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What Is a Free Trade Agreement (FTA)?

A free trade agreement is a pact between two or more nations to reduce barriers to imports and exports among them. Under a free trade policy, goods and services can be bought and sold across international borders with little or no government tariffs, quotas, subsidies, or prohibitions to inhibit their exchange.

The concept of free trade is the opposite of trade protectionism or economic isolationism.

How a Free Trade Agreement Works

In the modern world, free trade policy is often implemented by means of a formal and mutual agreement of the nations involved. However, a free-trade policy may simply be the absence of any trade restrictions.

A government doesn't need to take specific action to promote free trade. This hands-off stance is referred to as " laissez-faire trade" or trade liberalization.

Governments with free-trade policies or agreements in place do not necessarily abandon all control of imports and exports or eliminate all protectionist policies. In modern international trade, few free trade agreements (FTAs) result in completely free trade.

Key Takeaways

For example, a nation might allow free trade with another nation, with exceptions that forbid the import of specific drugs not approved by its regulators, or animals that have not been vaccinated, or processed foods that do not meet its standards.

Or, it might have policies in place that exempt specific products from tariff-free status in order to protect home producers from foreign competition in their industries.

The Economics of Free Trade

In principle, free trade on the international level is no different from trade between neighbors, towns, or states. However, it allows businesses in each country to focus on producing and selling the goods that best use their resources while other businesses import goods that are scarce or unavailable domestically. That mix of local production and foreign trade allows economies to experience faster growth while better meeting the needs of its consumers.

This view was first popularized in 1817 by economist David Ricardo in his book, On the Principles of Political Economy and Taxation. He argued that free trade expands the diversity and lowers the prices of goods available in a nation while better exploiting its homegrown resources, knowledge, and specialized skills.

Public Opinion on Free Trade

Few issues divide economists and the general public as much as free trade. Research suggests that faculty economists at American universities are seven times more likely to support free-trade policies than the general public. In fact, the American economist Milton Friedman said: "The economics profession has been almost unanimous on the subject of the desirability of free trade."

Free-trade policies have not been as popular with the general public. The key issues include unfair competition from countries where lower labor costs allow price-cutting and a loss of good-paying jobs to manufacturers abroad.

The call on the public to Buy American may get louder or quieter with the political winds, but it never goes silent.

The View from Financial Markets

Not surprisingly, the financial markets see the other side of the coin. Free trade is an opportunity to open another part of the world to domestic producers.

Moreover, free trade is now an integral part of the financial system and the investing world. American investors now have access to most foreign financial markets and to a wider range of securities, currencies, and other financial products.

Real-World Examples of Free Trade Agreements

The European Union is a notable example of free trade today. The member nations form an essentially borderless single entity for the purposes of trade, and the adoption of the euro by most of those nations smooths the way further. It should be noted that this system is regulated by a bureaucracy based in Brussels that must manage the many trade-related issues that come up between representatives of member nations.

U.S. Free Trade Agreements

The United States currently has a number of free trade agreements in place. These include multi-nation agreements such as the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which covers the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, and the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA), which includes most of the nations of Central America. There are also separate trade agreements with nations from Australia to Peru.

Collectively, these agreements mean that about half of all goods entering the U.S. come in free of tariffs, according to government figures. The average import tariff on industrial goods is 2%.

All these agreements collectively still do not add up to free trade in its most laissez-faire form. Amerian special interest groups have successfully lobbied to impose trade restrictions on hundreds of imports including steel, sugar, automobiles, milk, tuna, beef, and denim.

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A free trade agreement is a pact between two or more nations to reduce barriers to imports and exports among them. Under a free trade policy, goods and services can be bought and sold across international borders with little or no government tariffs, quotas, subsidies, or prohibitions to inhibit their exchange.

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The TSA has become a very recent reform to national security as it prevents a foreign, or even interior, threat from exiting/entering the country. The TSA utilizes a variety of procedures such as searching luggage for radioactive or hazardous materials, checking passenger lists to make sure that suspicious individuals don't fly, and hiring personnel like explosive specialists to prevent attacks from occurring and disrupting our societal progress.

