Avantaj Kòk Se Zepon'l: Spurring Diplomatic Leverage in Haiti's Bilateral Relations with the United States

Abstract

Haiti’s bilateral relations with the United States are characterized by an asymmetrical distribution of power between the two countries. A close evaluation of the ways in which Haiti has historically interacted with the United States reveals that the United States’ dictating power vastly supersedes that of Haiti and that the United States usually pulls the strings. This assessment raises the question of whether and how a country like Haiti could gain at leverage to counter the dominance of countries like the United States. Consequently, this thesis explores potential assets from which it could potentially derive leverage in its relations with the United States. It does so by first examining the current distribution of power in the bilateral diplomatic relationship between the two countries and then by identifying and analyzing potential sources of leverage that Haiti might employ to respond to and counter the power of the United States. I conclude that despite the current perceived powerlessness of Haiti in its relationship with the United States, Haiti possesses in its diplomatic arsenal several sources of untapped leverage that it could employ in the future to have more sway in its relationship with the in United States and to overall equilibrate the distribution of power in its relationship with the United States to some degree. I categorize these assets into three broad categories: human resources, geopolitical proximity, and regional and international partnerships. I analyze these assets through a model of diplomatic leverage. I also address the potential challenges to their effectiveness while proposing some methods of surmounting these challenges.