Japan and OAS pledge $3 million to boost Haiti's voter registration ahead of elections
Japan and the Organization of American States have agreed to provide Haiti with a $3 million grant to update voter rolls and print blank ID cards as the nation prepares for its first general election in over ten years.
Japan and the Organization of American States signed an agreement on Tuesday to allocate $3 million to Haiti for electoral preparation. The money will be used to refresh the country's voter database and produce 350,000 blank ID cards, a critical step given that gang-driven displacement has left an estimated 1.5 million people without personal documents. The OAS said the grant will also address the backlog of Haitians awaiting identification, broaden services in remote communities, and upgrade power and internet connectivity at decentralized registration offices.
Registration efforts started last month in Port-au-Prince, where gangs dominate roughly 70 % of the territory. The initial round of voting is set for Dec. 13, though experts warn that ongoing violence could push the date back. Haiti has been without a president since the assassination of Jovenel Moïse in July 2021, making the upcoming election a pivotal moment for the troubled nation.
Why it matters
The funding targets Haiti's crippled election process, a key step toward restoring governance amid severe insecurity.
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