28527: (news) Chamberlain: EU raises Haiti aid, backs Preval (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Greg Chamberlain <GregChamberlain@compuserve.com>

     BRUSSELS, June 27 (Reuters) - The European Union announced an increase
in development aid for Haiti on Tuesday, in a show of support for visiting
President Rene Preval and his newly elected government.
     European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said EU aid to the
troubled Caribbean nation would rise to 233 million euros ($293 million)
for the 2008-13 period from the 168 million set aside to cover 2002-7.
     "We think developments are in the right direction," Barroso told a
news conference after talks with Preval in Brussels.
     EU Development Commissioner Louis Michel said the money would go
towards education and infrastructure projects such as roads. A further
tranche of aid would be made available if Haiti reached targets on good
governance, he said.
     A new Haitian government was sworn in earlier this month to replace
the team of outgoing Prime Minister Gerard Latortue, put in place after
former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide was pushed from office by a bloody
rebellion in 2004.
     Preval, a one-time Aristide protege, rode support from Aristide's
supporters in the slums to victory in the Feb. 7 presidential election.
     "The most important thing now is up to the Haitians themselves -- good
governance," said Preval.