Regional bank head tours new schools in Haiti, including 1 co-financed by Shakira’s non-profit

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – The president of the Inter-American Development Bank on Tuesday visited the first batch of new or remodeled schools in Haiti to replace those demolished by the devastating 2010 earthquake and said the bank is on track to see about 100 schools built over the next three years.

Luis Alberto Moreno toured three schools in the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince, including the Elie Dubois School that was co-financed by the bank and the Barefoot organization founded by Colombian pop star Shakira.

Moreno said the development bank has “a very big commitment to this country” and needs to “continuously look at how we do our job in Haiti better.”

Speaking outside a school building, Moreno said roughly 75 schools will be finished this year. A written statement from the bank had put the anticipated number at 57 by the end of this year, with 37 to be completed in 2016 and 16 more in 2017.

School construction was halted in Haiti from June 2012 to July 2014 to ensure quality of construction. Haiti’s Fund for Economic and Social Assistance hired more engineers to review designs and train builders.

Accompanied by Haiti’s finance minister on Monday evening, Moreno inaugurated the development bank’s new office in Port-au-Prince. It replaced a building that was destroyed by the earthquake.