U.N. special envoy Bill Clinton deems Haiti aid conference "momentous"

UNITED NATIONS, March 30, (Xinhua) -- Well before it was announced, nearly 10 billion U.S. dollars had been pledged at a donors conference to rebuild Haiti after the January earthquake. U.N. special envoy and former U.S. president Bill Clinton on Wednesday called it a "momentous day."

It was not just another donor conference, the likes of which are seen all too often at the U.N. headquarters in New York. This conference, participants vowed, will produce different results.

Hours after the special envoy gave his snap judgment, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told reporters, "The international community has come together dramatically in solidarity with Haiti and its people."

He said more than 130 countries, represented at the day-long conference at the U.N. headquarters in New York, "have acted far beyond expectation."

Then, he formally announced 9.9 billion dollars had been pledged to be delivered for Haiti's recovery and reconstruction following the Jan. 12 temblor that killed nearly a quarter of a million people and left 1.3 million homeless.

It was hours earlier when the former U.S. president paused to respond to a shouted question as he strolled past the conference room in which donors were gathered, still pledging. He was already confident of the outcome.

"This was a pretty momentous day for us," Clinton said, as he walked back to a nearby microphone.

"In fact, I heard not just from people like me. There were leaders. We actually had the non-governmental sector there, the business sector, women's advocates, the man who wants to make Haiti the first totally wireless country. This is an exciting time. Yes, it was a good day."

The former president took up Ban's request last year to be his special envoy to Haiti and was therefore well prepared to help, literally, as the dust settled from the January quake. A few days later he was on the scene, not only assessing, but also helping to hand out emergency aid.

Now, Clinton has been called on to oversee the spending for Haiti of 5.3 billion dollars over the next 18 months to two years, well above the 3.9 billion dollars sought, and the 9.9 billion dollars over the next 10 years pledged Wednesday. About 11.5 billion dollars had been sought for the long term.

Ban said Clinton will be working with U.N. agencies, namely the U.N. Development Program (UNDP), to keep an eye on expenditures.

"This assistance must be well-invested and well-coordinated," Ban told donors.

"In parallel with reconstruction, it must provide for continuing emergency relief: food, sanitation, health care and, most urgently at this moment, shelter.

"You are all aware how difficult the situation is right now," the secretary-general said. "The rainy season is fast approaching. Some camps for displaced persons are at a risk of flooding. Health and sanitation issues are growing more serious."