti is one of the countries most dependent on international aid in the world. But does this aid actually help? A compelling article by Wilgens Exil, Daniel Pereira Sampaio, and Camilla dos Santos Nogueira, published in Revista Espirales – Volume 9, analyzes three decades of the Haitian public budget and reveals deep contradictions.

Between 1991 and 2020, external donations accounted for approximately 25% to 30% of the country's budget. However, only 17% of that total effectively entered the national treasury; the remaining 83% stayed under the direct control of donors and multilateral institutions.

The result is a vicious cycle: the money arrives but largely returns to the donor countries through contracts, logistics costs, and services. The research demonstrates that, following the 2010 earthquake, for example, billions were promised, yet less than 1% of the total reached Haitian organizations. The majority was managed by international NGOs, without the effective participation of the Haitian State.

This model creates structural dependence. Haiti's budget is prepared every year, already counting on resources that the country does not control. The United States, France, and Canada are the main donors, often imposing agendas that benefit their own interests more than local development.

The central question is provocative: when foreign aid becomes essential to keep the State functioning, can we still call it aid, or does it become a mechanism of domination?

An insightful article for those seeking to understand the Haitian economy. Link to the full article.