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This article was most recently revised and updated by

Transportation Security Administration (TSA), U.S. agency created following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks that is mandated with developing and implementing policies to ensure the safety of the nation's transportation systems. It was established by the Aviation and Transportation Security Act, which was passed by Congress and signed into law by Pres. George W. Bush on November 19, 2001. Originally part of the U.S. Department of Transportation, in 2003 the TSA became part of the newly created Department of Homeland Security.

Airport security and preventing aircraft hijacking are important concerns of the TSA and arguably the most well-known to the public. Uniformed transportation security officers at airports examine passengers and luggage, looking for any prohibited materials. Others work behind the scenes, for example, by reviewing passenger lists and comparing them with lists of individuals deemed to be a security threat or at risk for being a security threat. They then identify anyone who requires additional screening or who should not be allowed to board a plane.

The TSA also has a public presence with its VIPR teams (Visible Intermodal Prevention and Response teams), members of which are easily identifiable as security officers and who patrol railways and mass transit systems. Other modes of transportation that are also under the purview of the TSA include freight carriers moving across the nation's highways, cargo entering U.S. ports and traveling on U.S. waterways, and freight transported via pipelines.

In addition to the transportation security officers and VIPR members mentioned above, the TSA also employs other specialists, including behavior detection officers, federal air marshals, explosives specialists, and canine teams as part of its mandate to keep the country's transportation systems safe.

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September 11 attacks, series of airline hijackings and suicide attacks committed in 2001 by 19 militants associated with the Islamic extremist group al-Qaeda against targets in the United States, the deadliest terrorist attacks on American soil in U.S. history. The attacks against New York City and...

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U.S. Department of Transportation

U.S. Department of Transportation, executive agency of the U.S. federal government responsible for programs and policies relating to transportation. Established in 1966, it controls the Federal Aviation Administration, Federal Highway Administration, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Federal Railroad Administration, Federal Transit Administration, Maritime Administration, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Pipeline...

Transportation Security Administration

date

November 19, 2001 - present

areas of involvement

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Transportation Security Administration | United States government

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This article was most recently revised and updated by Transportation Security Administration (TSA), U.S. agency created following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks that is mandated with developing and implementing policies to ensure the safety of the nation's transportation systems. It was established by the Aviation and Transportation Security Act, which was passed by Congress and signed into law by Pres.

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To support civil society at the local level, USAID established six civic engagement centers throughout South Sudan

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USAID provides assistance and training to civil society organizations and coalitions to improve their capacity to participate in local and national-level political and peace processes. These organizations are helping their communities prioritize and address their greatest needs and promote social cohesion. Support includes training organizations in conflict management techniques, supporting their increased engagement in informing legislation, and providing material and technical support to organizations advocating for transparency and accountability in governance, peace processes, and political transitions. To support civil society at the local level, USAID established six civic engagement centers throughout South Sudan, where civil society leaders receive training and small grants to implement activities and link to civil society organizations at the national level to advocate for representation of their views in national and regional fora.

Radio is the most important source of information in South Sudan, which has a high rate of illiteracy and a largely rural population. USAID supports the development of professional and independent media through South Sudanese-staffed and managed Eye Radio in Juba and the Association for Media Development in South Sudan and its Media Development Institute. The Institute provides journalism training and advocates for press freedom. USAID also supports four community FM radio stations through The Radio Community, and the Community Engagement Network that supports community radio stations in Bentiu and Malakal. USAID has distributed thousands of solar-powered, wind-up radios to isolated communities in South Sudan to promote access to information including through USAID-supported radio stations, which collectively reach 3 million of South Sudan's 12 million citizens.

