New UN-financed job projects in Haitian capital set to help over 7,000 people

The United Nations peacekeeping mission to Haiti has announced it will fund six projects that are expected to eventually provide temporary jobs to more than 7,000 people living in the notorious Cité Soleil and Martissant neighbourhoods of the capital, Port-au-Prince.

In a press conference held yesterday in Port-au-Prince, representatives of the mission – known as MINUSTAH – said at least $522,000 will be spent on the projects, which will focus on street paving, sanitation and rebuilding and improving public spaces.

Cité Soleil and Martissant have long been renowned as centres of high crime, poverty and unemployment, and the projects aim to break the link between the phenomena. Both former gunmen and the victims of violence are expected to benefit from the jobs produced by the projects.

Adama Ndao, a MINUSTAH official specializing in trying to reduce community violence, told the press conference that the projects are scheduled to begin at the start of next month.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) will help carry out the projects, along with the municipalities of Port-au-Prince and Cité Soleil.