The ambassadors of the European Union in Haiti announced that the 27 countries would contribute with over 400 million euros for the reconstruction of the Caribbean country ravaged by last month’s violent earthquake. French Ambassador Didier Le Bret said, “The EU wants to support the Haitian government so that it can direct the effort of the reconstruction of Haiti and strengthen the capacity of the government to take things in hand.”
Several technical missions of EU countries are currently in Haiti and are work alongside the Haitian authorities. European diplomats have also announced budget in favor of the government to enable it to face urgent expenses, pay officials, and restore the streets. Jean-Marc Ruiz, from the Office of the European Commission in Haiti, also welcomed the individual efforts of Europeans who, privately, were able to “contribute on a massive scale, sometimes more even than the Governments of the countries of the EU.”
For full article (in French), see http://www.lemonde.fr/ameriques/article/2010/02/06/l-armee-americaine-restera-en-haiti-tant-que-ce-sera-utile_1302245_3222.html
Photo of René Préval with Didier Le Bret from http://www.ambafrance-ht.org/spip.php?article701
