Haiti: tenth anniversary of the 2010 earthquake

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

The Dominican Republic remembers as if it were today the darkest moments in the history of the Haitian people, which we witnessed on the territory we share. Our delegation wishes to express its satisfaction at the progress achieved by the hard-working Haitian people after the catastrophic earthquake.

The Dominican Republic remembers with sadness the moments lived through, but we are convinced and hopeful that a better future awaits Haiti and its people. We witnessed the resilience of the Haitian population in the face of such hardship, as well as its strength and determination to carry its nation forward.

Our delegation takes this opportunity to recall the unconditional support given to the Haitian people in their most difficult moments. Suffice it to say that ours was the support that fell to us as the closest neighbour. In an unprecedented gesture, Dominicans poured out their generosity toward their stricken neighbours, contributing whatever was urgently needed. Our delegation wishes to reiterate all our solidarity, support, commitment and readiness to continue cooperating and working with the Haitian people and Government.

We will not forget this tragedy, because of its magnitude in terms of the number of lives lost; because of the scale of its destructive effects, since it struck one of our most vulnerable nations; but also because it led all our countries to show an instant and massive solidarity.

Mr. Chair, today the Dominican Republic remembers the destruction, the victims, their families and the sadness and pain that covered an entire nation, as well as the standing commitment of the international community to keep supporting Haiti on the path of democratic and economic stability that every country needs for its development.

We also wish to press the need to increase the mechanisms of cooperation on natural disasters. The Dominican Government has raised its voice firmly at the United Nations, and today we wish to raise it at this regular meeting of the honourable Permanent Council. We request, on behalf of the countries most vulnerable to natural phenomena of this kind, that the member states of this Organization of American States that have the economic, technical and human capacity increase their support and cooperation, so as to keep extending a friendly hand in these difficult moments that fill thousands of families with anguish, sadness and despair.

Ambassador Léon Charles, we will never forget the earthquake in Haiti.

Thank you very much.