(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) welcomes the announcement by the World Bank of 30 January 2007 that its Board of Executive Directors had discussed a new Interim Strategy for Haiti which projects financial assistance of up to US$82 million in grants over the next 18 months to support Haiti’s development agenda as well as two grants for a total of US$28 million to support economic governance reform (US$23 million) and water and sanitation in rural areas (US$5 million).

The Caribbean Community is particularly pleased at the quote attributed to Caroline Antsey, the World Bank Director for the Caribbean that the Bank’s interim strategy supports the Haitian Government’s efforts to strengthen governance and deliver quick and visible benefits to the Haitian people.

The Community has long called on the international community to release funds earmarked for Haiti and in response to the immediate needs of the Government of Haiti. The Caribbean Community therefore looks forward to the release of the funds announced as well as those pledged by other members of the international community.

For its part, the Caribbean Community will continue to support the development needs of its Member States, including Haiti and looks forward to continued and new partnerships with members of the international community to this end.