Estonia Expert to Direct Humanitarian Aid Camp in Haiti

With the support of the Foreign Ministry, Enn Eberg, a member of the Estonian Rescue Team, will go to Haiti to direct the camp of the World Food Programme Humanitarian aid mission. Eberg will be the director of the World Food Programme camp in Haiti from 12 June to 1 August.

Foreign Minister Urmas Paet stated that the opportunity to direct the field camp of a mission in Haiti being offered to an Estonia expert is a sign that Estonian development co-operation and our rescue team have become extremely trustworthy partners in international rescue co-operation. “The aid of Estonian experts in Haiti has been important and received recognition from the World Bank and many other partners,” said Foreign Minister Paet.

Estonian specialists in Haiti are participating in the joint mission of Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Estonia, also known as International Humanitarian Partnership (IHP). The International Humanitarian Partnership mission in Haiti has been a positive example of successful co-operation between nations for providing humanitarian aid. In addition to Haiti, Estonia experts have also provided aid in Namibia, Pakistan and Indonesia, among others.

Currently Estonia’s aid to Haiti totals 6.8 million kroons (435 600 EUR). Humanitarian aid makes up 5.667 million kroons of this sum. Of the humanitarian aid, Estonia donated 2.5 million kroons to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. The remaining sum for humanitarian aid was used to send Estonian medics and technical experts to Haiti. All of the Estonian experts sent to Haiti have been members of the Estonian Rescue Team.

For long-term reconstruction of the nation, Estonia has donated a total of 100 000 dollars (1.285 million kroons) to the multilateral Haiti Reconstruction Fund managed by the World Bank as well as UNICEF. Estonia’s contribution also included two 45 m2 tents with floors, furniture and lighting. Estonia also left IT equipment valuing 86 000 kroons in Haiti.

On 12 January 2010 Haiti was struck by a severe earthquake, in the aftermath of which at least 222 510 people were killed and 300 000 people were injured. Over 1.2 million people were left homeless, and in total the earthquake affected the lives of nearly 3 million people.