The committee on development of the EP exchange views with Kristalina Georgieva, Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis respons, with the Jean-Yves Jason, Mayor of Port-au-Prince and Myrta Kaulard, the Haiti Country Director for the World Food Programme.

exchange of views

EU - Haiti (T)

Committee on Development

GEORGIEVA, Kristalina (BG)

development and international cooperation (T)

UN donor conference "Towards a new future for Haïti": extracts from the exchange of views - DEVE Committee

SOUNDBITE (English), Kristalina GEORGIEVA, EC Member in charge of International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis response, In building programs that are co-operate programs, there are very good ideas from both sides on how the two countries can cooperate, including the area of civil protection. Haiti now has a much stronger desire to build disaster prepareness and prevention capabilities. And also interest to work with their natural partner, the country that is right next to them and that is a program that deserves the support of the EU.

<br />SOUNDBITE (English), Kristalina GEORGIEVA, EC Member in charge of International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis response,Decentralisation meaning moving activities outside of Port-au-Prince, not to eliminate the significance of Port-au-Prince, actually to make Port-au-Prince it a more liveable. And secondly decentralisation in terms of delegation of authority.

SOUNDBITE (French), Jason JEAN-YVES, Mayor of Port-au-Prince, We know that we have to avoid making certain mistakes, we have to look at the problems, we have analysed and avoid too rapid and fragmenting solutions, so what we are doing as I said seeking to coordinate the efforts of NGOs with all the experience they have gathered over recent decades. Now there are number of differences agencies working in different sectors in Port-au-Prince.

SOUNDBITE (French), Jason JEAN-YVES, Mayor of Port-au-Prince, So it is important that we redevelop the city on a rational lines, if we want to do this, we got to train executive managers, workers, everybody involved to the process, we have to get the people involved in all this work as well, any decision we take at city level has to be consistent, so that the Council has to take a strategic approach.

SOUNDBITE (English) Myrta KAULARD, World Food Programme Haiti Country Director, The priority now is an accelerating debris removal, to take care of the internally displaced, the articulation of a shelter strategy, the response to different needs and capacities. There are people if supported a little can re-build their own housing and fix it. There are people who can not at all. While doing so we also have to be careful about providing assistance outside of the camps where internally displaced are living, by continuing in providing assistance in the camps we risk draining people in slums towards the camps, creating illusion that people will benefit of something is creating unrest and nothing else.

SOUNDBITE (English) Myrta KAULARD, World Food Programme Haiti Country Director, The Port of Port-au-Prince is now the most expensive port in the world, even if commercial imports of wheat and rice will reach pre-earthquake levels, market prices are expected to remain above pre-earthquake levels, due to continuing infrastructure weaknesses. This is causing costs, that are simply unavoidable. Now this can be exacerbated by bad weather conditions, in the rain and hurricane seasons. Jeopardizing supply for the whole country, a break in the commercial cereal pipeline could then have rapid consequences on  food availability.

SOUNDBITE (English) Myrta KAULARD, World Food Programme Haiti Country Director, If we invest in infrastructure at the same time we need to invest in human capital. It takes for the population to perceive the benefit of an investment in infrastructure, people need now something called 'the quick win's', that can be achieved if we invest in social capital.