EU Foreign Affairs Council to discuss the situation in Haiti
Press release 9/2010
15 January, 2010
The Foreign Affairs Council of the EU will hold an extraordinary meeting in Brussels on 18 January. Development ministers will discuss the situation in Haiti and aid operations following the earthquake there. The meeting is convened and chaired by High Representative Catherine Ashton. Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Paavo Väyrynen will attend the meeting for Finland.
The Council will approve conclusions on the situation in Haiti. Finland considers EU joint measures important in assisting Haiti; also important are coordination and ensuring the correct timing of aid under the UN. In particular Finland stresses that attention is paid to starting reconstruction from the beginning of the operation.
On Thursday, 14 January Finland granted 1,250,000 euros in humanitarian assistance to the victims of the earthquake in Haiti. The aid will be channelled via the Finnish Red Cross and Finn Church Aid. Finland is prepared to give additional humanitarian assistance once more information is available about the damage caused by the earthquake and the need for assistance has been determined.
Additional information Counsellor Anna Gebremedhin, Unit for Humanitarian Assistance of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, tel. +358 9 1605 6286 or mobile tel. +358 40 583 0149, and Päivi Nevala, Adviser to the Minister for Foreign Trade and Development, tel. +358 9 160 56171 or mobile tel. +358 40 753 4375
