The Presidency and the all members of United Cities and Local Governments express their solidarity with the people of Haiti following the earthquake which has struck the country and devastated their capital city and many others.
It is with great sadness that they have witnessed the dramatic unfolding of the consequences of this catastrophe.
This is a moment of grieving but also one which calls for urgent action, the UCLG Presidency encourages all its members to support the Haitian local authorities.
UCLG shall keep its members informed of the humanitarian aid operations to which they can lend support as well as initiatives directed at Haitian local authorities.
International Association of Francophone Mayors (AIMF) AIMF is conducting needs assessment of Haitian people and their cities with Haitian counterparts. The Association is hoping to work particularly for the support of primary-level education and the safeguarding of public archives and, at the request of the Haitian Ministry of the Interior, will provide expert support for Haitian mayors and local government staff in their work on the governance of reconstruction.
Latin American Federation of Cities, Municipalities and Local Governments Associations (FLACMA) UCLG’s Section in Latin America at the initiative of UCLG Co-president, the Mayor of Quito, is preparing the creation of a standing committee to provide South-South technical assistance.
AFRICA
Benin
Lokossa The City Council of Lokossa made a donation of 1000 euros transferred on a bank account specially opened by the International Association of Francophone Mayors (AIMF) to help Haitian people.
South Africa
Ekurhuleni 4 fire fighters of the city of Ekurhuleni took part in the search end rescue operations.
Johannesburg Johannesburg emergency management services (EMS) staff was sent to Port au Prince. 4 highly skilled workers were taking part in the search and rescue activities in the capital of Haiti.
Merafong 5 fire fighters of the city of Merafong took part in the search end rescue operations.
Tshwane 5 fire fighters of the city of Tshwane took part in a team of 36 qualified persons sent to Haiti to bring relief and take part in the search and rescue operations.
ASIA
Japan
Tokyo The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has donated $50.000 to the disaster relief operations.
Republic of Korea
Daegu Daegu Metropolitan City’s Keimyung University Dongsan Hospital provided a medical team, comprising six medical doctors and two nurses.
Seoul The Seoul Metropolitan Government provided 100.000 dollars in monetary aid and emergency relief supplies to Haiti, including food and daily necessities, and will participate in restoration activities.
EUROPE
Austria
Vienna The City of Vienna donated 500.000 euros to contribute to the assistance to the victims of the earthquake. Half will be dedicated to emergency relief through the purchasing of tents, medicines, food, etc, in accordance with the needs on the field and after previous discussion with Federal Ministry of Foreign and International Affairs and organizations operating in Haiti. The other half will be dedicated to rehabilitation and rebuilding of schools, nurseries, and houses.
Belgium
Association of Cities and Municipalities of Brussels Capital Region (AVCB) AVCB polled the actions undertaken by its members, and made a donation, completed by the donations made by its staff.
Union of the Cities and Municipalities of Wallonia (UVCW) UVCW made a donation of 2.500 euros and invites the municipalities to contribute to the solidarity effort.
Association of Cities and Municipalities of Flanders (VVSG) VVSG is gathering information on the actions undertaken by its members on its website.
Government of Brussels Capital Region The regional government made a donation of 250.000 euros to the Belgium Consortium for Emergency Situations, and agreed a subvention of 25.000 euros for a solidarity concert, and compromised to discuss a long-term involvement with humanitarian organizations and the federal government.
Czech Republic
Prague The City of Prague contributed to Czech solidarity with Haiti through a donation of almost 460.000 euros, and also organised a solidarity concert, after which more than 100.000 euros have been collected from the citizens.
France
United-Cities-France is gathering information on the actions undertaken by its members and set up a special fund. French local authorities are invited to contribute to this fund, in order to prepare a reconstruction program that will be designed and implemented in coordination with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and VNG International, the Dutch local authorities association.
French Section of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) The French Section of CEMR requested French government and European Commission the possibility to derogate to the fleet renewal plan that sometimes leads to the breakage of new boats, so that boats suitable with local fishing practices can be sent to Haiti.
Île–de-France Regional Council On the short-term, the Region will give support to French NGOs working in Haiti: reconstruction of infrastructures, attendance to refugees and homeless victims, set up of assistance infrastructures, water and sanitation… A technical mission will be sent to adapt the measures taken to the emergency necessities and set up a master plan for the reconstruction, which will be provided with more than 1 million euros.
