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Port-Au-Prince (AFP) Feb 25, 2010 The earthquake that ravaged Haiti last month destroyed up to 50 percent of the Caribbean nation's gross domestic product, Haitian President Rene Preval said Thursday. "This earthquake... led to the deaths of 200,000 to 300,000 people and destroyed from 35 to 50 percent of the GDP," Preval said. He spoke after meeting Brazil counterpart Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva at a UN-Brazilian military base in the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince, which was devastated by the January 12 earthquake. "What is important now is to strengthen the Haitian government," said Lula, adding a personal entreaty to the Haitian people: "at this moment of pain, at this moment of desperation, we must lift our heads up." Lula called on the international community to cancel Haiti's debt, and officials from the two governments signed agreements to aid Haitian farmers and schools, which were hard hit in the quake. According to the United Nations, estimates show 5,000 schools were damaged or destroyed in Haiti, which was already the poorest country in the Americas before catastrophe struck. Lula referred to a recent South American summit's pledge of 300 million dollars in aid for Haiti, highlighting an agreement to create a 100 million dollar fund to help the Haitian government with immediate needs. The Brazilian president spent about six hours in the country, touring the damage by helicopter and visiting a devastated area near the airport. He also attended a Brazilian military ceremony at the base where he met Preval. Brazil, which heads a UN force here, saw 18 of its peacekeepers killed in the 7.0-magnitude quake. Two Brazilian civilians were also killed: the deputy UN head of the peacekeeping mission, Luis Carlos da Costa, and a high-profile children's rights campaigner, Zilda Arns. Following the quake last month, Brazil decided to double its UN force in Haiti to 2,600 as well as authorize 205 million dollars in aid for the country. The Haitian government's death toll for the quake is more than 222,500, though bodies are believed to remain buried under the mounds of rubble throughout Port-au-Prince. An estimated 1.2 million people were left homeless by the quake and aid workers are rushing to provide shelter for them before the heavy rain season begins around May. Some experts say the earthquake may end up being the worst natural disaster in modern history.
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Portugal announces funds for storm-struck MadeiraLisbon (AFP) Feb 25, 2010 Portugal's government has dropped its opposition to a key regional finance law, saying it will grant a funding hike to the storm-devastated island of Madeira, local media reported Thursday. "This subject no longer has its place in the center of the political debate. We must mobilise every effort to bring a response to this region, affected in such a difficult and brutal way," Economy Ministe ... read more |
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