Thirty-five seconds – that’s how long the nation of Haiti shook on the afternoon of January 12. A lifetime or two – that’s how long it will take to give rebirth to a new country.

In the hours following the disaster, the international community quickly mobilised to help and more than 140 nations were involved in the immediate rescue and response effort. Allies as well as nations with strained relations worked side by side, united by their common humanity. The swift response to the horror demonstrated that while citizenship is defined by country, humanity is defined by how we respond to others in need. On Wednesday, March 31, at the United Nations in New York, more than 110 countries will come together again to show their support for the people of Haiti and to hear the Haitians’ vision for their country’s future and plans to make that future a reality.

The goal of the conference is to secure a foundation for Haiti’s recovery and reconstruction through pledges from the world’s public, private, non-governmental, and multilateral institutions as well as to ensure that support to reconstruct a better country will not be a short-term endeavour. The international commitment must go beyond the emergency response; nations must commit to working with the people and government of Haiti for the long term to support efforts to rebuild a nation and make it worthy of its people. The Post-Disaster Needs Assessment, an analysis led by the government of Haiti with support from the United Nations and the World Bank, projected that it will take many years and US$11.5 billion to rebuild Haiti. At the conference, pledges totalling US$3.8 billion will be called for to support rebuilding efforts for the next two years. These resources are required to lay the foundation for a stable and prosperous Haiti that will have a vibrant private sector, rebuilt and strengthened public ministries, and a government that will hold itself accountable to its people.

The government of Haiti and its international partners have committed to be guided by the following six principles set forth at the ministerial conference in Montreal shortly after the earthquake: (1) Haitian ownership of the plan for the country’s future; (2) inclusiveness of all stakeholders – most importantly the Haitian people – during the rebuilding and beyond; (3) accountability and transparency by the government and its donor partners, first and foremost to the people of Haiti but also to the international community; (4) coordination between the Haitian government and donors, as well as among donors; (5) commitment to the effectiveness of investments by measuring the improvements made in the lives of the Haitian people; and (6) sustainability of the world’s investment through an enduring commitment to work with the people and the government of Haiti to increase capacity that will enable the transfer of operations from donors to the Haitian people and their government.

Looking to the future and rebuilding does not mean that the world’s donors can ignore the challenges of the present. We must continue to work with the Haitian government to address existing and urgent humanitarian needs. A prosperous tomorrow depends on providing vital assistance today to those whose lives have been devastated by the earthquake – those who lost homes, family, jobs, nourishment, and adequate sanitation.

Over the course of the past two-and-a-half months, we have all seen heartbreaking images from Haiti, but we have also seen images of resolve, resilience, and joy on the part of the Haitian people. As images recede, we must not let the efforts in Haiti fade with decreasing media coverage. The United Nations Haiti Donors Conference convening today will highlight the continuing needs of a devastated country and will remind all of us once again that there is hope for Haiti to be reborn, if we all do our part. As US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has said, “For some of us, Haiti is a neighbour, and for others of us, it is a place of historic and cultural ties. But for all of us, it is now a test of resolve and commitment.”

Isiah Parnell is Chargé d’Affaires, Embassy of the United States of America.