l’union fait la force.

I read this excerpt from an article about the earthquake in Haiti and felt that it was an important one to pass along.

Haiti, we love you.
Disasters like this one are especially devastating when they strike places that are already struggling  to provide the most basic of services for its population. With weak government and private sector institutions, and with uncertain security conditions, Haiti is the poorest, least developed country in the Western Hemisphere, and the majority of Haitians live in poverty. The sheer scale of poverty in the country means that the government has limited capacity to meet even the simplest needs of its people, let alone address a disaster of this magnitude. Haiti’s lack of development—which translates into a lack of government capacity for emergency preparedness—magnifies the impact of this tragedy. In addition to creating a very real and immediate humanitarian tragedy, this earthquake and the struggle to navigate its aftermath will be an enormous setback to the hard-won gains that Haiti has achieved in recent years in securing a more stable environment and fighting poverty.

While disaster preparedness and long-term development initiatives may seem to fall at opposite ends of the development spectrum, they are in fact profoundly connected. Disaster preparedness plays a crucial role in the fight against poverty. Without it, gains against poverty are physically erased, and post-disaster countries face insurmountable challenges in getting back on track to meet their development goals. In Haiti, once the immediate disaster is addressed, it will be an uphill battle to return to its former state of development, let alone make further gains.

This situation demonstrates how investments in long-term development, especially in fragile and disaster-prone states like Haiti, could help countries deal with disasters, and also keep them on track to develop.

In spite of this disaster, a great aspect of Haitian history tells us the Haitian people are resilient and determined to better their lives. I am confident that with the help of strong partners around the world, Haiti will rise from its rubble and Haitians will live their motto: L’union fait la force (Unity is strength).