Haiti: Tribulations of a failed state

This article reviews the main political developments in Haiti in the last 22 months. During this period, the country has attained some degree of political stability as a result of the successful completion of an electoral process and the concomitant election of René Preval as President of the country. Haiti,furthermore, has seen some improvements in security and economic stability triggered by a moderate economic growth. These achievements have been partly possible due to the presence of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), which, jointly with the Haitian State, have worked to tackle acute problems, in particular lack of security. These improvements notwithstanding, the general outlook of the country and its political stability remain fragile given its significant structural problems and its extensive dependence from the international community.