Summary: 22 January 2010, New York – Statement by the Permanent Representative of Spain to the United Nations, Ambassador Juan Antonio Yáñez-Barnuevo, on behalf of the European Union, Debate for the adoption of Resolution A/64/L.42 "Humanitarian assistance, emergency relief and rehabilitation in response to the devastating earthquake in Haiti."
Madam Chairperson,
I have the honor to take the floor on behalf of the European Union.
First of all, we would like to express once again our sincere and deepest condolences along with our feelings of solidarity to the Government and the people of Haiti, to other nations and to the United Nations for the massive loss of life and devastation caused by the earthquake that on 12 January struck the Port-au-Prince area, adding to the already fragile situation of the country. We share the grief of the families of those who have died and express our heartfelt sympathies to those who have been injured and to others seriously affected as a result of this catastrophe.
The EU welcomes the immediate global response in addressing this humanitarian crisis and strongly supports the central and overall coordinating role of the United Nations in the international relief effort.
Madam Chairperson,
The EU and its Member States have responded rapidly by providing humanitarian emergency assistance and deploying humanitarian and civil protection experts. The first priority has been to dispatch urban search and rescue teams, including military and civil engineering capabilities, the current focus being to provide emergency health, water, food, sanitation, medical facilities, shelter, logistics and telecommunications, among other pressing needs, to the people of Haiti.
There is a need as well for adequate security on the ground to ensure safe and unhindered access of aid deliveries. We count for that on the indispensable assistance of the UN peacekeeping operation in Haiti (MINUSTAH) and of other countries that are in condition to provide this assistance during this critical phase. The EU and its Member States stand ready to provide additional assistance on the basis of the ongoing needs assessment, including, at the request of the Government of Haiti and the United Nations, military and civil assets, as appropriate.
Since the earthquake of January 12, several strong aftershocks have continued to occur in southern Haiti. This is a sign that vulnerability remains and the humanitarian and recovery effort will take long. Nevertheless the greatest possible synergies between all components of the response to this challenge in the short term and in the medium to long term must be ensured from now on. We support in this regard the efforts of the Secretary General and his Special Envoy for Haiti, former President Clinton.
This task requires a strong and sustained mobilization of the entire international community. The European Union has begun to do so by the extraordinary meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, devoted to the humanitarian crisis in Haiti, held in Brussels on 18 April under the chairmanship of the High Representative. On that occasion, the EU made a call for convening an international conference with a view to rebuilding Haiti, once the needs after the emergency phase have adequately been assessed. We welcome the preparatory meeting convened by Canada in Montreal on January 25, and confirm that the EU will be present and active in those deliberations.
Yesterday, at the meeting convened by OCHA, I announced the initial contributions of the EU and its Member States within the framework of the Flash Appeal launched by the United Nations. Today we want to reinforce our commitment with the adoption of this resolution of the General Assembly, which sends a strong message of solidarity and support to Haiti. We very much welcome the work carried out by the Delegation of Brazil in this regard and the support of all delegations to this important resolution, as evidenced by the large number of co-sponsors and the speed with which the Assembly has been able to react to this crisis.
Thank you, Madam Chairperson.
| Top |
European Union Member States
Alerts by email
Email this page
Print this page