WASHINGTON (AFP) – US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said she will travel to Haiti on Saturday to see earthquake relief efforts first hand, deliver supplies and meet Haitian President Rene Preval.
Clinton, who cut short her tour of the Asia-Pacific region this past week, told reporters in Washington on Friday that she made the decision after consulting with US President Barack Obama.
"I will be taking supplies with me... I will also be meeting President Preval," said Clinton who will be travelling with US Agency for International Development (USAID) Coordinator Rajiv Shah and other officials. "We will be meeting with President Preval and other members of the Haitian government along with the members of the US government team on the ground including our civilian and military leaders," the chief US diplomat said.
| As long as she doesn't interfere with search and rescue. |
"We will also be conveying very directly and personally to the Haitian people our long-term, unwavering support, solidarity and sympathies to reinforce President Obama's message that they are not facing this crisis alone," she added. "I will also be able to see first hand the ongoing efforts and deployment of US government personnel and resources for maximum impact to support the vital lifesaving relief and recovery efforts." |