USAID supports civil society organizations including women's groups, youth groups, and interfaith councils to promote peace and reconciliation focused on the 13 target counties of USAID's assistance strategy. This support will help build the resilience of households and communities by mitigating the drivers of inter- and intra-communal conflicts. USAID programming focuses on empowering citizens across a wide range of contexts and populations. These efforts promote community mediation and dialogues throughout South Sudan, and in the disputed Abyei Area on the South Sudan-Sudan border. USAID also supports trauma awareness mechanisms that are helping survivors discuss the impacts of trauma and break cycles of violence.

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Democracy, Human Rights, and Governance | South Sudan | U.S. Agency for International Development

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USAID provides assistance and training to civil society organizations and coalitions to improve their capacity to participate in local and national-level political and peace processes. These organizations are helping their communities prioritize and address their greatest needs and promote social cohesion.

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Wherever there are states, there are treaties. Since ancient times, treaties have been a crucial tool of statecraft and diplomacy. As treaties are agreements between various states, often concluded at the end of a conflict, they profoundly reshape boundaries, economies, alliances and international relations. Here are five of the most important treaties in history.
Treaty of Tordesillas (1494)
The Treaty of Tordesillas, between Portugal and Spain (technically its component Kingdom of Castile), was negotiated by the Papacy and divided newly discovered lands outside of Europe between the two countries along a line of longitude through what is now eastern Brazil.

As a result, Spanish exploration and colonization mostly focused on the Americas, leading to Spanish control over much of Central and South America; the still undiscovered Brazil fell to Portugal. Portugal was able to explore east, and under Vasco da Gama in 1498, it managed to establish that it was possible to sail from Europe to India.

Initially, the treaty was to Portugal's advantage, as it grew rich off of the trade route between Europe and Asia. However, in the long run, Portugal was edged out of this trade by England and Holland. In terms of controlling land, it was much more difficult for tiny Portugal to seize and hold territory where organized states existed in Asia. Spain, on the other hand, acquired a huge and populous empire in Latin America, and later discovered enormous mineral wealth there.

Ultimately, of course, other powers chose to ignore the treaty, which excluded them, including England, the Netherlands and France.
The Peace of Westphalia (1648)
The Peace of Westphalia consisted of two related treaties, the Treaty of Münster and the Treaty of Osnabrück, signed at the end of the Thirty Years' War, which was generally between Catholic and Protestant states, although countries like France played both sides for cynical gain. Although the Peace of Westphalia only originally impacted Western and Central Europe, it eventually had global consequences.

This was because it established some of the most important principles of the international system. The key characteristics of the nation-state were laid out in the treaties signed at the Peace of Westphalia. The treaties established the idea of territorial sovereignty, with each state solely responsible for law and order, taxes and control over the populations in their territories. Additionally, the right of every state to order its own internal religious and political arrangements was recognized. These are now considered global norms.
The Treaty of Paris (1783)
The Treaty of Paris (1783), which is the oldest treaty signed by the United States still in effect, ended the American Revolution and established the United States-for that reason alone, it is one of the most consequential treaties in world history. The Treaty of Paris didn't just establish the United States; it did so on highly favorable terms.

The American negotiating team, led by John Jay, Benjamin Franklin and John Adams played their hand astoundingly well. America's allies, France and Spain, did not want the United States to make a separate peace; however, as fighting continued to rage in the Caribbean and Gibraltar, this is exactly what the Americans sought, as they felt they would get a better deal by directly dealing with London. The French had hoped that America would be a small and weak state between the Atlantic and Appalachians, with the British keeping the lands north of the Ohio River and the Spanish controlling a buffer state to the south. Instead, the British decided that a strong and economically successful America was in their interests and against French interests and were convinced to give the new state all the land up to the Mississippi river as well as fishing rights in Canada. This enabled the United States to later expand westward and become a major continental power.
The Congress of Vienna (1814-15)
The Congress of Vienna occurred at the end of the Napoleonic Wars and dramatically reshaped Europe. Several treaties were signed at the Congress, the most important of which was the 1814 Treaty of Paris (there are of "Treaties of Paris").

