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Compliance Management Systems for Financial Institutions in Haiti Take Center Stage

Haiti has made a significant stride by becoming the first country in the Western Hemisphere to deploy a Unified Exchange Platform (UXP), a cutting-edge compliance management system designed to promote transparency and efficiency in government operations.

The UXP: A Middleware Software Program

Developed by Estonian system developer Cybernetica, the UXP is a “middleware” software program that facilitates secure data exchange between government entities. According to USAID’s Haiti Integrated Financial Management System (IFMS) Project, which implemented the UXP platform, the system has several key advantages:

  • Ensures interoperability of systems, allowing for unified access to data
  • Provides confidentiality through encryption and control over data access between entities

The Project: A Success Story

The project, which began in September 2015, involved a pre-production tour by Cybernetica experts and a study tour to Estonia for ten Haitian government technical staff. The UXP was successfully installed on 32 servers and integrated into 13 government institutions participating in the platform.

Overcoming Challenges

Despite its success, the project faced several challenges, including:

  • Technical hurdles: natural disaster risk, siloed government agencies, and a lack of precedent for consistent timekeeping
  • Institutional hurdles: cultural barriers and resistance to change

To overcome these challenges, the project team found a proven information technology solution that had been ready for scale and roll-out. The UXP’s ease of implementation and interoperability tackled technical and institutional challenges, while intensive training on systems use helped to tackle “business as usual” habits with regard to transparency and information sharing.

Implications for Sustainable Development Goals

The Haiti IFMS Project’s experience has significant implications for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in regards to:

  • Industry: improved public financial management and domestic revenue mobilization can have knock-on effects on quality education and poverty reduction
  • Innovation: the UXP’s potential to increase transparency and efficiency in government operations can be replicated in other countries and industries
  • Infrastructure: the project demonstrates the importance of investing in information technology solutions that promote transparency and accountability

Upcoming Event: ICGFM Spring Conference

Chemonics’ Economic Growth and Trade Practice Manager Frenki Kozeli will be discussing the Haiti IFMS experience at the International Consortium on Governmental Financial Management (ICGFM) Spring Conference in Miami this week. Follow Chemonics’ social media channels using #ICGFMMiami2017 for updates and resources from ICGFM!