Remarks to the Press, Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State
Port-au-Prince, Haiti
January 16, 2010
SECRETARY CLINTON: We are focused on providing humanitarian assistance, water, food, medical help, to those who are suffering. We also are working with the Haitian Government on the continuing rescue of those who can be rescued.
There are nearly 30 teams from all over the world who are working right now to rescue people who are still alive. Most of the people that the American teams have rescued are Haitians. President Preval has just met a man who had survived all of these days, and we are very – five days. And we are very grateful for that rescue.
We discussed the priorities of restoring communications, electricity and transportation. And we agreed that we will be coordinating closely together to achieve these goals.
I am very proud of the work that our American Embassy has done, our USAID, the Agency for International Development, for our U.S. military, and for all of the private groups and citizens and church-based organizations that are here in Haiti working with the Haitian people.
I want to speak directly to the Haitian people through the Haitian media. We are here at the invitation of your government to help you. As President Obama has said, we will be here today, tomorrow, and for the time ahead. And speaking personally, I know of the great resilience and strength of the Haitian people. You have been severely tested. But I believe that Haiti can come back even stronger and better in the future. Thank you.
QUESTION: (In French.)
SECRETARY CLINTON: There is so much that has to be done, and that is why President Preval and I will be issuing a joint communiqué tomorrow – it will be translated into all the necessary languages – setting forth our intention to cooperate together. And much of the work that will need to be done will be reconstruction and rebuilding.
QUESTION: (In French.)
QUESTION: Can we expect more than $100 million, Madame Secretary?
QUESTION: Madame Secretary, given the --
QUESTION: Are sufficient safeguards in place to ensure that money is spent wisely?
SECRETARY CLINTON: Yes. (Inaudible) set of ground rules that will be followed. As you may know, we were working closely with the Government of Haiti before this tragedy and had worked out many of the issues that needed to be addressed in order to deliver assistance, and we’re going to build on that.
QUESTION: Thank you.
Here is the text of the Joint Communiqué - hot off the press!
16 January 2010
Joint Communique of Governments of Haiti and the United States
Secretary Clinton, President Preval pledge cooperation on relief efforts
JOINT COMMUNIQUÉ OF
THE GOVERNMENTS OF HAITI AND THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
ISSUED AT PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI
JANUARY 16, 2010
President René Garcia Préval of Haiti and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton of the United States of America met today in Port-au-Prince in the wake of the catastrophic earthquake of January 12, 2010 and its tragic aftermath, and issued the following joint communiqué:
Recognizing:
the long history of friendship between the people of Haiti and the people of the United States and their mutual respect for each other’s sovereignty;
the grievous suffering of the people of Haiti, including the massive loss of life, widespread injuries, and extensive damage to public infrastructure and private property;
the urgent need for an immediate response to the requests by the Government of Haiti and the paramount importance of safe, swift and effective implementation of rescue, relief, recovery, reconstruction and other efforts;
the current, unprecedented challenges facing the Haitian Government; and
the January 15, 2010 conversation between President Obama and President Preval underscoring the urgency of the needs of Haiti and its people, President Obama’s pledge of the full support of the American people for the Government and people of Haiti in relation to both the immediate recovery effort and the long-term rebuilding effort, and the two Presidents’ commitment to maximize coordination of assistance among the various parties, including the Haitian Government, the United Nations, the United States and the many international partners and organizations on the ground;
President Préval, on behalf of the Government and people of Haiti, welcomes as essential the efforts in Haiti by the Government and people of the United States to support the immediate recovery and stability and long-term rebuilding of Haiti and requests the United States to assist as needed in augmenting security in support of the Government and people of Haiti and the United Nations, international partners and organizations on the ground;
Secretary Clinton, on behalf of the Government and people of the United States, reaffirms the intention of the United States, through its assistance, to stand by the Haitian people in this time of great tragedy; and
President Préval and Secretary Clinton jointly reaffirm that the Governments of Haiti and the United States will continue to cooperate under this shared understanding to promote the most safe and effective rescue, relief, recovery and reconstruction efforts possible.
(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://www.america.gov)
Read more: http://www.america.gov/st/texttrans-english/2010/January/20100116204301bpuh0.5773432.html?CP.rss=true#ixzz0cpl3sJlp
