Is sustainable recovery possible for Haiti?

UN-DESA policy brief no. 28:

This document addresses the challenge of sustainable reconstruction for Haiti following the earthquake of 7.0 on the Richter scale in early January 2010. It targets Haiti's need to rebuild its entire economy in a sustainable manner, to such an extent that it will be more resilient to future shocks and disasters and will be able to solve its problems of widespread poverty, job insecurity and environmental degradation.

The document asserts that Haiti requires not only large amounts of resources but also a much improved institutional capacity to manage those resources and to curb insecurity in the country. It encompasses Haiti’s socio-economic deep vulnerabilities, its need for capacity development and ample resources, and its opportunities to address structural vulnerabilities such as urban planning including building codes incorporating seismic design or planning for high-risk areas prone to landslides, flood plains and ravines.