Haiti

(Quelle: UN News) Although Haiti has made significant electoral and political progress in recent months, the Caribbean country still faces enormous challenges as it attempts to climb out of impoverishment and violence and the United Nations stands willing to play a key role in helping out, Secretary-General Kofi Annan said last night during an official visit. In a joint press conference in Port-au-Prince, the Haitian capital, with President René Préval, Mr. Annan said he has asked the Security Council to extend the mandate of the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) by 12 months, instead of the usual six, as a signal of his belief that many difficulties lie ahead for the country.

(Quelle: UN News) Haiti stands ready for peaceful development after the successful staging of elections earlier this year and the subsequent formation of a broad-based government with ambitious but balanced policy goals, Secretary-General Kofi Annan says in his latest report on the United Nations mission to the Caribbean nation.

(Quelle: BBC) International donors have pledged $750m (£407m) in aid to the Caribbean nation of Haiti in an effort to help economic recovery over the next year. The decision came after a one-day meeting of donors in the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince. The gathering included delegates from the World Bank, the European Union, and the Inter-American Development Bank. The aid is much more than the $540m (£293m) the Haitian government had asked for to stabilise the economy.

(Quelle: BBC) Thousands of people have demonstrated in Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince, demanding the return of exiled former President, Jean-Bertrand Aristide. Supporters chanted 'Aristide or death!' and 'Aristide's blood is our blood!' as they marched to the National Palace on the ex-leader's 53rd birthday. … President Rene Preval had said during this year's election campaign he would consider allowing him to return home. However, the US has warned this could destabilise the country.

(Quelle: UN News) As the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) geared up for a “strong and visible” presence on the streets of Port-au-Prince ahead of the birthday of former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide this weekend, three peacekeepers have been wounded in the gang-ridden Cité Soleil neighbourhood of the capital city. Two of the Brazilian blue helmets were hit by gunfire as they patrolled a main avenue in the area and the third was shot manning a checkpoint yesterday.

(Quelle: Le Monde) Interview avec le prèsident haïtien sur son stratégie face à l'insécurité.

(Quelle: BBC) The new head of the United Nations peace mission in Haiti has said it is essential the international community keep helping the Caribbean nation. Speaking from a donors' conference in Brazil, Edmond Mulet told the BBC that assistance was needed despite Haiti's new democratically elected government. … Since the election of Rene Preval, the security situation in the capital, Port-au-Prince, has shown signs of improvement and the new president has reduced political tension by showing willingness to talk to all sides.

(Quelle: Reuters AlertNet) Haiti's newly inaugurated president, Rene Preval, has designated a longtime friend and ally to be the troubled Caribbean country's new prime minister, officials said on Monday. Jacques Edouard Alexis, 58, an agronomist who served as prime minister during Preval's first presidency from 1996-2001, is widely seen as a good political deal-maker and pragmatist. … Legislators will have to approve the president's choice.

(Quelle: UN News) The international community must give urgent financial support to the Government of newly elected President Réné Préval of Haiti … the United Nations Secretary-General’s outgoing Special Representative in that country, Juan Gabriel Valdés, said today. “It is absolutely urgent that the international community give budget support to Mr. Préval for the first six months of his Government. If he doesn’t get that support he will face a very difficult situation because he has to pay police, he has to pay teachers, he has to pay health workers and the present situation doesn’t permit him to do so,”

(Quelle: UN News) Secretary-General Kofi Annan has informed the Security Council that he will appoint the Guatemalan ambassador to the European Union, Edmond Mulet, as his new Special Representative in Haiti and head of the UN Stabilization Mission (MINUSTAH) there, a United Nations spokesman said today. Mr. Mulet, who succeeds Juan Gabriel Valdés of Chile, has served as ambassador to the European Union, Belgium and Luxembourg since June 2000, negotiating tourism, trade and economic cooperation, as well as political issues.