SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic, CMC – A US$10 billion five-year assistance programme has been proposed to support Haiti’s recover from the powerful earthquake that virtually flattened the capital and surrounding areas last week.
Host president Leonel Fernandez, who proposed the fund, said Haiti would need an integral national development plan of about US$2 billion annually.
“We’d be talking about a five-year program of some $10 billion,” Fernandez told the international donor’s meeting.
He said that debt forgiveness should form part of the assistance programme to Haiti, the only French speaking member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) grouping.
Fernandez said he also proposed to host in April an international donors’ conference to coordinate contributions and strategies for Haiti’s recovery.
Earlier, President Rene Preval Monday made an impassioned plea for assistance, telling donors that Haiti needed more than just a cure for the wounds caused by the powerful quake.
“… we must develop the economy, agriculture, education, health, and reinforce the democratic institutions,” he said.
Last Tuesday, the French-speaking CARICOM country was hit by a powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 7.3, leveling various buildings including the Presidential Palace and leaving an estimated 100,000 people dead.
Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive Monday said that CARICOM could play a leading role in securing much needed financial and technical assistance to his earthquake battered country in the years ahead.
“They can do a lot. First we want technical assistance…it is not only money…the CARICOM can do a lot, they can also be our ambassadors outside because… they can travel and explain the situation in Haiti,” Bellerive told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC).
He said the assistance required by his devastated country will not only be “for today or next week, it will be for months and years to come”.
“We count on our friends of the CARICOM to be our ambassadors, to help us convince the world that we need strong help,” he said, saying the country was indeed grateful for the quick response of the CARICOM leaders to its plight.
The European Union (EU) Monday pledged over Euro 400 million (US$575 million) in immediate and long-term aid to Haiti following the widespread devastation caused by the powerful earthquake last Tuesday.
President of the European Union, Herman Van Rompuy, said that a summit scheduled for February 11 would discuss Europe’s reaction to the quake.
‘Reconstruction efforts and EU support for the proposed international conference for Haiti will be part of our discussion,’ Van Rompuy said in a statement.
Canada will host an emergency meeting of countries that are leading the rescue effort in Haiti, as world leaders struggle to craft a longer-term plan for rebuilding the earthquake-ravaged country.
Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon said that the meeting on Monday in Montreal will also be attended by the United Nations
“Our neighbour is in difficult circumstances and it’s like helping the next-door neighbour. It’s all about solidarity,” he told reporters in response to the quake that devastated Haiti last Tuesday, leaving an estimated 100,000 people dead.
The meeting is expected to be dominated by the efforts to coordinate aid to the western hemisphere’s poorest nation, particularly as there is growing criticism of the United States decision to take charge of the relief effort.
@child…….God will forgive you for your ignorant statements, What you saw on CNN was caused by a small group of criminals and do not represent the majority of the people of Haiti. So stop coming here and try to generalize what you saw on TV.
The people are getting desperate. It is a week now since the earthquake and the majority of the people haven’t had any food and water. Hungry, thirsty and desperate people do stupid things (I am not condoning what these criminals did on CNN). Don’t be surprised if riots start breaking out soon if the relief effort is not centralized. Right now is pure chaos. Desperate people do desperate things.
god forgive me but i think those haitians are the only ones to fix whatever curse they have .did anyone see how they were throwing and stamping on the biscuits ?and what about the violence ? i dont know if any or you watch c.n.n last night and see how some of them were pelting rocks from roof tops and how a little boy got bashed in the head .so many doctors are needed but they still try to inflict wounds to make it even harder for the doctors …they dont even try to help themselves its like all the authorities go in exile now .i must admit though that i feel really sad for the children cause they are the ones that are paying the price