Haiti - Humanitarian : OAS ready to support the Government and people of Haiti
The Organization of American States (OAS) stands ready to support the government and people of Haiti in its recovery efforts, following the passage of Isaac.
OAS Assistant Secretary General and Chair of the Haiti Task Force Ambassador Albert Ramdin says the OAS has already started discussions with Haitian government and partners in the international community to coordinate the mobilization of resources to secure the relocation of Haiti's most vulnerable groups.
According to Ramdin, "We fully support the government's stated goal of relocating the hundreds of thousands of people living in tent cities. The OAS will continue to work with the government and other international partners on this issue [...]"
Ambassador Ramdin recognized the efforts by the Haitian government to secure the evacuation of thousands of people to storm shelters before the arrival of Tropical Storm Isaac. Ramdin also noted the support provided by Haiti's private sector in the coordinating actions throughout the country.
Moreover, experts from ECHO (Humanitarian and Civil Protection of the European Commission),actively participate in damage assessment for an immediate response from the European Union (EU) to the post-storm. The European Commission recognizes that through the intervention of ECHO partners and with the support of the Haitian Red Cross and IOM, the preparation will will have helped to save many lives, and confirms that the EU humanitarian funds amounting to over €184 million since 2009, are of vital importance for the people of Haiti.
