UN HUMANITARIAN CHIEF VISITS DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

(Santo Domingo/New York, 11 February 2010): The United Nations Under-Secretary- General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator John Holmes has arrived in the Dominican Republic on his way to Haiti.

During his visit, he will meet with the President of the Dominican Republic, Leonel Fernandez Reyna, to express his appreciation of the work done so far on behalf of the people of Haiti by the Dominican Republic. John Holmes will also visit the border areas to see the humanitarian situation of the population there before heading to the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince.

"I am well aware of the enormous efforts by the Dominican Republic to help the people affected by the earthquake in Haiti," Mr. Holmes said. "The people and the Government of the Dominican Republic have shown deep solidarity with the Haitian people. I am confident that this vital support will continue as long as it will be needed," he added.

The Dominican Republic has played a crucial role in ensuring that humanitarian aid for Haiti's victims is delivered as efficiently as possible. Humanitarian corridors to deliver relief supplies to Haiti by air, sea and land were opened in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake. The humanitarian assistance provided by the Dominican Republic includes urgent medical assistance in hospitals and food distributions at the border.

The United Nations Country Team in the Dominican Republic is working closely with national authorities and non-governmental organizations in order to provide basic humanitarian relief to the most vulnerable people. Following the earthquake, the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) allocated $2 million to UN agencies and the International Organization for Migration to boost efforts in the Dominican Republic to assist affected Haitians who sought help across the border.

For further information, please contact: Stefania Trassari, +1809 604 5225, trassari@un.org; Stephanie Bunker, OCHA-New York, +1 917 367 5126, mobile: +1347 244 2106, bunker@un.org; Nicholas reader +1 212 963 4961, mobile +1 646 752 3117, reader@un.org; Elisabeth Byrs OCHA-Geneva, +41 22 917 2653, mobile, +41 79 473 4570, byrs@un.org. OCHA press releases are available at http://ochaonline.un.org or www.reliefweb.int. For more information about CERF, please see http://cerf.un.org