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Map of Central America |
Email this citationCIAO DATE: 11/02
Lessons Learned: Peacebuilding in Haiti
Lotta Hagman
January 2002
Executive Summary
Peacebuilding is not merely a technical exercise – it is highly political. In a combustible political atmosphere as in Haiti, effective peacebuilding requires careful and sustained management.
The importance of a long-term approach cannot be overestimated. In Haiti, the international community was successful in restoring the constitutional government, improving the respect for basic human rights, and initiating economic development. However, for these efforts to take hold and lead to a self-sustaining democratic process, continuous international engagement in Haiti is vital. From this perspective, the cutback in the UN involvement in February 2001 was premature.
An effective peacebuilding strategy must be based on a deep understanding of the country in question, its history, society, and culture. In the initial stages of the international involvement, knowledge of Haiti was quite poor among delegations and personnel at UN headquarters. This led to strategies that were occasionally naïve and ill-conceived. The UN and other international actors need to reach out to area and issue experts – including local ones – for advice.
