WASHINGTON, DC, July 5, 2023 ¨C ľ¹ÏÓ°Ôº's Board of Executive Directors approved today US$12 million in additional financing for the Caribbean Regional Air Transport Connectivity Project. The grant financing replenishes funds to cover cost overruns related to repairs recently identified at the Cap-Ha?tien International Airport, to bolster the country aviation sector and ensure that the airport continues to meet international standards set out by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
¡°Air connectivity remains critical to Haiti¡¯s economy and its ability to respond to emergencies, particularly given its insularity, weak ground transport infrastructure, and lingering insecurity over key roadways¡±, said Laurent Msellati, World Bank Country Manager for Haiti. ¡°With this additional financing, the World Bank ensures that the Cap Ha?tien International Airport is supporting the safe, resilient, and reliable travel of passengers in and out the country¡¯s northern region. It will have direct impact on inclusive growth but also will increase education, jobs, healthcare, and trade opportunities while supporting climate change adaptation and mitigate their impacts.¡±
Cap Ha?tien remains a strategic entry port to the north of the country, contributing to both connectivity and territorial continuity. However, this continued ability to operate even during security crisis and natural disasters - providing essential connectivity to emergency and other humanitarian activities - is increasingly at risk, due to continued deterioration amid insufficient maintenance.
The US$12 million additional financing of the Caribbean Regional Air Transport Connectivity Project will address the Rehabilitation of Cap-Ha?tien International Airport runway. It will also improve the international airport drainage system thanks to major infrastructure works aiming at improving the runoff of rainwater, using climate change projections, including a larger share of nature-based solutions.
The initial project was approved on May 2020 thanks to a US$84 million grant from the International Development Association with the aim of improving the operational safety and navigational efficiency of air transport in Haiti¡¯s territory and increasing the climate and disaster resilience of related infrastructure at Haiti¡¯s international airports.
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