2023 Country Intelligence Brief: Haiti
Security Theme
State Stability and Infrastructure
Keywords
Political Stability, Security, infrastructure, enviornment, health and medical, political
Description
Haiti is a highly unstable developing country in the Caribbean located on the western half of the island of Hispaniola, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. The country has a long history of dictatorship and coups d'etat, and has entered a new political crisis since the assassination of President Jovenel Moise. Political violence, confrontations between rival gangs, and civil unrest pose serious threats to stability, as do unaddressed wealth gaps. Haiti's economy is highly underdeveloped and has been destroyed by graft, conflict, and natural disasters. The island has high levels of unemployment and, as Haiti is one of the most corrupt countries in the world, foreign investment opportunities remain very limited. Previous leaders have been accused of stealing millions from the public treasury, and lower level officials - including police - are known to engage heavily in bribery as well as other crimes, such as drug trafficking. Foreign travelers face pervasive security threats from violent crime, widespread civil unrest, and natural disasters in the form of hurricanes and earthquakes. Infrastructure has historically been weak throughout the country and was further compromised by the devastating earthquake that struck the capital, Port-au-Prince, in 2010 as well as Hurricane Matthew, which hit the country's southern peninsula in 2016.
2023 Country Intelligence Brief: Haiti
Haiti is a highly unstable developing country in the Caribbean located on the western half of the island of Hispaniola, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. The country has a long history of dictatorship and coups d'etat, and has entered a new political crisis since the assassination of President Jovenel Moise. Political violence, confrontations between rival gangs, and civil unrest pose serious threats to stability, as do unaddressed wealth gaps. Haiti's economy is highly underdeveloped and has been destroyed by graft, conflict, and natural disasters. The island has high levels of unemployment and, as Haiti is one of the most corrupt countries in the world, foreign investment opportunities remain very limited. Previous leaders have been accused of stealing millions from the public treasury, and lower level officials - including police - are known to engage heavily in bribery as well as other crimes, such as drug trafficking. Foreign travelers face pervasive security threats from violent crime, widespread civil unrest, and natural disasters in the form of hurricanes and earthquakes. Infrastructure has historically been weak throughout the country and was further compromised by the devastating earthquake that struck the capital, Port-au-Prince, in 2010 as well as Hurricane Matthew, which hit the country's southern peninsula in 2016.
