UN HUMANITARIAN CHIEF REVIEWS HUMANITARIAN EFFORTS IN HAITI

(Port-au-Prince/New York, 12 July 2010): John Holmes, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator arrived in Haiti today to review humanitarian efforts six months after the earthquake that devastated the country on 12 January and draw renewed attention to the plight of an estimated 2 million people. The earthquake killed over 222,570 people, injured over 300,000, and displaced 2.3 million people - nearly one quarter of the population. The government lost thousands of civil servants, and most of the key infrastructure was destroyed.

Mr. Holmes is meeting Government representatives, Haitian citizens, and representatives of the United Nations, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and the donor community.

The aim is to take stock of humanitarian efforts six months on and to review the main areas of progress and challenges, including preparedness for the hurricane season, and humanitarian coordination arrangements in one of the most complex humanitarian operations ever mounted.

Today he went to Ancien Aeroport Militaire, a camp sheltering 48,000 people, and Fort National, an area of Port au Prince very heavily damaged by the earthquake where rubble removal is under way to allow return for many displaced. Tomorrow he is scheduled to meet President Preval and other key Government partners in the Presidential Palace.

Arrangements and incentives for people to return, land issues, rubble removal, preparedness and disaster risk reduction are some of the issues Mr. Holmes will raise.

In addition to drawing attention to the need for resources to continue life-saving assistance, Mr. Holmes will also focus on the need to address priorities of the Haitian people such as employment, education, and safe housing.

"The Government and the aid community have accomplished much in Haiti over the last six months," Mr. Homes said. "We have provided basic shelter, fed 4.3 million people, vaccinated over 900,000 people, ensured free basic medical healthcare, and delivered water to 1.2 million people daily. But it is clear that there is still a huge amount to do. The operation just to take care of humanitarian needs on a daily basis is enormous, and will need to continue well into next year. At the same time, it is vital that the work to ensure a better long term future, not just for survivors in the most affected areas but throughout the country, is accelerated as much as possible," he said. "People have been very patient but they need to see hope and the beginning of change for the better."

Mr. Holmes also took the opportunity of his visit to launch a new report on the humanitarian community's achievements six months and lessons learned for the future, both in Haiti and more widely.

For further information, please call: OCHA-Haiti: Imogen Wall, +509 3491 2244, wall@un.org; OCHA-New York: Stephanie Bunker, +1 917 367 5126, mobile +1 347 244 2106, bunker@un.org; Nicholas Reader, +1 212 963 4961, mobile +1 646 752 3117, reader@un.org; OCHA-Geneva: Elisabeth Byrs, +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