admin74PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti, March 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — The Interim Haiti Recovery Commission (IHRC) Co-Chairs and Board held a productive meeting in the Haitian capital on Monday, approving a slate of new reconstruction projects valued at US $255 million. The IHRC Co-Chairs (Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive and President Bill Clinton) urged donors to redouble their efforts to address priority reconstruction needs, with the governments of Spain and Japan promptly answering that call by making substantial financial pledges at the meeting in support of key recovery projects.
“We applaud the governments of Japan and Spain for the generosity and continued commitment to Haiti,” said Prime Minister Bellerive. “We are making progress in many essential areas, from debris removal and hospital construction to job creation, but Haitians still need to see more tangible improvements in their everyday lives.”
IHRC sector leads in the crucial fields of housing, water & sanitation, energy and debris removal provided the Board with status updates on previously-approved projects. In all, there are 19 projects in key IHRC priority areas that remain unfunded or partially funded, which in total require $783 million in funding.
On a positive note, progress is being made in key sectors outlined in the strategic plan, including debris removal which is critical to allowing most other reconstruction sectors to move forward. The Commission’s goal of removing 4 million cubic meters of debris this year is already half funded, and can be reached with further backing from the donor community. The outlook in the water and sanitation sector is also promising. An additional $100 million in funding – combined with the $217 million that has already been allocated for two already-approved projects – will increase the access rate to controlled potable water from 2% to 50%.
