PORT-AU-PRINCE - United Nations Mission communications centres in Haiti are keeping the UN and emergency services connected, as the Caribbean nation struggles to get back on its feet following January's devastating earthquake.
The 13 communications centres, run by UNOPS on behalf of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), were set up in 2004 to manage the mission's radio system.
During the January 12 earthquake, Haiti's telecommunications system suffered severe damages, and collapsed towers and overloaded networks made telephone calls difficult. However, the MINUSTAH communication centres were left largely undamaged, and continue to transmit on the UHF frequency.
The system now offers an important means of co-ordinating relief efforts, with all UN communications being transmitted, as well as some police and emergency service exchanges.
UNOPS is also involved in a large variety of other projects in the Haiti relief effort, ranging from camp establishment, security and management, to construction of transitional shelters, to solar lanterns and vehicle procurement. It is also focussing on other parts of the country affected by the earthquake, and is currently investigating the possibility of starting work in the historic port city of Jacmel in the south, which suffered heavy damage.
UNOPS has adopted a 'Haiti First' policy to help ensure that aid money spent on Haiti is spent in Haiti, by using capable local suppliers wherever possible to carry out project work.
Infrastructure damage assessment project
In Port-au-Prince UNOPS is implementing the 'Infrastructure Damage Assessment Project', funded by the World Bank and the UK government with a bilateral agreement of $2.8 million.
The six-month project involves the structural assessment of 200,000 buildings in the capital in order to determine which houses are to be re-occupied and which need to be rebuilt. This project forms the basis for future reconstruction plans.
UNOPS will certify 300 local engineers to perform the evaluation and provide them with training on disaster assessment equipment and techniques.
This project is implemented in close cooperation with the Ministry of Public Works. UNOPS is also expanding the capacity of the government by working with the ministry to create national building standards.
Lane 23 rehabilitation
An earlier UNDP project implemented by UNOPS, to rehabilitate Lane 23, a dangerously dilapidated access route in Port-au-Prince, has also proved useful to the relief effort. The road, which was largely undamaged during the earthquake, has now become a key route for delivering aid in the capital.
The road was initially reconstructed in order to facilitate economic opportunities, reduce crime and violence by allowing the increase of patrols, improve sanitary conditions and create short term employment for local residents.
The project partnership included the World Bank, MINUSTAH, the UN System in Haiti and the Government of Haiti. The World Bank provided a $903,000 grant for low income countries under stress to fund the work.
UNOPS in Haiti
UNOPS has been working in Haiti since 2004. Prior to the earthquake the main activities were the rehabilitation of schools, universities, hospital wards, power stations and roads. It also provided logistics and training services for elections in 2006, and supported emergency efforts in Gonaives in the aftermath of hurricane Jeanne in 2004. UNOPS also provides project management and procurement services for other UN operations in Haiti.
UNOPS has developed close links with the Government, its ministries and local authorities, including the Ministry of Education, the Provisional Electoral Council, the Haitian National Police, and especially the Ministry of Public Works, Transport and Communications.