The Haiti earthquake not only collapsed buildings and killed as many as 200,000 people, it also destroyed the already fragile economy around Port-au-Prince. Now that the search and rescue phase has concluded, the UN is trying to jump-start the cash economy in areas affected by the earthquake. To that end, the United Nations Development program launched a "cash for work" program in which Haitians are hired on a day-to-day basis to help clear rubble and clean the streets. From the UN New
In an interview with the New York Times on Sunday, the UN's top official on Afghanistan, Kai Eide, expressed support for removing some Taliban and Al Qaeda members from targeted individual sanctions imposed by the Security Council. From the Times:
Mr. Eide said he did not believe that senior Taliban leaders like Mullah Omar should be removed from the list. It was Mullah Omar, after all, who provided sanctuary to Osama bin Laden and Al Qaeda, which launched the Sept. 11 attacks.
By Mariko Hall, Consultant, Advocacy (IT Emergency Preparedness and Response Branch)
A new public service announcement on Haiti from the UN Foundation shows how the UN is helping Haiti.
A hit job on Susan Rice written by John Bolton's former spokesperson is making its rounds on the internet. The author, Richard Grenell, tries to make the case that Rice is forsaking her duties at the United Nations in order to spend more time in Washington, D.C. His evidence?
If that headline strikes you as surprising, you are not alone. I, for one, thought that the IAEA had enough on its plate acting as the world's nuclear watchdog, but, it turns out, they also run a "Department of Technical Cooperation," which fosters "the role of nuclear science and technology in sustainable development." How cool?
Just a taste of some recent projects:
By Myriam Annette
More than a week has passed since a 7.0 earthquake shook Haiti and its capital city, Port-au-Prince. from the rubble tent cities have sprung up throughout the capital and in other affected areas of the country. For tens of thousands, bits of cardboard, a sheet, or perhaps a tattered mattress is now home.
Afghanistan’s electoral body announced yesterday that parliamentary elections originally scheduled for May 22 will be delayed until September. The announcement was welcomed by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), whose head Kai Eide said the delay “provides time to make improvements to the electoral process based on lessons learned during the presidential and Provincial Council elections in 2009.”
At Small Wars Journal, Gary Anderson offers some advice to military personnel trying to provide humanitarian assistance in Haiti. It’s a great article – plain spoken and based on personal experience. His recommendations run from getting permission to fly non Department of Defense personnel in military airplanes to not starting air drops.
Two points really stood out for me: