European Union Recognizes Dominican Work Being Done in Solidarity with Haiti

European Union Recognizes Dominican Work Being Done in Solidarity with Haiti

The European Union (EU) expressed its recognition of relief aid and assistance the Dominican Republic has shown to its neighboring Haiti as it faces a humanitarian catastrophe following last week’s devastating earthquake. The EU also confirmed its willingness to offer help, according to an EFE article from Brussels which was disseminated by the Dominican Presidency to the media.

“The EU Council of Ministers praises the Dominican Republic for the role it is playing in this crisis. The EU is available to provide help to the Dominican Republic,” …

“The EU Council of Ministers praises the Dominican Republic for the role it is playing in this crisis. The EU is available to provide help to the Dominican Republic,” stated the text of conclusions that European development officials will approve today in an informal meeting urgently called to coordinate its relief aid to Haiti.

The European Ministers will agree to a new assignation for Haiti after distributing an initial donation of 3 million Euros in emergency assistance and having decided to “redirect” part of the funds that is normally gives the country.

According to the document of conclusions, the European leaders emphasized that the aid for Haiti’s reconstruction will incorporate the EU’s contributions to developing countries, especially the ACP countries (Africa, Caribbean and Pacific) and CARIFORUM, “keeping in mind the possible impact of this crisis on neighboring countries.”

CARIFORUM, in addition to Haiti, includes the Dominican Republic, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Cuba, Dominica, Granada, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Surinam and Trinidad & Tobago.

“The EU’s response should keep in mind the biggest effort of the international community is directed in favor of Haiti,” according to the text.

The Council also celebrated efforts being made by the Haitian authorities and civil society, such as the United Nations, the Red Cross and other bilateral donors like the United States, the International Organization of Francophonie (OIF) and NGOs that are supplying aid and relief to the Haitian people.

As such, the document recognized the work being done by organizations and individual citizens in the entire European Union.

At the moment, Haitian authorities estimate that up to 100,000 people have died and that massive numbers of buildings were destroyed by the earthquake, leaving hundreds of thousands of people homeless and without any subsistence resources.