The Congress of Vienna was especially noteworthy because of how successful it was. While some later historians have criticized it as being "reactionary," it prevented the outbreak of a major European war for a hundred years. How did it accomplish this?

First, all parties, including defeated France, were part of the negotiations. This was due to the informal format of the Congress, which allowed various parties, often led by brilliant diplomats such as Talleyrand (France) and Metternich (Austria) to sit down and hash out their positions, until a compromise was reached. While this did not make everyone happy, it ensured that nobody was totally unhappy and involved convoluted horse-trading. For example, Sweden lost Finland to Russia, but gained Norway from Denmark. Denmark, in turn, gained Swedish Pomerania and the Duchy of Lauenburg from Hanover; it gave the first to Prussia and kept the second. In compensation Hanover was given East Frisia from Prussia.

Second, the Congress and the resulting treaties limited the level of punitiveness imposed on the losing parties. France lost the territory acquired by Napoleon but kept its prewar boundaries; it was more often than not treated by the other powers as a fellow victim of Napoleon. Countries that sided with France, like Saxony were allowed to retain their independence, despite calls to the contrary. Unlike the aftermath of World War I, no attempts were made to abolish entire countries or change their internal political arrangements. All this contributed to enormous stability. The only unfortunate thing was that, because of all the horse-trading at the conference, an independent Poland was not reestablished.
Treaty of Versailles (1919)
The Treaty of Versailles was signed between the Western allies and Germany at the end of World War I. The manner in which it was handled stood in stark contrast with the inclusive way in which post-Napoleonic Europe was organized-terms were dictated, not negotiated. In addition to the Treaty of Versailles, Austria, Hungary, Bulgaria and the remnant of the Ottoman Empire also signed misconceived treaties.

Germany, of course, was given the short end of the stick, and was punished with the loss of territory and crippling reparations, largely at the urging of a vengeful France. While this was a bad idea, if the allies were going to go down this path, they should have gone ever further and broken up Germany, rather than let Europe's most populous nation fester in anger.

President Woodrow Wilson's Fourteen Points also lead to the creation of various new, small, weak nation-states which could hardly defend themselves in the long run against predatory powers like the Soviet Union and Germany. Interference in the internal political structures of defeated powers like Germany also created the conditions for trouble, and ultimately lead to World War II.

The related treaties of Sèvres and Lausanne divvied up the Ottoman Empire, with unpleasant consequences for the Middle East: Armenians and Kurds lost out, and most of the Arabs found themselves under French and British colonial rule in artificial states like Syria and Iraq, the consequences of which are abundantly evident today.

Akhilesh Pillalamarri is an international relations analyst, editor and writer, who contributes to the Diplomat and the National Interest. He received his Master of Arts in Security Studies from the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University, where he concentrated in international security. You can follow him at his Twitter handle .
: Political situation after the Congress of Vienna in June 1815. Wikimedia Commons/Creative Commons/Alexander Altenhof

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The 5 Most Important Treaties in World History

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Wherever there are states, there are treaties. Since ancient times, treaties have been a crucial tool of statecraft and diplomacy. As treaties are agreements between various states, often concluded at the end of a conflict, they profoundly reshape boundaries, economies, alliances and international relations. Here are five of the most important treaties in history.

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https://www.usaid.gov/humanitarian-assistance/haiti

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Key Developments

On August 14, 2021, a magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck southwestern Haiti, approximately 80 miles west of the capital Port-au-Prince. In response, U.S. Ambassador Michele J. Sison declared a disaster due to the effects of the earthquake in Haiti. USAID's Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (USAID/BHA) immediately deployed a Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART), including urban search-and-rescue experts, to lead the U.S. Government efforts in support of the Government of Haiti.

USAID/BHA has also activated local surge consultants to support DART activities in Haiti. USAID/BHA staff in Port-au-Prince, Haiti; San Jose, Costa Rica; and Washington, D.C. continue to assess conditions in coordination with the U.S. Embassy in Haiti, the Government of Haiti (GoH) and humanitarian partners.

