(2004-30) News Release July 18, 2004 Ottawa -- Aileen Carroll, Minister for International Cooperation, along with Bill Graham, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today announced that Canada is contributing more than $180 million over two years to Haiti's reconstruction and development efforts. This contribution includes a pledge of close to $147 million in support of the transitional Government of Haiti's Interim Co-operation Framework (ICF) and funding for Canada's contribution of police officers as part of the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH). The funding will be provided by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). "Canada is proud to be part of this international effort," said Minister Carroll. "Effective coordination between multilateral insititutions, bilateral donors, Haitian civil society, and the transitional government is crucial to ensuring success in reconstructing Haiti and laying the foundation for long-term sustainable development." The transitional Government of Haiti will present the Framework in Washington at the International Donors Conference on Haiti, July 19 and 20, 2004, where donors will respond to the initiative by presenting their pledges. Canada's ongoing support to Haiti through the ICF will build on existing areas of Canadian expertise for CIDA, including health, education, local development, economic governance and institutional development, and helping to build a conducive environment in which to hold fair and credible elections. "Canadians have made a long-term commitment to assist the people of Haiti to bring stability, security, and economic and social development to the country," said Minister Graham. "Today's announcement is a further demonstration of Canada's leadership in the international effort for the reconstruction of Haiti. Canada has been there in the past for Haiti and we will continue to be there in the years to come." Today's announcement is part of Canada's broader engagement in Haiti. On July 6, 2004, Prime Minister Paul Martin announced that Canada would send 100 police officers as part of MINUSTAH, which has the mandate to assist the transitional Haitian government in establishing a secure and stable environment, restoring law and order, and reforming the Haitian National Police. Canada is currently contributing 500 Canadian Forces personnel to MINUSTAH and six helicopters that will remain in Haiti until the end of August 2004. Funding for this initiative was provided for in the March 2004 federal budget and is therefore built into the existing fiscal framework. - 30 - Information: Andrew Graham Director of Communications Office of the Minister for International Cooperation Telephone: (819) 953-6238 Media Relations Office Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) Telephone: (819) 953-6534 E-mail: info@acdi-cida.gc.ca Isabelle Savard Director of Communications Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs (613) 995-1851 Media Relations Office Foreign Affairs Canada and International Trade Canada (613) 995-1874 http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca"http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca Canada's long-term support to the people of Haiti Canada's assistance program to Haiti comprises bilateral assistance and support to the work of the Canadian International Development Agency's (CIDA) partners, including international organizations such as the United Nations Development Programme and Canada's many non-governmental organizations. Canada is one of Haiti's key bilateral development partners. In July 2004, Canada announced that it is contributing more than $180 million over two years to Haiti's reconstruction and development efforts. This contribution includes a pledge of close to $147 million in support of the Government of Haiti's Interim Co-operation Framework (ICF). Canada's ongoing support to Haiti through the ICF will build on existing areas of Canadian expertise for CIDA, including health, education, local development, economic governance and institutional development, and helping to build a conducive environment in which to hold fair and credible elections. Canada is playing a key role in the international effort to bring peace, stability and sustainable development to the country. As part of Canada's total contribution, Prime Minister Paul Martin announced that Canada would send 100 police officers as part of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), which has the mandate to assist the Haitian government in establishing a secure and stable environment, restoring law and order, and reforming the Haitian National Police. Canada is currently contributing 500 Canadian Forces personnel to MINUSTAH and six helicopters that will remain in Haiti until the end of August 2004. Through longstanding partnerships with NGOs, Canada is working to meet the immediate needs of the people of Haiti, including ensuring that humanitarian assistance gets to those most in need; basic health and education needs are met; public order is restored; and human rights and fundamental freedoms are respected. Some examples of the kind of initiatives Canada, through CIDA, is funding in Haiti include the Revitalization of Haiti's Savings and Credit Unions, managed by Développement International Desjardins, which seeks to strengthen existing credit unions as well as create new ones. And the Kore Famn Fund, which supports activities in women's rights and participation in political life, reproductive health, economic development, and advocacy. Together with Haitian government leaders, the Caribbean Community and Common Market, the Organization of American States (OAS), the United Nations (UN), and other donor countries, Canada is working to ensure that long-term stability is achieved. In addition to Canada's pledge to the ICF and funding for policing efforts in Haiti, Canada, through CIDA, has contributed a total of close to $16 million since February 2004 in response to the recent crisis: $5 million in support of UN programming including humanitarian, transition, and reconstruction efforts; a $5-million pledge to strengthen the Special Mission of the OAS in Haiti; almost $2 million to Canadian, Haitian and international organizations working in Haiti to support reconstruction, rehabilitation and humanitarian aid activities, primarily in the areas of health, education, human rights and efforts to stop violence against women; $1.95 million in humanitarian assistance and food aid to the World Food Program, the Pan American Health Organization, and the International Committee of the Red Cross; $1 million to the International Organisation of La Francophonie to help restore and maintain Haiti's democratic institutions; and in the Spring of 2004, $1 million was provided in humanitarian assistance to flood victims in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. In 2002-2003, Canadian Official Development Assistance to Haiti totalled $23.85 million. Website: http://www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/cidaweb/webcountry.nsf/VLUDocEn/Haiti-Overview
