New York, Jan 13 2010 9:10AM
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today issued an urgent call to the international community to assist Haiti following yesterday's catastrophic earthquake that has devastated the impoverished Caribbean nation's capital.
Buildings and infrastructure in Port-au-Prince suffered extensive damage, while basic services, including water and electricity are near the brink of collapse. The full extent of casualties, which could number in the hundreds, is still unknown, Mr. Ban told reporters in New York.
"There is no doubt that we are facing a major humanitarian emergency and that a major relief effort will be required," he said.
Expressing gratitude to nations rushing aid to the earthquake's victims, he called for the world to "come to Haiti's aid in this hour of need."
The UN, he said, is also mobilizing an emergency response team to help coordinate humanitarian relief efforts and is expected to be on the ground shortly.
Many of UN personnel serving in the country – including Hédi Annabi, the Secretary-General's Special Representative – are still accounted for, Mr. Ban said, with the UN Headquarters in the Christopher Hotel having collapsed in the tremors.
"Many people are still trapped inside," the Secretary-General – who has been in close consultation with the Governments of Haiti, the United States and others – noted.
Troops serving with the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (<"http://www.un.org/en/peacekeeping/missions/minustah/index.shtml">MINUSTAH) have been working through the night to reach those trapped under the rubble, and several badly injured people have been rescued and transported to the mission's logistics base which remains intact.
The Secretary-General announced today that he will dispatch Edmond Mulet, his former Special Representative to Haiti and current Assistant-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, to the country, and that the UN Central Emergency Relief Fund (<"http://ochaonline.un.org/Default.aspx?alias=ochaonline.un.org/cerf">CERF) is releasing $10 million immediately.
MINUSTAH was set up in 2004 and currently has more than 9,000 military and police personnel and nearly 2,000 civilian staff. Some 3,000 of the mission's troops and police are in and around Port-au-Prince, and will help to maintain order and assist in relief efforts. They have also started to clear some of the capital's main roads to allow aid and rescuers to reach those in need.
More to follow…
Jan 13 2010 9:10AM
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