Pays de la Loire Regional Council The Regional Council approved a 60.000 euros contribution to the Solidarity Fund set up by United-Cities-France, 30.000 euros to Fire Fighters Without Borders, and 10.000 to Gynaecology Without Borders.
Côtes d’Armor General Council A proposal was submitted to the Council to involve in reconstruction phase through financial and technical support.
Finistère General Council The General Council approved a donation of 50.000 euros.
Amiens The municipality approved a 10.000 euros donation to “Emergency Architects”, made available to the associations tents and material to raise funds, and made a call to the citizens for solidarity.
Bordeaux Bordeaux Urban Community made a 50.000 euros donation to Doctors Without Borders to support emergency relief.
Caen The City Council approved a donation of 10.000 euros for the reconstruction phase.
Grenoble 10.000 euros have been donated to the Red Cross and other 10.000 euros to UNICEF for emergency relief.
Urban Community of Grenoble A donation has been made to the Foundation of France.
Lille A 30.000 euros donation was made to “Foundation of Lille”. The City also gave them support in their fundraising campaign, by making available boxes and broadcasting their initiative. Support to broadcast other solidarity events will be given. On the other hand, The Urban Community of Lille made a donation of 60.000 euros.
Limoges 10.000 euros were donated to Franco Haitian association “ACEM Haïti 87” for the reconstruction of houses and renovation of the school in “Les Orangers”, a village near Jacmel.
Lyon A donation of 50.000 euros to Handicap International has been approved by the Municipal Council.
Marseille 15 fire fighters were sent by the Municipality of Marseille to participate in the search and rescue activities. The City also made a call to its citizens to make donations.
Urban Community of Montpellier A donation of 50.000 euros will be proposed to the next Urban Community Council. 10.388 euros were collected from the citizens and will be donated to the Red Cross.
Mulhouse The City Council will discuss a 10.000 euros special donation to the IRCOD (Regional Institute for Cooperation – Development), which has permanent staff in the city of Jacmel.
Nancy A 20.000 euros donation to Foundation of France has been proposed to the City Council, and boxes have been put up to collect donations from citizens.
Nanterre The City of Nanterre made a donation of 30.000€ to the common solidarity fund set up by United French Cities, and gave support to humanitarian associations making diffusion of their actions.
Nantes 50.000 euros were donated for emergency aid, and discussions are in progress concerning long-term involvement.
Paris The City Council decided to dedicated 150.000 euros from the emergency fund of the city to the set up of a surgery unit and mobile health care units, as well as to water and shelter and hygiene kits distribution. 1,5 millions euros will be dedicated to financing reconstruction of Port-au-Prince and other cities; a mission will be sent on the field in order to set up a master plan together with the local authorities. Furthermore, the city will provide 1.000 tents and 16.000 tarps as well as 250 vehicles (police, ambulances…)
Reims The City Council approved a donation of 7.500 euros for emergency relief. A box was put up in the City Hall to raise funds for humanitarian associations. The City made available facilities, so that around 30 artists could give their works of art for an auction sale and performed a concert.
Rennes A donation of 15.000 euros to United-Cities-France solidarity fund was approved.
Rouen A subvention of 8.000 euros has been donated to eight organisations working in Haiti, support was given to a solidarity concert, and a call for donations was made to the citizens.
Strasbourg The City Council of Strasbourg decided to donate 20.000 euros to support emergency relief in the city of Jacmel, also seriously affected by the earthquake. A second fund donation of the same amount will be proposed to Council of the Urban Community of Strasbourg on February 5th. The City and the Urban Community are also considering hosting and training Haitian students in key sectors (architecture, engineering) for the future of Haiti.
Toulouse A proposal for a 50.000 euros donation to support reconstruction through partnership with United-Cities-France has been made by the Urban Community of Toulouse (SICOVAL)
More information on the actions undertaken by French local authorities are available on the website of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Germany
Bonn The city supports projects for homeless children and other institutions like youth centres and made a call for donations. Members of local administration sell arts and crafts to raise funds.
Dresden The City of Dresden collected 165.000 euros from its citizens. The City is working together with the NGO “Arche Nova” that installed 2 water purification plants supplying 10.000 people. They are also supplying affected people with food and medicines in the cities of Port-au-Prince, Carrefour, Léogâne and the mountainous areas.
Gladbeck The city of Gladbeck called their employees to donate to welfare organizations in North Rhine-Westphalia.