More than 24,400 people displaced by the earthquake are sheltering at 58 sites across Grand'Anse, Nippes, and Sud, according to the International Organization of Migration.

DART members conduct assessments and observe distributions of assistance in CampPerrin and Maniche, identifying key shelter and multi-sector needs among affected populations.

Joint Task Force-Haiti conducts 560 missions, assisting nearly 480 people and transporting approximately 348,000 pounds of relief commodities to affected areas.

USAID/BHA partner World Food Program provides emergency food assistance to nearly 51,000 people and distributes hot meals to nearly 16,800 people in hospitals in southwestern Haiti.

Background

Haiti's endemic poverty and civil unrest-combined with recurring shocks from natural disasters, including droughts, earthquakes, floods, and hurricanes-have resulted in food insecurity and other humanitarian needs throughout the country. Since the January 2010 earthquake and October 2010 cholera outbreak, USAID has focused both on providing immediate response to affected populations and on supporting disaster risk reduction (DRR) programs that promote local and national self-sufficiency in disaster preparedness, response, and management. Since 2010, USAID has provided approximately $186 million to support stand-alone DRR programs throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, including nearly $32.2 million in funding to support DRR efforts in Haiti. In addition to stand-alone DRR programs, USAID contributed nearly $133 million to support programs integrating preparedness and mitigation activities into early recovery and transition programs in response to the January 2010 earthquake and subsequent cholera outbreak in Haiti.

Since 2011, USAID has supported the International Organization for Migration to pre-position emergency relief supplies in the event of disasters, as well as to develop Government of Haiti personnel capacity to manage facilities and deploy supplies when necessary. Pre-positioning relief commodities-including plastic sheeting, hygiene kits, and water containers-ensured that relief supplies were available for distribution to affected populations immediately following Hurricane Matthew in October 2016, and Hurricane Irma in September 2017.

In recent years, USAID has deployed Disaster Assistance Response Teams to Haiti following Hurricane Matthew and Hurricane Irma to conduct disaster assessments and coordinate response activities with the Government of Haiti and humanitarian organizations.

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Haiti | Humanitarian Assistance | U.S. Agency for International Development

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USAID's Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA) not only responds to urgent needs related to humanitarian emergencies, but also funds programs that leave communities stronger and more resilient to future disasters.

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Basically, free trade on the international level is no different from trade between neighbors, towns, or states. However, it allows businesses in each country to focus on producing and selling the goods that best use their resources while other businesses import goods that are scarce or unavailable domestically.

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https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/08/30/drone-civilians-islamic-state/
U.S. drone strike was to protect troops from terrist and prevent them from coming back.

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Neighbors and onlookers gathered in the garden of the Ahmadi family a day after a U.S. drone strike - launched in retaliation for an Islamic State-claimed bombing outside Kabul airport last week - killed 10 civilians, including eight children and young adults in Kabul on Aug. 30. (Susannah George/The Washington Post)

KABUL - Even as the final U.S. military flights soared out from Kabul's airport on Monday, friends and relatives in a nearby neighborhood buckled in anguish over the deaths of 10 extended family members in a U.S. drone strike the day before.

The strike was meant to thwart a purported planned attack by the Islamic State. Questions remain about whether the U.S. accomplished its intended mission, but this much is known: 10 civilians in this northwestern Kabul neighborhood - eight of them children 18 and under - were killed in the attack, family members told The Washington Post on Monday, adding to the 48,000 civilian casualties already suffered during the past 20 years of war.

The dead were all from a single extended family who were exiting a car in their modest driveway when the strike hit a nearby vehicle, said Abdul Matin Azizi, a neighbor who saw the attack. Azizi, 20, said the explosion occurred as the family returned home Sunday afternoon around 4:30 p.m.

Azizi said he ran next door to help and found a gruesome scene, the air thick with smoke. "The bodies were covered in blood and shrapnel, and some of the dead children were still inside the car," he said.

