This situational analysis of metropolitan Port-au-Prince gives a thorough background to the city’s situation in terms of urban development and planning and presents a way forward for future planning of the metropolitan area. It argues that the main stakeholder for any urban development intervention should be the state, more precisely the municipalities. The municipalities in Port-au-Prince need support in planning and delivering basic services. Institutional capacity building is vital for alleviating the current lack of service delivery to urban residents. Community involvement and the coordination of different stakeholders are key components for sustainable results. Any interventions must be planned on a long-term basis, yet still, deliver short-term gains so that the necessary support can be harnessed.
Rationale for the study
The Haitian Ministry of Planning and External Cooperation, MPCE, in cooperation with UN-HABITAT, initiated an intervention in Port-au-Prince on land-related citywide strategic planning. is situational analysis constitutes the first phase of the intervention and will, if funding allows, be followed by technical assistance for the stakeholders in metropolitan Port-au-Prince, assistance in coordinating a development partners group of land, and ultimately the development and implementation of a strategic spatial citywide plan in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan region? The final design of the intervention will be informed by this situational analysis, as well as by discussions and negotiations with Haitian stakeholders and the donor community.