Since the outbreak of cholera in Haiti in 2010, an estimated 780,000 people have been affected by the disease and more than 9,000 people have died. This has had a tragic impact on families and communities who have been touched by the disease and highlighted the need to improve access to clean water, working sanitation and better health infrastructure for all Haitians. To address this critical situation, the UN Secretary-General announced a new approach in 2016. This new UN approach to cholera in Haiti, announced by the UN Secretary-General in mid-August, has two tracks, which include the following strategic objectives:
Track 1A: Intensifying immediate efforts to cut transmission of cholera and improve access to care and treatment;
Track 1B: Addressing the longer-term issues of water, sanitation and health systems; and
Track 2: Developing a proposal for a package of material assistance and support to Haitians most directly affected by cholera. These efforts will include victims of the disease, their families and communities.
OBJECTIVES AND SCOPE OF THE FUND
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has established the UN Haiti Cholera Response Multi-Partner Trust Fund to rapidly resource UN system, NGO community and Government responses to the Cholera outbreak in Haiti, in accordance with the Strategic Objectives of new UN approach on Cholera in Haiti. The trust fund provides a rapid, flexible and accountable platform to support a coordinated response – addressing both immediate and long-term needs - from the UN system and partners, with the ultimate aim of eliminating cholera from Haiti and creating resilience for Haitians.
The UN Haiti Cholera Response MPTF aims to allocate funds to priority needs in line with the new approach, and encourage rapid, predictable and sustained donor contributions for each element of the new approach. In addition, the Fund will be able to support other interventions, including those addressing the increased risk of cholera caused as a consequence of Hurricane Mathew, which devastated Haiti at the beginning of October.
GOVERNANCE
The UN Haiti Cholera Response MPTF is led by the Special Adviser to the UN Secretary-General on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Climate Change, serving as the Chair of the Advisory Committee of the Fund. The Chair will be supported by the Advisory Committee, consisting of the Chair, the DSRSG/HC/RC1 for Haiti, UNICEF, PAHO/WHO, UNDP and other UNCT members, and up to three donors. The Government of Haiti, represented at the level of the Permanent Representative to the UN in NY, will be invited to join in observer status. The MPTF Office will serve as ex-officio member of the Advisory Committee. The Chair in consultation with the Advisory Committee will articulate the funding priorities and approve proposal submitted by Recipient UN Organizations and Implementing Partners.
The UN Haiti Cholera Response Trust Fund is adminiastered by the UNDP MPTF Office. The UNDP Multi-Partner Trust Fund Office is a UN Facility which administers over 140 UN common funding instruments (http://mptf.undp.org). The MPTF Office is responsible for Fund design and set-up, the maintenance of the Fund account, the receipt of donor contributions and the disbursement of funds upon instructions from the Chair, and provision of periodic consolidated reports.