Brasília – The Brazilian minister of Foreign Relations, Celso Amorim, stated today (31st) that Brazil intends to make a new donation to Haiti, this time of US$ 172 million. Amorim made the announcement during the International Donors Conference Towards a New Future for Haiti, promoted by the United Nations (UN) in New York. At the meeting, the foreign minister also requested support from the international community to the country’s political institutions, so as to give long-term perspectives to the Haitians.
Out of the funds that Brazil will donate to Haiti, 94% will be destined to healthcare, services to the population and hospitals, and medical treatment. Amorim said that US$ 15 million will be passed on to the administration of the Haitian president, René Préval, to help the country’s general budget.
Brazil co-chairs the event alongside Canada, France and Spain. The objective of the conference is to raise approximately US$ 3.8 billion in aid to Haiti. The UN secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, called on the international community to cooperate with the country.
Amorim also claimed that the Haitian political and economic stability is directly linked to respecting human rights and to the population’s living conditions. The minister mentioned that he and several government officials travelled to the Caribbean country to have a close look and determine what the most pressing needs were.
The foreign minister asserted that since the earthquake on January 12th, the Brazilian government has passed on roughly US$ 167 million to the Haitians for long-term projects. He underscored that the country has urgent needs.
One of the concerns of the Brazilian government is the nearing of the rain season and its consequences in Haiti, whose population is mostly living in provisional shelters. Amorim called attention to the fact that the Brazilian military has been present in the country ever since the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (Minustah) was established, and that they are active in different sectors: engineering, security and assistance to the population.
Preliminary data from the United Nations indicate that it will take at least US$ 3.5 billion to rebuild Haiti, or up to US$ 11.5 billion, considering the whole of next decade. According to estimates, roughly US$ 4 billion will be invested in specific projects and programmes over the next 18 months. There is also the idea of establishing a specific fund for Haiti, which should receive funds over the next decade.
The earthquake on January 12th, measuring 7 degrees on the Richter scale, devastated the country. The death toll reached 222,000 and 1.3 million were left homeless. Authorities complain that public and institutional buildings were also destroyed. The reorganization of Haiti becomes even more difficult due to the lack of physical and bureaucratic conditions for rebuilding the country.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
