May 1, 2025
The revised 2024–2025 Haitian budget, totaling 323.4 billion gourdes, designates security as the top spending priority, with 41.3 billion gourdes allocated to the National Police (HNP) and Armed Forces. This 11.8% increase over the original budget remains insufficient to meet the critical needs of restoring public order amid widespread violence.
The education sector receives a 4.6 billion gourde allocation—up 10.9%—while the Ministry of Social Affairs sees a 25% increase, also totaling 4.6 billion. Despite these gains, the funding still appears inadequate given the collapse of public services and the rising hardship faced by the population.
The electoral process is backed by a $60 million contribution through the UN-administered Basket Fund. However, this amount is widely seen as insufficient to ensure credible elections under the current deteriorating security conditions. Government promises of additional funding have not eased concerns over whether the elections can realistically take place.
The revised budget also includes economic measures such as extending tax exemptions to 10 years for certain investments and loosening procurement rules. While intended to stimulate economic recovery, these incentives may disproportionately benefit already-established economic players.
Institutional reforms include the creation of new bodies such as the National Security and Defense Council (CNSD in French) and the National Security Agency (ANS in French). While notable in theory, the addition of new agencies raises concerns about administrative overload in a state already struggling with capacity and governance.
Despite its ambitious figures and assertive messaging, the revised budget reads more like a public relations exercise than a genuine roadmap out of crisis. With questionable priorities and underwhelming allocations, it fails to inspire confidence that it can address the immense challenges Haiti faces in the lead-up to elections.
