MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Ecuador hosts Unasur meeting in support of reconstructing Haiti

Rafael Correa met with Haiti president Preval to talk about priorities (Picture AP)

Six presidents will be participating in the coming Union of South American Nations, Unasur, extraordinary meeting to he hosted by Ecuador next week and which will address mainly how to better coordinate relief efforts for earthquake devastated Haiti.

The meeting was convened by Ecuadorian president Rafael Correa, whose country currently holds the Unasur chair.

Ecuadorian Foreign Affairs minister Ricardo Patiño revealed that over the weekend Haitian president René Preval held a meeting with Correa in Quito when he outlined the priorities to boost international aid in reconstructing the country.

Preval said that the immediate need was humanitarian aid which is gradually reaching most of the Haitian population through improved distribution, but the mid and long term goal is rebuilding the country’s virtually non existent infrastructure for which “Unasur could play a leading role”.

“The idea is that the enormous support effort from the Latinamerican community and its governments in support of Haiti does not dilute in lack of coordination and is done in direct contact with the elected authorities of Haiti”, said Patiño.

When asked about possible on the side meetings between some of the announced leaders who have been involved in diplomatic disputes, Patiño insisted the main issue of the summit is aid and long term support for Haiti, the hemisphere’s poorest country.

“The main issue of the agenda refers to solidarity with Haiti. So far we have not considered the possibility of bilateral agendas”, underlined Patiño.