Helen Clark: Haiti update

Despite having endured a terrifying earthquake and aftershocks, our UNDP staff in Haiti continue their work helping the Haitian people.

At this point one UN Department of Safety and Security Staff member, administered by UNDP, remains unaccounted for. All other UNDP staff members, both national and international are accounted for.

So many of our friends, colleagues, and their families, however, were lost or seriously injured. The UN system has been providing stress counselors to staff in Haiti, and we have begun to rotate staff out of the country to relieve those who were there during the earthquake.

A special effort is being made to support our national staff in Haiti who have received three months salary in advance to help them and their families.

Our hearts also go out to our Haitian colleagues in New York and around the world who now, more than ever, need our support. We will remain in contact with them to see how best to provide continued support.

Humanitarian relief has been rapidly scaling up in Haiti. This work includes the delivery of medical assistance, food, water, sanitation, shelter, and other protection.

In the early recovery effort, UNDP has begun a cash-for-work programme earlier this week. By the weekend around 6,000 Haitians had been employed. Cash for work kick starts economic activity, while also getting urgent work done.

UNDP has plans to scale the scheme up to involve around 220,000 people. At this point we are funding the work from BCPR funds and from an RBLAC-administered Spanish Trust Fund. We urgently need the $35 million asked for in the Flash Appeal for Haiti for "cash for work". Time is of the essence in getting early recovery going after a major disaster.

In addition to the cash-for-work initiatives, a big priority for UNDP is to support the rebuilding of the government’s capacity. The overall task of rebuilding a devastated capital with a population of this size is huge.

I am attending the Montreal Ministerial Conference on Haiti this Monday, where there will be discussion on both the humanitarian relief effort and on how to move forward on the long-term reconstruction. In the weeks ahead, I will endeavour to keep you informed of our work on the ground and our continued support to our staff in Haiti.

Helen Clark,

Administrator