press conference by under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs

to launch flash appeals for haiti, grenada

 

The hurricanes that hit the Caribbean recently had a totally devastating impact on Haiti and Grenada, Jan Egeland, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, said this afternoon at a Headquarters press conference to launch flash appeals for urgent humanitarian relief in the two countries.

While many countries in the region had suffered terrible losses, the death toll in Haiti was the worst by far, with 1,500 confirmed dead and 950 missing, most of whom were presumed dead, he said.  Meanwhile, 37 people had died in Grenada, where 90 per cent of the 100,000 population had seen their homes severely damaged or totally destroyed.  “The whole society has to be rebuilt”, he added.

The United Nations was asking for a total of $59 million -- $32 million for Haiti and $27 million for Grenada -- in immediate, life-saving aid, including money for food, shelter, water and sanitation, and medicine.  Despite significant pledges from donors, including the United States, the European Union, Singapore and Japan, the United Nations had received only about $10 million.  “And we need that money yesterday”, he added.

Mr. Egeland had just chaired a meeting of donor nations that had made several major pledges, including $50 million in additional aid from the United States, subject to congressional approval.  That proposed amount would include funding for reconstruction, as well as humanitarian assistance.

He noted that many poor Caribbean neighbouring countries, including Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados, had pledged very impressive amounts of money and in-kind contributions, while Cuba had contributed health personnel.  “This kind of outpouring of regional solidarity is what has impressed me the most”, he said.

Beyond humanitarian assistance, he said additional security was urgently needed in western Haiti.  “It is heartbreaking to see that food we have distributed has been looted from mothers and grandmothers.”  Peacekeepers working as part of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) were helping to restore law and order, but there were not enough troops.  About 3,000 peacekeepers were deployed in Haiti, less than half the number called for in the Security Council resolution establishing MINUSTAH.  Humanitarian workers were totally dependent on the peacekeeping forces to do their work.

The hurricane season raised very worrying concerns regarding climate change, he added, pointing to growing scientific evidence that such extreme weather was going to last.  That kind of climate change -- created in large part by the rich North -- was causing havoc in the poor South.  It was therefore imperative to address that issue, but also to focus future efforts on helping poor societies to defend themselves by developing better early-warning systems, better preparedness, and better prevention.  Cuba had developed coping mechanisms that were among the best in the region and not a single person had died when Hurricane Ivan hit the island.  Haiti’s problems were compounded by political and social crises, but also by environmental degradation.  There were no trees left to hold back flood water and mudslides.  “That was what created such a catastrophe in Gonaïves”, he said of the Haitian city that suffered the greatest number of casualties.

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