NewsWhore
01-26-2010, 04:00 PM
European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid Karel De Gucht was at the Presidential Palace on Friday for a meeting with President Leonel Fernandez to discuss a plan for the reconstruction of Haiti, due for presentation at the 25 January summit in Montreal.
As reported in Hoy, he said the EU has already disbursed EUR30 million for immediate humanitarian aid and has another EUR200 million for reconstruction and EUR100 million to strengthen Haitian government institutions. De Gucht traveled to the DR after visiting Haiti for first hand impressions. "Things are more or less under control," he said, while making the point that one of the most urgent priorities is to provide shelter for 250,000 people who are homeless.
In his briefing to members of the European Parliament on his return to Europe, De Gucht admitted that "institution-building is easier on paper than in practice", noting that "if there is no local support, it is very difficult to have institution-building".
Karel De Gucht briefed Members of the European Parliament on rescue and reconstruction efforts after the recent earthquake. MEPs quizzed him about the EU's visibility on the ground, the medium and long-term challenges of the reconstruction process and the possibility of establishing an EU rapid reaction capacity. He responded to comments from Spanish MEP Enrique Guerrero Salom who said that even before the earthquake, Haiti was a failed state. "We need to construct and not reconstruct Haiti (...). The EU should have a clear role in equipping the new Haitian state with political structures", said Salom.
A priority for the EU is the urgent need to support the Haitian government "so they can make decisions and the Haitian people have their voice heard in the recovery operations and particularly in the reconstruction phase", added De Gucht.
http://ec.europa.eu/commission_barroso/degucht/index_en.html
www.europarl.europa.eu/news/expert/infopress_page/... (http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/expert/infopress_page/015-67940-025-01-05-902-20100125IPR67939-25-01-2010-2010-false/default_en.htm)
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#4)
As reported in Hoy, he said the EU has already disbursed EUR30 million for immediate humanitarian aid and has another EUR200 million for reconstruction and EUR100 million to strengthen Haitian government institutions. De Gucht traveled to the DR after visiting Haiti for first hand impressions. "Things are more or less under control," he said, while making the point that one of the most urgent priorities is to provide shelter for 250,000 people who are homeless.
In his briefing to members of the European Parliament on his return to Europe, De Gucht admitted that "institution-building is easier on paper than in practice", noting that "if there is no local support, it is very difficult to have institution-building".
Karel De Gucht briefed Members of the European Parliament on rescue and reconstruction efforts after the recent earthquake. MEPs quizzed him about the EU's visibility on the ground, the medium and long-term challenges of the reconstruction process and the possibility of establishing an EU rapid reaction capacity. He responded to comments from Spanish MEP Enrique Guerrero Salom who said that even before the earthquake, Haiti was a failed state. "We need to construct and not reconstruct Haiti (...). The EU should have a clear role in equipping the new Haitian state with political structures", said Salom.
A priority for the EU is the urgent need to support the Haitian government "so they can make decisions and the Haitian people have their voice heard in the recovery operations and particularly in the reconstruction phase", added De Gucht.
http://ec.europa.eu/commission_barroso/degucht/index_en.html
www.europarl.europa.eu/news/expert/infopress_page/... (http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/expert/infopress_page/015-67940-025-01-05-902-20100125IPR67939-25-01-2010-2010-false/default_en.htm)
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#4)