April 8, 2010
Port-au-Prince ?The Honourable Beverley J. Oda, Minister of International Cooperation, today announced details of Canadian participation in Haitian government's Action Plan, including support for hospital construction, police training and support for various humanitarian assistance programs.
"In witnessing the devastation and the needs of the Haitian people after the earthquake, Canada's commitments and pledge to Haiti will play a big part in meeting its needs. Today's announcements show that Canada is actively supporting the Government of Haiti and its Action Plan," said Minister Oda. "I am proud that Canada is responding to Haiti's immediate needs, as well as helping to build the future of a new Haiti through the construction of a new hospital and police academy."
Minister Oda committed Canada to supporting the construction of a Provincial Hospital in Gonaives as she co-signed a $20 million Memorandum of Understanding with Haitian Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive. This hospital is a high priority for the Government of Haiti and Canada's contribution represents an important step in rebuilding the city of Gonaives' main health services, in-line with the Haitian Government's Action Plan.
"Canadians are making a real difference in Haiti and today's announcement is further testimony of Canada's strong commitment to the special relationship between our two countries," said Haitian Prime Minister Bellerive. "The Government of Haiti is grateful for Canada's support and efforts in responding to various social needs and improving the situation of the most vulnerable people of my country."
In addition, Minister Oda announced that Canada is allocating $65.15 million to the Canadian Red Cross Society and the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, as well as to UN and non-governmental organizations for humanitarian assistance. These funds are part of the $220 million fund that the Government of Canada established to match, dollar-for-dollar, donations by individual Canadians to eligible Canadian charitable organizations.
"Through our matching fund, the Government is matching, dollar for dollar, the amount raised by individual Canadians through fundraising efforts large and small, across the country," Minister Oda said. "The humanitarian assistance will help address transitional shelter and rubble removal, water and sanitation, child protection and emergency education, and logistics and coordination of the international response to improve the quality of life of those most in need."
Minister Oda also announced funding for the National Police Academy in the city of Ganthier, near the capital city of Port-au-Prince. This $18.1 million project will build the infrastructure and provide the equipment needed to train Haitian National Police inspectors and commissioners.
Alongside the construction project, Canada is also committing $16.5 million to the initial training and professional development of Haitian National Police (HNP) senior officers. Inspectors and commissioners will receive management training, enabling the HNP to become more capable of ensuring the safety of the Haitian people.
During her visit to Haiti, Minister Oda met with President René Préval, Prime Minister Bellerive and other members of the Haitian Government, as well as with representatives of the international community. The Canadian Minister of International Cooperation had the opportunity to express Canada's commitment to support the Haitian Government's Action Plan for National Recovery and Development.
"The Government of Canada will be there for Haitians and Canada will actively participate in the reconstruction and development of their country," said Minister Oda. Canada's efforts will be accountable, transparent, and guided by Haiti's priorities, based on the Action Plan Haiti that was presented at the International Conference on Haiti in New York on March 31.
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Information:
Jessica Fletcher
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of International Cooperation
Telephone: 819-953-6238
Media Relations Office
Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
Telephone: 819-953-6534
E-mail: media@acdi-cida.gc.ca
Gaëlle Delaquis
Cultural and Public Affairs Officer
Canadian Embassy in Haïti
Telephone: + 509-3702-9916
E-mail: gaelle.delaquis@international.gc.ca
Humanitarian Assistance
Minister Oda announced that Canada is allocating $65.15 million to the Canadian Red Cross Society and the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, as well as to UN and non-governmental organizations for humanitarian assistance. She also announced key construction projects?the reconstruction of the Gonaives hospital and the National Police Academy, including a training program for the Haitian National Police.
The following organizations are being supported:
- Red Cross Movement
- $40.92 million to the Canadian Red Cross Society and the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to meet the transitional shelter needs of 15,000 vulnerable families in Jacmel, Léogane and Port-au-Prince.
- United Nations Agencies
- $6.58 million to the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) to play a critical role in developing a centralized site in Haiti to receive and process massive amounts of debris resulting from the Haiti earthquake, which are estimated to be at 1.4 million tonnes for Léogane, 300,000 tonnes for Jacmel and 700,000 tonnes for Petit Goave.
- $4 million to the World Food Programme (WFP) for providing essential air transportation and logistical support to deliver humanitarian efforts and implement emergency relief activities in areas otherwise inaccessible.
- $750,000 to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) to play a lead role in coordinating for the international and local humanitarian activities to help ensure an efficient and effective response to humanitarian needs;
- Non-Governmental Organizations
- $2 million to Oxfam Quebec for the provision of basic water and sanitation services and non-food items (eg: blankets, hygiene kits, soap and mosquito nets) to meet the emergency needs of an estimated 70,000 vulnerable people affected by the earthquake;
- $4.1 million to Save the Children Canada for child protection and education to meet the needs of an estimated 42,560 vulnerable people;
- $6.8 million to World Vision to provide non-food items, such as hygiene kits and mosquito nets and to provide semi-temporary shelters to meet the need of more than 55,000 affected people.
Reconstruction and development
Responding to the Haitian Government's strategy priorities of health and security, Minister Oda and Prime Minister Bellerive signed a $20 million Memorandum of Understanding for the construction of the Provincial Hospital in Gonaives. Canada's contribution represents an important step in rebuilding the city of Gonaives' main health services in a safer area in-line with the Haitian Government's Action Plan.
Minister Oda also announced the National Police Academy project in the city of Ganthier, near the capital city of Port-au-Prince. This $18.1 million project will build the infrastructure, provide materials, equipment, tools and training of technical and maintenance personnel at the National Police Academy (NPA), as well as refurbish the access road and by-passes leading to the site, consistent with the Haitian Government's Action Plan.
Alongside the construction project, Canada committed $16.5 million to the initial training and professional development of Haitian National Police senior officers. Inspectors and commissioners will participate in quality-training programs, enabling the HNP to become more reliable and capable of ensuring the safety of the Haitian people.
Canada's commitment
Canada has been a long time supporter of Haiti and the Government of Canada will continue to be there for Haitians, actively participating in the reconstruction and development of their country.
Before Haiti's devastating earthquake, Canada was already committing $555 million from 2006 to 2011 to support development in Haiti, making Canada Haiti's second largest bilateral donor. In the days that followed the earthquake, Canada immediately provided an additional $85 million in emergency humanitarian assistance.
Over and above these amounts, Canada pledged $400 million on March 31, 2010 at the International Donors' Conference in New York for additional humanitarian, reconstruction and development efforts in Haiti over the next two years.
A post-disaster needs assessment, involving the Government of Haiti, was completed by the international community. It identified the immediate needs and the longer term priorities that were discussed at the UN International Donors' Conference. The results of this assessment will be incorporated into the Haitian Government's Action Plan for National Recovery and Development. The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) will establish its reconstruction priorities based on the Haitian Government's Action Plan.
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Information:
Media Relations Office
Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
Telephone: 819-953-6534
E-mail: media@acdi-cida.gc.ca
