Haiti

(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.

(Quelle: Washington Post) President Rene Preval pleaded with Haitians to bring peace to the Western Hemisphere's poorest country as he was inaugurated Sunday during a ceremony that drew thousands to the whitewashed National Palace and marked the return of democratic rule in Haiti. … Preval, who served as Haiti's president from 1996 to 2001, took his second oath of office after being draped with a red-and-blue sash at the national parliament building.

(Quelle: taz) Gut zwei Jahre nach dem Sturz von Präsident Aristide ist in Haiti erstmals wieder ein Parlament zusammengetreten. … Damit ist der Weg frei für die formelle Amtseinführung von Präsident Rene Preval am kommenden Sonntag.

(Quelle: Reliefweb) 1.200 soldats brésiliens laissent ce premier mai Rio de Janeiro à destination de Port-au-Prince en vue de la rotation régulière des forces brésiliennes au sein de la Mission des Nations Unies pour la Stabilisation d’Haïti (MINUSTAH). Le Brésil a décidé de maintenir son contingent durant les six prochains mois en Haiti, informe l’agence officielle brésilienne Agencia Brasil.