Hagen The municipality of Hagen put up several boxes in the city to enable citizens to make donations.
Lüneburg The City of Lüneburg launched a fundraising campaign. Through donations of the citizens and institutions who responded, 100.000 euros were collected. The amount has been transferred to the German Technical Relief Federal Agency in order to finance a water treatment plant.
Marburg The City Council of Marburg approved to make a donation of 10.000 € to the German Red Cross for relief operations.
Munich The City Council of Munich donated 100.000 € for the emergency phase and made a call to its citizens to foster donations.
Regensburg The city of Regensburg has established a donation account and has asked its citizens for donations for a reconstruction project. To date, more than 30,000 euros has been received, the council has also decided to raise funds from the municipal budget, an amount of 10,000 euros available. The selection of a specific project, which will be supported with donated funds, has not yet taken place.
Schwedt/Oder The city administration staff has been invited to participate in the fundraising campaign in favour of German Red Cross, and so were all the citizens.
Greece
Athens The city of Athens sent humanitarian aid, comprising clothing and medical supplies.
Italy
National Association of Italian Municipalities (ANCI) ANCI opened a bank account to raise funds and sent water purification plants and first health care material in coordination with the Civil Defence Bureau.
Italian Section of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions Italian Section of CEMR made a call to its members to contribute to the solidarity efforts with Haitian population.
Milan The City of Milan announced an initial donation of 100.000 euros and opened a bank account to raise funds from the citizens.
Naples The City of Naples took measures to raise funds that will be sent to Italian National Municipalities Association (ANCI) to set up a common Italian local authorities programme. Naples municipality will also promote solidarity events organised in collaboration with Neapolitan artists.
Netherlands
VNG International The Dutch Local Governments Association has been invited by the Dutch Disaster Relief Organizations to identify and implement a local government reconstruction programme. An amount of 4 million euros will be earmarked for this programme. Efforts are being done to develop this programme in close cooperation with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and United-Cities-France.
Almere The City of Almere made a donation of 50,000 euros.
Amsterdam The City Council of Amsterdam approved a donation of 750.000 euros for the reconstruction phase.
Rotterdam The City of Rotterdam approved a donation of 600.000 euros.
Utrecht The City of Utrecht approved a donation of 100.000 euros.
Portugal
Porto The City Council of Porto approved a donation of 50.000 euros for humanitarian aid.
Spain
Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (FEMP) FEMP will promote a joint program to help reconstruction in Haiti, in collaboration with the International Cooperation for Development Spanish Agency, and made a call to Spanish local governments to foster their participation.
Barcelona In the days following the earthquake, the City Hall of Barcelona sent obstetrics, traumatology, hygiene and basic healthcare materials, enabling attending to 5.000 people during the first three months, and made available to the Spanish International Cooperation for Development Agency basic material with capacity to attend to 10.000 people. The City Hall also set contact with NGOs working in Haiti to propose them support.
Cordoba The City Hall of Cordoba is giving support to NGOs working in Haiti and will consider the possibility to finance post-emergency and reconstruction projects. The Municipality asked the Spanish Government to cancel Haiti’s debt.
Getafe The Municipality of Getafe sent a Civil Protection Volunteers unit, accompanied with dogs from the Rescue unit, and equipped with vehicles, technical and sanitary material and tents. The Municipality also sent 3.000 kilos of food.
Madrid The Iberoamerican Network of natural Disaster response Centres, financed by the City Hall of Madrid, first sent 11 fire fighters of United Fire Fighters Without Borders, who together with their Peruvian colleagues saved more than 20 people from the ruins. Other 2 teams were then sent to set a hospital equipped with surgery material and medicines, and a water purification plant.
Malaga The Municipality of Malaga set up the coordination committee for solidarity with Haiti, who decided to send sanitary material, water purification plants, clothes and food, and to implement an awareness campaign addressed to the citizens.
Switzerland
Lausanne The Municipality of Lausanne made a donation of 15.000 Swiss francs to the emergency fund of the International Association of Francophone Mayors (AIMF), and will participate in the reconstruction phase.
United Kingdom
Local Government Association 64 search and rescue experts from fire services across England and Wales were sent to Haiti on January 13. This group included volunteers from fire and rescue services in Greater Manchester, Lancashire, West Sussex, Kent, the West Midlands, Lincolnshire, Hampshire, and mid and west Wales.
