WASHINGTON, October 7, 2016 – World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim made the following statement during the IMF/World Bank Group Annual Meetings as Hurricane Matthew had just hit Haiti and continued its devastating path across the Caribbean Sea:
“Our thoughts are with the people of Haiti, many of whom are still recovering from the earthquake of 2010. We've reached out to the government and offered immediate support to respond to the disaster. Our staff on the ground are already working with the ministry of public works to begin restoring access to the hardest hit areas in the south of the country including a key bridge that was washed away.
It's too early to know the full impact of the storm as some of the most vulnerable communities live along the coast and cannot yet be reached… We will be using funds from existing operations to help clear debris, repair bridges and roads, help kids return to school and clean up mudslides which require heavy and expensive equipment.”
“Our sympathy and solidarity go to the people of Haiti and to all those who have been and unfortunately may still be affected by Hurricane Matthew,” he added.
In response to the high intensity Hurricane, the first category four storm since 1964, the World Bank is working with national authorities and development partners on the ground to mobilize support and accelerate cooperation activities. A World Bank response team will be in the field this weekend to start a rapid damage and loss assessment together with the government and other partners. In addition to activating the contingent emergency response components of existing projects, the World Bank will be raising additional financing to help the affected communities recover from the disaster, restore livelihoods, rebuild, replant and fight cholera.
“The situation in Haiti is catastrophic. Every disaster is a human tragedy. It also has a terrible impact on our economy. In the coming months, we will need a lot of support to help affected families get back on their feet, recover their homes and livelihood, rehabilitate roads, bridges, ports and other utilities that have collapsed, as well as rebuild health centers, schools, agricultural and other infrastructures that have been destroyed or damaged, and restore our environment,” said Romain Yves Bastien, Minister of Economy and Finance of Haiti. “We are working with the World Bank to mobilize emergency financing to help us get through this crisis.”
The Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility, developed with assistance of the World Bank, also announced during the IMF World Bank Annual Meetings that it was ready to pay Haiti over US$20 million in the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew.
Globally, Haiti ranks as the third country most affected by climate events, according to the 2016 Germanwatch Global Climate Index. Following the series of Hurricanes in 2008 - Faye, Gustave, Hanna and Ike - Haiti lost more than 14 percent of GDP.
-
Learn more about the work of the World Bank in Latin America and the Caribbean: www.worldbank.org/lac
Visit us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/worldbank
Twitter: @WBCaribbean
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/worldbank
