Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, visits Haiti in aftermath of earthquake

Amina Mohammed, United Nations Deputy Secretary-General, culminated a two-day trip to Haiti on 20 August, During her mission, she met with affected communities, humanitarian workers and Prime Minister Ariel Henry. She discussed how the UN could further support the government and civil society in addressing the crises and in the efforts necessary to recover better. She assured Haitians “that the UN remains committed to working under the leadership of national and local authorities to assist not only in providing lifesaving support for the immediate response to the earthquake, but also during the reconstruction phase.”

She lauded the authorities for their efforts and was particularly moved by the strength of the community. “I saw once again the incredible resilience of the Haitian people who have suffered so much and are now mobilized to support their neighbours and communities in the aftermath of the earthquake.” she said. 

At a press briefing of Friday 20 August, Ms. Mohammed said there were lessons to be learnt from the 2010 earthquake to do things differently so that Haiti can recover better. This, she underlined, “will require investing in long-term development and supporting Government leadership”. 

UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner also participated in the mission. “What I have seen on this visit is devastating — so much destruction and suffering. And yet, at the same time I have seen the solidarity and hope of the Haitian people in the face of such a tragedy. I was moved by the mobilization of Haitians to support their neighbours and community as well as the commitment of the country’s Civil Protection first responders and volunteers in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake Haiti needs our support in this critical moment. The UN Development Programme will do its utmost to support the people of Haiti in this hour of need as well as in the ongoing recovery and reconstruction”, he said

The number of affected people continues to climb in the aftermath of the 7.2 magnitude earthquake that hit Haiti’s southern peninsula on 14 August. More than 2,200 people have been reported killed, and over 12,000 others injured so far. The quake was followed by Tropical Storm Grace, which caused flooding in the areas already affected by the seism. According to authorities, an estimated 600,000 people need humanitarian assistance.