Worldwide effort remains strong to provide aid to Haiti

By Julio Urdaneta

WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A - Across the Americas, an unprecedented wave of solidarity has erupted as nations in the region react to the devastating earthquake in Haiti.

From Argentina to Canada, aid started to flow into the Caribbean nation hours after the first tremor hit - and one of the biggest steps in generating relief funds took place on Jan. 25 in Montreal, Canada.

That's where the Ministerial Preparatory Conference of the Group of Friends of Haiti was held, as delegations from Canada, Argentina, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay, Chile, the U.S., Spain, France, and Japan, as well as representatives of international organizations, including the United Nations, the European Union, the Organization of American States, the World Bank, and the International Monetary Fund convened to develop a worldwide relief effort to help the impoverished Caribbean nation.

But when the earthquake - regarded as the one of the worst natural disasters ever recorded anywhere in the world - struck on Jan. 12, Colombia emerged as a leader in the relief effort.

The Colombian government deployed emergency teams and donated US$1 million to the relief effort. A contingent of Colombian surgeons is working with an Israeli team in a field hospital in Haiti, the Colombian foreign ministry reported. The ARC Cartagena, a ship of the Colombian navy, is traveling to Haiti with a team of 13 members of the Colombian Red Cross, 333 tons of food and other aid items, as well as 110,000 gallons of diesel and 58,000 gallons of water, the ministry reported.

Indian foreign minister Shashi Tharoor praised the Colombian response to the crisis and announced a US$5 million donation by his government to the relief efforts, according to a statement by the Colombian foreign minister last week.

On Jan. 14, United States President Barack Obama pledged US$100 million in aid to Haiti and ordered the deployment of thousands of soldiers to improve security, order and expedite the distribution of aid in those areas affected by the earthquake.

The US$100 million contribution "will mean more of the life-saving equipment, food, water and medicine that will be needed," Obama said. "This investment will grow over the coming year as we embark on the long-term recovery from this unimaginable tragedy."

Medical teams, especially those sent by the United States, have started to reach other cities hit by the earthquake that rocked Port-au-Prince.

Canada has pledged US$130 million, according to The Canadian Press. So far, Canadians have privately contributed more than US$39 million and the Canadian government will match all donations. Canada also has sent about 2,000 military personnel and two warships to Haiti to aid in the relief effort.

Meantime, an C-130 aircraft from the Argentine air force landed in Port-au-Prince on Jan. 22, transporting 10 tons of aid, including 2 tons of powder milk and 3.2 tons of canned food and medical equipment, Argentine news agency Télam reported. A second Argentine C-130 landed moments later with a rescue team, chemical bathrooms, satellite phones and produce.

On Jan. 21, Chile sent a fourth plane with food and aid, local media reported. The South American nation has sent 15 tons of food and medicine, search and rescue teams, 20 doctors and police personnel to Haiti since the island was rocked by its largest earthquake in 200 years.

Brazil is about to present an emergency bill to its congress to guarantee its US$210 million (R$ 375 million) in aid to Haiti according to Brazil's official news agency, Agência Brasil.

The Brazilian health ministry will be granted US$75.4 million (R$135 million) to build ten urgent care units in Port-au-Prince. Brazil's foreign affairs ministry will get US$20.46 (R$35 million) in relief efforts. The ministry of defense will get an extra US$135 million (R$205 million) to finance its military activities in the battered nation. Brazil expects to have troops in Haiti for at least five years.

The World Bank announced on Jan. 21 that it will not ask Haiti to pay its US$38 million debt. The bank pledged US$100 million in grants to fund the relief effort a day after the earthquake hit.

"Due to the crisis caused by the earthquake, we are waiving any payments on this debt for the next five years, and at the same time we are working to find a way forward to cancel the remaining debt," a statement from the bank read.

Source: Infosurhoy.com 25/01/2010

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