29582: Nat: News U.N. envoy to Haiti calls on EU to send more aid to impoverishe (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Rob 6969 <liberalproject@hotmail.com>


http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2006/11/28/europe/EU_GEN_EU_UN_Haiti.php

Special U.N. envoy to Haiti calls on EU to send more aid to impoverished 
country
The Associated PressPublished: November 28, 2006


BRUSSELS, Belgium: The special U.N. envoy to Haiti urged the European Union on 
Tuesday to send more aid to the Western Hemisphere's poorest country, saying it 
was key to make sure government reform would continue.

"The situation in Haiti right now is very difficult and very complicated," 
Edmond Mulet said. But "I can say confidently that we are on the right track."

Mulet was in Brussels to discuss the Caribbean country's situation with several 
European Parliament members before heading to Spain to take part in an 
international donors conference scheduled for Thursday.

Haiti, a country of 8 million, is struggling to recover from a bloody 2004 
rebel uprising that toppled then-President Jean-Bertrand Aristide and pushed 
the country deeper into despair.

Recent unrest has come just weeks before municipal elections are scheduled to 
take place on Dec.  Earlier this month, around 100 university students in 
Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince, staged a protest calling for the removal of 
U.N. peacekeepers from the country and two Jordanian peacekeepers were killed.

Mulet said despite the recent unrest, much progress has been made toward 
stabilizing the country. He credited the Haitian government for its efforts to 
prevent corruption and establishing order, but said international aid was 
crucial in furthering the progress that has been made.

"Almost 60 percent of the Haitian budget comes from international donors," 
Mulet said. "The international community should get more involved in Haiti 
right now and try to support this enormous window of opportunity we have 
there."

Last week, European Development Commissioner Louis Michel visited Haiti to 
discuss the EU's pledge of €233 million (US $293 million) in aid.

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