Preval promises to strengthen democratic institutions

AFP

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AFP) -- Haiti's President Rene Preval pledged yesterday to strengthen his country's democratic institutions as it rebuilds from the wreckage left by last week's cataclysmic earthquake.

"We need in Haiti political, economic stability. We need to reinforce the democratic institutions," he said at a meeting to prepare for a conference on international aid to the Caribbean country.

Preval met with Dominican Republic President Leonel Fernandez, OAS Secretary General Jose Miguel Insulza, Spanish Vice-President Maria Fernandez de la Vega, Canada's Foreign Minister Peter Kent, and a number of Caribbean heads of government, including Jamaica's Bruce Golding.

The Inter-American Development Bank, meanwhile, announced here that it would forgive Haiti's $480-million debt with the regional lending organisation.

Additionally, the bank is prepared to grant Haiti $364 million that can be put to use immediately, and establish a fund to finance Haiti's reconstruction over the next six years, said Manuel Labrado, a bank spokesman.

"The time has come for the international community to restore to Haiti its dignity," Fernandez, the Dominican president, said.

The Spanish vice-president said the leaders had discussed medium and long-term responses to the disaster aimed at strengthening Haiti politically and economically.

Insulza, for his part, said the Organisation of American States expects to raise $10 million for Haiti's recovery.

The meeting in Santo Domingo was in preparation for a larger meeting of international donors in Montreal, Canada on January 25 to raise funds to rebuild Haiti.

Meanwhile, foreign ministers from the 25-member Association of Caribbean States were scheduled to meet Thursday and Friday in Bogota to consider ways to support Haiti in its hour of crisis, a diplomatic source in Bogota said.