GERMAN GOVERNMENT INCREASES HAITI ASSISTANCE TO 15

UNCLAS BERLIN 000106 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR HAITI EARTHQUAKE TASK FORCE, WHA/CAR (DI PERRO, MCCANTS, ROBINSON, SMITH),IO/UNP (NARANJO, GARUCKIS), PRM/PRP (SCHAAF),EEB/IFD/ODF (SIEMER, LEATHAM, ALEXANDER), EUR/CE (HODGES, SCHROEDER) TREASURY FOR ICN (NORTON) E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID ECON EFIN PGOV PHUM PREL UN GM HA SUBJECT: GERMAN GOVERNMENT INCREASES HAITI ASSISTANCE TO 15 MILLION EUROS REF: A. SECSTATE 06918 ¶B. BERLIN 98 ¶1. (U) SUMMARY. Germany is increasing its official assistance to Haiti to 15 million euros following the January 12 earthquake. The increase reflects 5 million euros in new funds from the Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) that will support construction of housing for displaced Haitians. As previously reported, BMZ is also providing 5 million euros for food and water aid, while the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) is contributing 5 million for food, water, health and shelter. The Director of the MFA Office of United Nations and Global Affairs is traveling to Washington on January 26 for consultations on Haiti. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (SBU) Econoff delivered REF A points to contacts at the German Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA). Sigrid Sommer of the MFA's Working Group on Humanitarian Affairs said the German government was increasing its assistance to Haiti to a total of 15 million euros. BMZ, which had already committed 5 million euros for food and water assistance, is providing an additional 5 million euros to fund construction of housing for Haitians displaced by the earthquake. The money is sufficient to construct 1500 housing units and will be managed in cooperation with the UN Development Program (UNDP). Once ground is broken, German officials predict 160 units per week can be built, using material purchased "in regional markets." Sommer added that the MFA's contribution remains at 5 million euros, which is supporting food, water, health, and shelter requirements. Germany is also contributing 66 million euros for Haiti via the European Union. Private German donations for relief efforts in Haiti now stand at 86 million euros. (REF B) ¶3. (SBU) According to Sommer, the Director of the MFA's Office of United Nations and Global Affairs, Freiherr Von Ungern-Steinberger, will travel to Washington on January 26 for "consultations on Haiti." She said he would meet with counterparts in the State Department, but had no other details of his schedule. ¶4. (U) MINIMIZE CONSIDERED. DELAWIE