NORTH AMERICA
Canada
Federation of Canadian Municipalities FCM is in discussion with the Government of Canada to propose a Canadian municipal reconstruction initiative in Haiti in close collaboration with the City of Montreal, the Union of Municipalities of Quebec, as well as in coordination with the Francophone Association of Municipalities of New Brunswick, Quebec Federation of Municipalities and other large cities, community associations and municipal and provincial authorities in Canada. Many cities have pledged to offer their expertise, technical assistance and to transfer donations received into an FCM-managed fund to support the rebuilding of Haiti. The list of the actions undertaken by members of the FCM is available on their website.
Union of the Municipalities of Quebec The UMQ set up a municipal fund for infrastructures recovery, and proposed its members to contribute and to provide expertise in key domains for the reconstruction phase. The UMQ also is gathering information on actions undertaken by Quebec municipalities on its website.
Federation of Municipalities of Quebec In addition to the collaboration planned with FCM, FQM invited its members to contribute to emergency fund raising.
Francophone Association of Municipalities of New Brunswick The Association, in addition to its collaboration planned with the FCM, invited its members to contribute with 0.25 dollars per inhabitants to the reconstruction fund.
Quebec The City of Quebec made a donation of 100.000 dollars to the Red Cross for emergency aid.
Montreal A special team of 18 policemen, 11 doctors, 5 nurses and representatives of the Haitian community in Montreal was sent to Port-au-Prince in order to provide health services and medical material, give support to the police in the recovery of communications, prepare a response plan to the arrival of Haitian immigrants, and assess the situation to set up a reconstruction plan. A 1 million dollar contribution was announced.
Toronto The City launched a fundraising campaign addressed to its citizens; enable them to make donations in some subway stations.
Vancouver The Metro Vancouver Board has expressed interest in donating municipal specialists to the reconstruction phase.
Winnipeg The City of Winnipeg has donated $36,000 to the Red Cross.
Dominican Republic
Dominican Federation of Municipalities (FEDOMU) FEDOMU launched the National Program of Solidarity with Haiti, through which each municipality will be able to make a donation.
Mexico
Mexico City 850 tons of food, clothes, medicines, etc were collected. 20 rescuers were sent by the Government of the Federal District, and saved 17 people from the ruins.
Naucalpan de Juárez The Municipality installed collecting centres, where more than 2.000 litres of water, 1.300 food cans, 200 nappies and 420 medicines boxes were gathered.
United States
National League of Cities NLC is calling its members to foster citizens’ donations.
International City/County Management Association ICMA offers its expertise to take part in the reconstruction phase.
National Association of Counties Several counties (Los Angeles County, Fairfax County, Miami-Dade County…) sent search and rescue teams to participate in the emergency relief.
Miami The City council organised emergency items collection and fund raising.
New York On January 14th, New York City sent 80 police officers and fire fighters from the urban search and rescue team to Haiti, who rescued six people from collapsed structures. The city of New York announced the creation of a special resource centre, in charge of providing Haitian people in New York with all the assistance they request. On another hand, on January 29th, the City’s Haiti Relief Fund had raised $1,2 million from the citizens of New York that will be donated to organization involved in relief operations in Haiti. In addition to this amount, a payroll deduction program was set up to raise more funds to support relief.
San Francisco The City set up facilities to enable its citizens make donations, and a payroll deduction program addressed to the City Hall employees.
Washington, DC A fund raising campaign has been organized by the City Hall.
OCEANIA
Australia
Sydney The City of Sydney will donate up to $175,000: $100,000 to Médecins Sans Frontières, $10,000 to the Exodus Foundation’s Overseas Disaster Resources to meet the cost of transporting containers of urgently needed items, the remaining $65,000 in in-kind support will be directed to funding local community-based organisations and other charities already on the ground in Haiti.
New Zealand
Wellington The City of Wellington is calling its citizens to generosity and to contribute to help Haiti.
SOUTH AMERICA
Brazil
Sao Paulo The Civil Defence Coordination of Sao Paulo State will send 20 tons of food and 7.000 gallons of water to the victims of the earthquake in Haiti. The collection of medicines and basic tools was approved by decree on January 27th. More resources –food and water- are being prepared for further sending to Haiti.
Colombia
Bogota The City Hall sent 30 members of the Fire fighters unit, the Health Department and the Urban Development Institute (staff specialized in collapsed infrastructures) to give support in the post-disaster tasks.
Ecuador
Cuenca The Municipality took part in the collection of first necessity ite