U.S. airstrikes gone awry became an enduring and tragic feature of the war, with their toll on Afghan civilians undermining support among ordinary people and the Kabul government for the American-led military operation that many Afghans came to mistrust. Pledges from the United States to investigate civilian deaths often frustrated Afghans, who felt that justice was rarely done.

The United States "always says they are killing [the Islamic State], al-Qaeda or the Taliban, but they always attack civilian people and children," said Ahmad Fayaz, a relative of those killed. "I don't think they are good people."

U.S. Central Command said the strike Sunday destroyed an Islamic State car bomb that posed an "imminent" threat to Kabul's airport. It acknowledged reports of civilian casualties and pledged to investigate the incident but did not release specifics. The attack is the second U.S. drone strike on Afghanistan in response to a suicide bombing and gunfire attack outside Kabul's airport on Thursday.

A U.S. drone strike targeting the Islamic State on Aug. 29, reportedly killed 10 civilians in Kabul including several small children. (The Washington Post)

Mourners gathered at a neighbor's home under the shade of a grape arbor. A woman, her face raw from sobbing, approached the garden's entrance in hysterics.

"I lost my daughter, I lost my heart," she screamed, calling out to God before a group of women surrounded her, trying to calm her down. Suma Ahmadi's 2-year-old daughter and three of her brothers were killed in the explosion, Fayaz said.

Growing faint and unable to speak, Ahmadi was helped back into the shade. Fayaz said she was inconsolable all night, unable to sleep or eat.

Of the 10 civilians killed, eight were 18 and under, according to lists from family members obtained by The Washington Post. Zamarai Ahmadi, 45, an engineer for a U.S.-based nonprofit, and three of his sons were among those killed, according to one of his surviving sons, 22-year-old Samim Ahmadi.

Zamarai Ahmadi's employer, Nutrition and Education International, said in a statement released on Monday that "we are all very saddened and shocked by his sudden death."

The elder Ahmadi had worked for the organization since 2006, according to the statement, "was well respected by his colleagues and compassionate towards the poor and needy. Just yesterday, he, together with us, prepared and delivered soy-based meals to hungry women and children at local refugee camps in Kabul."

The Taliban condemned the attack and announced it is investigating allegations of civilian casualties.

"No country including the U.S. has the right to carry any direct operation in our country," Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said in a statement Monday. "They should share information with us so that we can take actions by ourselves."

In announcing its own investigation, U.S. Central Command said it is "unclear what may have happened." "We would be deeply saddened by any potential loss of innocent life," the statement said.

The suicide bombing outside Kabul airport Thursday was claimed by the Islamic State. The attack killed 13 U.S. troops and more than 170 civilians trying to flee the country.

The Sunday drone strike that took the lives of the 10 family members "is a glimpse into the future U.S. involvement in Afghanistan if the Biden administration pushes ahead with an 'over the horizon' counter-terrorism program that does not prioritize civilian protection," Paul O'Brien, the executive director of Amnesty International USA, said in a statement condemning the strike and calling for a full investigation.

The Biden administration's "over the horizon" plan to continue applying pressure on terrorist groups in Afghanistan uses aircraft and surveillance based in the Persian Gulf and other regions. And some criticize the approach as a less precise use of air power because U.S. or allied troops are not observing from the ground to relay intelligence.

"The Americans said the airstrike killed Daesh members," Azizi, the neighbor, said angrily, using a term for the Islamic State. "Where is Daesh here? Were these children Daesh?"

Haq Nawaz Khan in Peshawar, Pakistan, and Alex Horton in Washington contributed to this report.

