UNASUR Chirman Supervises Aid to Haiti

Quito, Ago 30. -Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa visits Haiti on Monday as acting chairman of the Union of South American Nations for strengthening that bloc's aid to the Caribbean nation, devastated by an earthquake in January.

According to Foreign Minister Ricardo Patiño, Correa is setting up a technical committee, responsible for following up on the aid plan agreed upon by the UNASUR heads of state.

The technical committee will be made up of representatives from five South American governments, who will be based in Haiti to supervise implementation of the regional group's plans and administrate the resources allocated.

Officials from Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, and Ecuador will join the committee, and Correa will look into the plans of action during his visit to Haiti.

In particular, during his 24-hour stay, Correa will assess two projects his country and Argentina are carrying out jointly, Foreign Minister Patiño said.

In the wake of the 7.2-magnitude quake on January 12, UNASUR held a meeting in Quito to map out several aid strategies for rebuilding the impoverished Caribbean nation. Haitian President Rene Preval attended the gathering at Carondelet Palace, seat of the Ecuadorian Government. (Prensa Latina)