AlaskaDenise
In Memoriam
Haiti: HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING, UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK, Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Source: United Nations Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General (OSSG)
Date: 19 Jan 2010
Watch the webcast
*There was a briefing at noon by Edmond Mulet, acting Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Haiti, and David Wimhurst, Communications Director for the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH). Former spokesperson Michele Montas also participated in the briefing. Other highlights from the U.N. system follow:
SECURITY COUNCIL AUTHORIZES EXPANDED U.N. PEACEKEEPING MISSION IN HAITI
* The Security Council this morning unanimously adopted a resolution that endorses the recommendation made by the Secretary-General to increase the overall force levels of the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH). Accordingly, the Council expanded the size of MINUSTAH's military component to a ceiling of 8,940 troops of all ranks, and its police component to up to 3,711 police.
* The Secretary-General said after the vote that he was grateful for the Council's swift action. He said, "By approving my proposal, today, to send an additional 2,000 soldiers and 1,500 police officers to Haiti, the Council sends a clear signal: The world is with Haiti."
* He said that search and rescue operations continue, and that ninety people have been saved by 43 international teams made up of 1,700 people.
* The Secretary-General added that UN relief operations are gearing up quickly. The good news, he added, is that we are making rapid progress, despite the extremely difficult logistical challenges.
* He said that the United Nations distributed daily food rations on Monday for nearly 200,000 people and expects to reach approximately 1 million people within a week.
* Meanwhile, on Monday, the Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Haiti, former US President Bill Clinton, traveled to Haiti, bringing along with him 5,000 bottles of water, 1 pallet of food, medical supplies (including syringes, anesthetics, pain-killers, first aid and surgical supplies), 32 generators, 72 work lights, and 150 solar flash lights.
* The Special Envoy visited the University Hospital in Port-au-Prince, where he helped unload the aid he brought with him. Clinton also met with Haitian Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive, UN Resident Coordinator Kim Bolduc and the Principal Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Anthony Banbury.
SECRETARY-GENERAL TO LAY WREATH IN HONOUR OF HAITI QUAKE VICTIMS
* The Secretary-General will lay a wreath in honour of the victims of the earthquake in Haiti this afternoon, at 4:53 p.m. He will call for a moment of silence throughout the UN system at that time, to coincide with the one-week anniversary of the earthquake. The ceremony will take place in the General Assembly Lobby near the Meditation Room.
* Immediately following the wreath laying ceremony, there will be a candlelight vigil in the plaza outside of the Visitors' Entrance. This will begin at 4:55 p.m.
* The United Nations Singers will perform at the wreath laying ceremony and during the candlelight vigil.
IN HAITI, U.N. AND OTHER HUMANITARIAN AGENCIES ASSIST MORE QUAKE SURVIVORS
* The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that over 90 persons had been rescued by international Urban Search and Rescue Teams in Haiti. At the peak of the search and rescue work, there have been a total number of 52 teams with 1,820 rescue workers and 175 dogs. As of Monday, 18 January, there were 48 international rescue teams on the ground and live rescues were still being made. Haitians had also been able to save scores of their fellow Haitians.
* OCHA adds that the working conditions remain very difficult but humanitarian workers are now increasingly reaching out to affected areas outside of Port au Prince. It was feared that 60 per cent of Jacmel had been destroyed.
* According to OCHA, immediate priorities for the wider humanitarian response continued to be medical assistance, corpse management, shelter, water and food and sanitation. Engineers are needed to reconstruct the roads and bridges in Port au Prince, and heavy equipment is needed to remove the huge piles of rubble.
* The United Nations is in the lead on the humanitarian coordination at the airport, and logistics at the airport is being managed by the United States forces. The United Nations is cooperating and coordinating with the American forces that have come in with their logistics and expertise which, among other things, has allowed the airport control tower to work again. United States forces were also working on repairing the Port au Prince port.
* On security, OCHA reports that the situation remains tense but calm, despite some sporadic and isolated looting. About 3,000 troops from the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) are providing help, including escort for humanitarian distributions and convoys. MUNISTAH is also coordinating with the Haitian police, with back-up from United States forces.
U.N. AGENCIES DELIVERING MORE FOOD, HEALTH EQUIPMENT IN HAITI
* The World Food Programme (WFP) reports that progress is being made and 270,000 people had received emergency food assistance as of Monday. WFP workers aim to reach 95,000 or 100,000 persons today alone. In the coming week, WFP workers aim to distribute 10 million ready to eat rations and they have been coordinating very well with the Government and with local mayors and authorities.
* UNICEF is leading efforts to address issues of water, sanitation and the protection of children, plus their feeding and their education. UNICEF has helped to distribute water to 80,000 persons and continues to provide hospitals with 120,000 litres of water a day.
* Concerning children who are separated from their families or those orphaned, UNICEF believes the priority should be reuniting these children with members of their families, so that they could remain in the country where they were born. Adoption should be the very last option, according to UNICEF.
* The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that more than 20 health partners are now working together in support of Haiti's Ministry of Health. The main health priorities are to provide trauma treatment and to open more operating theatres around the affected areas.
* There are also great fears about the mental health and anguish that people may be suffering from and WHO is focusing on that, as well.
* The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has reiterated its strong commitment to back up and support the broader humanitarian effort in Haiti. Two aircraft carrying 2,130 lightweight tents and 18,550 plastic sheets for more than 90,000 people will arrive in Haiti at the beginning of next week from UNHCR's logistics and supplies hub in Dubai. A small team will arrive in the Dominican Republic imminently, at the request of the UN's resident coordinator there.
http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900SID/VVOS-7ZUTAJ?OpenDocument&rc=2&emid=EQ-2010-000009-HTI
Source: United Nations Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General (OSSG)
Date: 19 Jan 2010
Watch the webcast
*There was a briefing at noon by Edmond Mulet, acting Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Haiti, and David Wimhurst, Communications Director for the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH). Former spokesperson Michele Montas also participated in the briefing. Other highlights from the U.N. system follow:
SECURITY COUNCIL AUTHORIZES EXPANDED U.N. PEACEKEEPING MISSION IN HAITI
* The Security Council this morning unanimously adopted a resolution that endorses the recommendation made by the Secretary-General to increase the overall force levels of the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH). Accordingly, the Council expanded the size of MINUSTAH's military component to a ceiling of 8,940 troops of all ranks, and its police component to up to 3,711 police.
* The Secretary-General said after the vote that he was grateful for the Council's swift action. He said, "By approving my proposal, today, to send an additional 2,000 soldiers and 1,500 police officers to Haiti, the Council sends a clear signal: The world is with Haiti."
* He said that search and rescue operations continue, and that ninety people have been saved by 43 international teams made up of 1,700 people.
* The Secretary-General added that UN relief operations are gearing up quickly. The good news, he added, is that we are making rapid progress, despite the extremely difficult logistical challenges.
* He said that the United Nations distributed daily food rations on Monday for nearly 200,000 people and expects to reach approximately 1 million people within a week.
* Meanwhile, on Monday, the Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Haiti, former US President Bill Clinton, traveled to Haiti, bringing along with him 5,000 bottles of water, 1 pallet of food, medical supplies (including syringes, anesthetics, pain-killers, first aid and surgical supplies), 32 generators, 72 work lights, and 150 solar flash lights.
* The Special Envoy visited the University Hospital in Port-au-Prince, where he helped unload the aid he brought with him. Clinton also met with Haitian Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive, UN Resident Coordinator Kim Bolduc and the Principal Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Anthony Banbury.
SECRETARY-GENERAL TO LAY WREATH IN HONOUR OF HAITI QUAKE VICTIMS
* The Secretary-General will lay a wreath in honour of the victims of the earthquake in Haiti this afternoon, at 4:53 p.m. He will call for a moment of silence throughout the UN system at that time, to coincide with the one-week anniversary of the earthquake. The ceremony will take place in the General Assembly Lobby near the Meditation Room.
* Immediately following the wreath laying ceremony, there will be a candlelight vigil in the plaza outside of the Visitors' Entrance. This will begin at 4:55 p.m.
* The United Nations Singers will perform at the wreath laying ceremony and during the candlelight vigil.
IN HAITI, U.N. AND OTHER HUMANITARIAN AGENCIES ASSIST MORE QUAKE SURVIVORS
* The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that over 90 persons had been rescued by international Urban Search and Rescue Teams in Haiti. At the peak of the search and rescue work, there have been a total number of 52 teams with 1,820 rescue workers and 175 dogs. As of Monday, 18 January, there were 48 international rescue teams on the ground and live rescues were still being made. Haitians had also been able to save scores of their fellow Haitians.
* OCHA adds that the working conditions remain very difficult but humanitarian workers are now increasingly reaching out to affected areas outside of Port au Prince. It was feared that 60 per cent of Jacmel had been destroyed.
* According to OCHA, immediate priorities for the wider humanitarian response continued to be medical assistance, corpse management, shelter, water and food and sanitation. Engineers are needed to reconstruct the roads and bridges in Port au Prince, and heavy equipment is needed to remove the huge piles of rubble.
* The United Nations is in the lead on the humanitarian coordination at the airport, and logistics at the airport is being managed by the United States forces. The United Nations is cooperating and coordinating with the American forces that have come in with their logistics and expertise which, among other things, has allowed the airport control tower to work again. United States forces were also working on repairing the Port au Prince port.
* On security, OCHA reports that the situation remains tense but calm, despite some sporadic and isolated looting. About 3,000 troops from the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) are providing help, including escort for humanitarian distributions and convoys. MUNISTAH is also coordinating with the Haitian police, with back-up from United States forces.
U.N. AGENCIES DELIVERING MORE FOOD, HEALTH EQUIPMENT IN HAITI
* The World Food Programme (WFP) reports that progress is being made and 270,000 people had received emergency food assistance as of Monday. WFP workers aim to reach 95,000 or 100,000 persons today alone. In the coming week, WFP workers aim to distribute 10 million ready to eat rations and they have been coordinating very well with the Government and with local mayors and authorities.
* UNICEF is leading efforts to address issues of water, sanitation and the protection of children, plus their feeding and their education. UNICEF has helped to distribute water to 80,000 persons and continues to provide hospitals with 120,000 litres of water a day.
* Concerning children who are separated from their families or those orphaned, UNICEF believes the priority should be reuniting these children with members of their families, so that they could remain in the country where they were born. Adoption should be the very last option, according to UNICEF.
* The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that more than 20 health partners are now working together in support of Haiti's Ministry of Health. The main health priorities are to provide trauma treatment and to open more operating theatres around the affected areas.
* There are also great fears about the mental health and anguish that people may be suffering from and WHO is focusing on that, as well.
* The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has reiterated its strong commitment to back up and support the broader humanitarian effort in Haiti. Two aircraft carrying 2,130 lightweight tents and 18,550 plastic sheets for more than 90,000 people will arrive in Haiti at the beginning of next week from UNHCR's logistics and supplies hub in Dubai. A small team will arrive in the Dominican Republic imminently, at the request of the UN's resident coordinator there.
http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900SID/VVOS-7ZUTAJ?OpenDocument&rc=2&emid=EQ-2010-000009-HTI