Updated August 30, 2021

Taliban takeover of Afghanistan: What you need to know
Live updates: Surprise, panic and fateful choices: FAQ: The 13 U.S. service members killed: More stories 10 civilians killed by U.S. drone strike in Kabul, family says The world should unfreeze Afghanistan's reserves and pour in aid to rebuild the country, Russia says ISIS-K, the group behind the Kabul airport attack, sees both Taliban and the U.S. as enemies Here's how the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan could affect al-Qaeda and the Islamic State The story of an Afghan man who fell from the sky The treacherous journey into Kabul airport to escape Taliban-controlled Afghanistan What we know about the military victims of the Kabul airport blast What you need to know about the Taliban The day America lost its longest war Last U.S. military flight leaves Kabul, bringing an end to America's longest war
MORE ON AFGHANISTAN

HAND CURATED

The 13 U.S. service members killed in the Kabul airport attack

August 29, 2021

He took his wife and kids to Afghanistan one last time. Now he can't get them out.

August 24, 2021

Taliban leaders are promising peace, order and amnesty in Afghanistan. They promised that last time, too.

August 22, 2021

Today's Headlines The most important news stories of the day, curated by Post editors and delivered every morning.

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10 civilians killed by U.S. drone strike in Kabul, family says

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KABUL - Even as the final U.S. military flights soared out from Kabul's airport on Monday, friends and relatives in a nearby neighborhood buckled in anguish over the deaths of 10 extended family members in a U.S. drone strike the day before. The strike was meant to thwart a purported planned attack by the Islamic State.

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the USAID saw the disaster, and immediately jumped into action. they sent out disaster assistance response teams, search and rescue, right after the earthquake hit. they also partnered up with world food program and have provided emergency assistance food to almost 51,000 people and provided hot meals to 16,800 people in hospitals located in southwestern haiti. the USAID has supported  the International Organization for Migration to pre-position emergency relief supplies in the event of disasters, as well as to develop Government of Haiti personnel capacity to manage facilities and deploy supplies when necessary.

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https://www.usaid.gov/haiti/earthquake-overview

this is another example of usaid

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In the aftermath of the January 2010 earthquake in Haiti, USAID has provided relief, recovery and long-term reconstruction assistance:
Relief (rapid, life-saving emergency humanitarian assistance):
Search and Rescue:Deployed seven search-and-rescue teams as part of an international rescue effort that saved more than 130 lives.

Emergency Food Assistance: Provided emergency food relief for nearly four million people in the first three months after the earthquake, the largest emergency food distribution ever.

Water: Provided safe drinking water for up to 1.3 million people daily following the earthquake.

Sanitation: USAID and other international donors provided support for the installation of more than 11,500 latrines and 25 water systems.

Emergency Shelter: In cooperation with international partners, provided basic shelter materials to 1.5 million people in the five months after the earthquake (prior to the start of rainy season).

Cholera: Rapidly responded to the cholera outbreak and coordinated with the Government of Haiti, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other donors. The United States continues to be a strong bilateral supporter of cholera prevention and detection efforts in Haiti, and will continue to encourage efforts to respond to all causes of diarrheal diseases in Haiti.
Recovery (bridging the gap from emergency assistance to reconstruction):
Cash-for-Assets: Employed more than 350,000 people (about half of whom were women) in the first year after the earthquake through short-term, cash-for-assets jobs, injecting more than $19 million into the local economy.

Rubble Removal: Cleared more than 2.7 million cubic meters of rubble out of the 10 million cubic meters of rubble created by the earthquake.

Shelter Solutions: Provided shelter solutions for more than 328,000 people.

Education: Constructed over 600 semi-permanent classrooms, allowing 60,000 students to return to school.

Coordination and Planning: Supported the Interim Haiti Recovery Commission, the planning body for the Haitian recovery.
Reconstruction (promoting sustainable, long-term development, requiring in-depth exchanges with new partners and Government of Haiti officials to design and implement projects):
Housing/Settlements: USAID's current shelter strategy focuses on measures to broaden access to safe, low-cost housing by supporting increased access to financing. USAID also completed permanent housing near the Caracol Industrial Park and north of Port-au-Prince and partnering with other donors and NGOs to support housing construction in three additional locations. The Agency is also providing community development support to ensure sustainability of these settlements.

