"We share the pain and sorrows of the Haitian people."
Los Angeles, CA – 25 August 2021 — Global Bank Group (@GlobalBankGroup) has offered humanitarian and development assistance to Haiti following statement after a 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck in Saint-Louis-du-Sud, Haiti, that killed more than 2,207 people and injured thousands on Saturday, the President of Global Bank Group Ron Nechemia said.
"I pledge my fraternal solidarity with the people of Haiti, and we share the pain and sorrows of the Haitian people after a 7.2 magnitude earthquake that killed more than 2,207 people, wounded more than 12,200 and left an estimated 129,900 homeless in Haiti," said Nechemia.
Haitians are now bracing for more difficult times ahead.
At least 136,800 buildings were damaged or destroyed, and fatalities were estimated at 2,207 as of 22 August 2021. Haiti Earthquake 2021 is the deadliest earthquake and the deadliest natural disaster of 2021. It is the worst disaster to strike Haiti since the 2010 earthquake.
With a long history of political turmoil and instability, the Caribbean nation is contending with successive natural disasters even as it struggles to recover from a string of other devastating events, including the 2010 earthquake that had killed more than 300,000 people and nearly wiped out the capital city of Port-au-Prince.
Grace storm came just two days after the deadly earthquake. Though Grace spared the country a direct hit, the storm’s incessant rainfall spurred floods that created more burden for earthquake victims amidst a slow rollout of aid.
Responding with Lifesaving Support:
Now, the requests are basic.
The Global Bank Group’s regional office for Latin America and the Caribbean and the Global Bank Disaster Risk Reduction and Reconstruction Fund – An Umbrella Trust Fund (@GBDRRRF) are working with the Government of Haiti and partners to respond to the “urgent needs of Haiti with lifesaving support” following the devastating earthquake that remains evident in the cities of Jeremie and Les Cayes, located in Haiti's southern peninsula. Piles of debris mark where buildings once stood before the deadly earthquake that shook Haiti on Saturday, the 14th day of August.
The active support of Global Bank to Haiti Earthquake 2021 is within the broad parameters of the Global Bank Haiti Country Partnership Framework. The program was developed to support the people of Haiti’s response to the Haiti Earthquake 2021 and COVID-19 crises. These adjustments align with the Global Bank Crisis Response Approach: “Saving Lives, Scaling-up Impact and Building Back Better,” which include its four pillars; 1) saving lives; 2) protecting poor and vulnerable people; 3) ensuring sustainable economic growth and job creation; and 4) strengthening policies, institutions, and investments for rebuilding better.
Making Haiti Resilient
In disaster-prone countries, such as in the case of Haiti, the Global Bank Group aims at mitigating the immediate and the potentially long-lasting impact of disasters while strengthening state institutions, addressing existing vulnerabilities, and bolstering efforts on longer-term development challenges, all through interventions that foster inclusion and shared prosperity. When an extreme environmental hazard strikes, infrastructure, can be a deciding factor in whether or not the situation becomes a disaster. For example, roads can provide access to a timely supply of humanitarian relief to affected communities, but the entire region could be cut off from support if roads are destroyed.
The Global Bank helps strengthen the security and resilience of critical infrastructure for the continuity of essential national functions and to organize itself to partner effectively with and add value to the security and resilience efforts of critical infrastructure owners and operators.
The objective of the Global Bank in infrastructure is to improve alignment and coordination between established and new infrastructure initiatives, as well as among multilateral and national development banks, national institutions, and the private sector; to bridge the ‘infrastructure investment gap’ and to facilitate the implementation of sustainable, accessible and resilient infrastructure, particularly for developing countries.
The Global Bank Disaster Risk Reduction and Reconstruction Fund – An Umbrella Trust Fund will prepare projects in a manner that fits the developmental-driven mandate of Global Bank in the infrastructure sector, namely, to deliver outcomes focused on commercialized approaches, private sector participation, strong environmental and social standards and energy efficiency improvements across the sectors
