UN Envoy appeals to international community for Haitian relief
By Melissa Bryant
Reporter~SKNVibes.com
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Hedi Annabi, head of the UN mission in Haiti
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PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – HEDI ANNABI, Head of the United Nations Mission in Haiti, has warned that any achievements made in the storm-battered nation are reversible, unless the international community does not increase its effort to improve social conditions in the country.
According to Caribbeannetnews.com, despite over a million dollars in aid from Digicel and the American Red Cross, the relief effort exceeds the financial capacity of Haiti or the UN and it is crucial that the country receives all the help it can get.
The passage of tropical storm Fay and hurricanes Ike, Hanna and Gustav between mid-August and September devastated Haiti, leaving 800 people dead and causing flooding and deforestation, most notably in the city of Gonaives, which was almost completely submerged.
However, as the poorest nation in the western hemisphere, Haiti does not have the financial resources to adequately address rebuilding efforts. To compound matters, UN officials estimate that the country has only received 15 percent of the $108 million that it has been seeking from the international community.
Annabi gave no specific figure for the amount of aid that would be required, but said that it could total hundreds of millions.
~~Adz:Right~~According to him, a large-scale effort is needed to help the country create a basic infrastructure. Rebuilding efforts depend on the contribution of three groups: Haitian leaders and the population, MINUSTAH (the UN mission in Haiti) and the greater UN family, and the international community.
He stated that ignoring Haiti’s plight could renew unrest in the country, alluding to deadly food riots that occurred due to soaring food prices earlier in the year. “A poor, angry and desperate population is not compatible with security and stability.”
Noting the strain that global financial markets are currently undergoing, Annabi acknowledged that many countries may be hesitant or unwilling to give more aid, but he asserted that doing so would not hurt their economies in any way.
The UN Security Council has adopted a draft resolution extending MINUSTAH’s mandate for 12 months, and Annabi is confident that it would receive a unanimous vote when it is considered next week.
Haiti News