Energy: Constructed a 10-megawatt power plant for the Caracol Industrial Park in Haiti's north. The power plant is providing reliable, continuous electricity service to all of the tenants in the park and more than 8,000 households and businesses in adjacent communities. USAID's Improved Cooking Technologies Program helped more than 100,000 households convert from charcoal to more efficient cookstoves.

Economic Security: USAID supports the creation of full-time, formal-sector employment in key industrial sectors, including agribusiness, apparel and construction by providing matching funds, technical assistance and business development services to small and medium sized enterprises. For example, USAID has leveraged over $13 million of private sector funds and created over 13,000 jobs through a matching grant program. USAID is also using public-private partnerships in Haiti to improve social and economic conditions as well as to deepen its development impact.

Food Security: Introduced improved seeds, fertilizer, irrigation and other new technologies to over 118,000 farmers; these increased yields for rice, corn, bean and plantain crops. As a result, farmers' incomes have increased significantly. Feed the Future programs have also strengthened agricultural markets by reducing post-harvest losses and linking producers directly to markets. USAID microcredit programs have reached 57,000 small-scale farmers with an agricultural loan portfolio valued at close to $32 million.

Health: Supports 164 health facilities that provide access to primary health care services for approximately 40 percent of the population. USAID trained and supports 1,500 community health workers who serve rural communities without access to nearby health services. These community health workers and educators provide health services and disseminate key health messages in coordination with USAID-supported health facilities.

Education: USAID is promoting the use of a nationwide innovative instructional model in partnership with other donors, NGOs and the private sector. The goal is to holistically improve early grade reading and writing in Haitian Creole and French for Haitian children in the first four grades. Since 2010, USAID has provided more than 60,000 children and 2,000 teachers with innovative reading curricula that meet international standards for literacy instruction.

Disabilities: The USAID disabilities program established and developed the first standardized Rehabilitation Technician Training Program in Haiti. U.S. Government-supported projects have graduated 50 rehabilitation technicians trained in the hospital and community approaches and 22 orthotics and prosthetics technicians, the first cohort of technicians to be fully trained in Haiti. To strengthen collaboration and advocacy within the profession, physical therapy and orthotics associations were established.

Democracy and Governance: USAID is working with selected municipalities to improve local tax collection, management and service delivery. The Agency is also working with national government entities to improve the legal framework and increase the resources available to municipalities. For example, USAID supported the Haitian General Directorate of Taxes and the Municipality of Saint Marc to conduct a census of taxable businesses. This contributed to an increase in the commune's tax rolls of over 1,700 businesses - an increase of approximately 90 percent - resulting in a doubling of business license revenues.

Justice: Through its Judicial Strengthening program, USAID provided technical assistance to the Superior Judicial Council (CSPJ), which administers, controls as well as disciplines the court system, including vetting and assigning judges. At its full capacity the CSPJ will address judicial corruption by enforcing more rigorous standards of conduct and penalizing judges who are not in compliance.

Anti-Corruption: To combat corruption within the public sector and improve transparency of financial management, USAID continues to support implementation of the Integrated Financial Management System (IFMS), which allows connectivity between the Government of Haiti revenue collection and expenditure management systems. After most of the Government of Haiti physical infrastructure was destroyed by the earthquake, USAID helped to re-establish the IFMS in mid-2010 and the Government of Haiti has gradually built back operability.

Additional Information
We are working closely with a number of other U.S. Government agencies, including the U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Treasury, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Department of State. Working with these agencies, we are better able to support a comprehensive approach to implementing four key pillars for development: infrastructure and energy; food and economic security; health and education; and democracy, governance and rule of law.

In addition to the earthquake response and long-term development activities, USAID has provided assistance to help Haiti recover from other natural disasters, such as hurricanes and droughts. To learn more about USAID's Hurricane Matthew response and recovery efforts, click here.

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In the aftermath of the January 2010 earthquake in Haiti, USAID has provided relief, recovery and long-term reconstruction assistance: Relief (rapid, life-saving emergency humanitarian assistance): Search and Rescue:Deployed seven search-and-rescue teams as part of an international rescue effort that saved more than 130 lives.