Observers generally stated that the irregularities did not appear to be the result of organized fraud and did not have a significant impact on the election’s outcome. U.S. Support for Haitian Elections

The U.S. government spent about $18.8 million in financial support for Haiti’s parliamentary, local, and presidential elections. Technical assistance was provided by a team of U.N. election experts in Haiti. The remaining USAID funds were grants to four U.S. nongovernmental organizations for election observation, assistance, and support. In addition to financial support, the United States made diplomatic efforts to assure that the elections were held and a successor to Aristide inaugurated by February 1996. The Inspector General staff generally found adequate controls over funds expended by AIFLD, IFES, IRI, and NDI. The number of politically motivated killings and abuses has decreased dramatically since the intervention of international forces and the return of President Aristide, but allegations of political murder and abuse continue to plague Haiti. U.S. Assistance for Haitian Elections

As of April 1996, the United States had spent about $18.8 million to support Haiti’s electoral process from the June 1995 parliamentary and local elections through the December 1995 presidential election. These funds were disbursed mostly through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), which provided grants to the United Nations and various nongovernmental organizations for direct elections support and elections-related support activities. The Organization of American States (OAS) spent about $3.7 million from a State Department grant for election monitoring. International Civilian Mission in Haiti for human rights monitoring. GAO Comment

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Why GAO Did This Study

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed U.S. efforts to foster democratic elections and increased respect for human rights in Haiti, focusing on: (1) how the elections in Haiti were conducted; (2) the nature and extent of U.S. support for Haitian elections; (3) whether election assistance funds were properly controlled and spent; and (4) the progress made in investigating allegations of politically motivated killings.

What GAO Found

GAO found that: (1) during Haiti's parliamentary and local elections in June 1995, international observers noted various irregularities, but subsequent elections were less troubled; (2) most observers agreed that the presidential elections were generally peaceful, citizens were free to vote, organized fraud was not evident, and technical irregularities did not affect the election's outcome; (3) the U.S. government spent about $18.8 million in support of Haiti's parliamentary, local, and presidential elections, including $9.1 million through a United Nations trust fund, $6 million by U.S. nongovernmental organizations, and $3.7 million to support the efforts of the Organization of American States to observe the elections; (4) without U.S. financial and diplomatic support, it is unlikely that the elections would have been held in time to inaugurate the president's successor in February 1996; (5) the Agency for International Development (AID) Inspector General found that adequate controls existed over the use of election support funds granted to the four U.S. nongovernmental organizations; and (6) the human rights situation in Haiti remains fragile and continues to concern the United States and international organizations, despite dramatic improvements.