UN Secretary-General BanKi-moon announced here Friday that he will soon travel to Haiti,which was devastated by a massive earthquake earlier this week, toshow solidarity with the people of the impoverished Caribbeannation. The secretary-general plans the trip at a time when the UnitedNations continues to rush aid to the victims. The 7.0 magnitudeearthquake is said to have affected one-third of Haiti's 9-millionstrong population. Many of the people in the hard-hit capital,Port-au-Prince, do not have access to food, water, shelter andelectricity. UN emergency teams on the ground estimate that as many of half ofthe buildings in the worst-hit areas of the capital have beendamaged or destroyed. "We are still in the search-and-rescue phase, and we are trying tosave as many lives as possible," Ban told reporters at the UNHeadquarters in New York on Friday. With the top UN official in Haiti, Hedi Annabi, still unaccountedfor, Ban dispatched Edmond Mulet, his former special representativeto Haiti and current Assistant-Secretary-General for PeacekeepingOperations, to the country to assume full command of the UNStabilization Mission (MINUSTAH). Upon arriving in Port-au-Prince on Thursday, Mulet held talks withHaiti's leaders, in which he stressed that MINUSTAH is in theprocess of building back its capacity and emphasized the UNmission's full support of the government as it rebuilds thedevastated capital. The secretary-general announced that he is also sending TonyBanbury, the UN assistant-secretary-general for field operations,to serve as Mulet's deputy. "I myself will go to Haiti very soon, both to show solidarity withthe people of Haiti and our UN staff and to assess the situationfor myself," Ban said. A major humanitarian operation is under way, he said, and "althoughit is inevitably slower and more difficult than any of us wouldwish, we are mobilizing all resources as fast as we possibly can." With the airport's capacity limited, roads still blocked and thelack of transport and fuel within Haiti, the logistical situation,the secretary-general said, is a very difficult one. "That said, the international community's response has beengenerous and robust, and we are gearing up rapidly and effectivelydespite the challenging circumstances," he said. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon speaks to reporters at UNheadquarters in New York, the United States, Jan. 15,2010.(Xinhua/Shen Hong) Photo Gallery The United Nations will launch a flash appeal for some 550 millionU.S. dollars this afternoon, with a bulk of these funds to bedirected to urgent needs, including food, water and shelter. UN spokesperson Martin Nesirky announced here Friday that over 300UN personnel are still missing or unaccounted for, with 36 militaryand civilian MINUSTAH personnel, as well as one staff member withthe UN World Food Program (WFP), having been confirmed to havedied. The Christopher Hotel, which houses the UN headquarters in Haiti,and other buildings hosting the world body's offices collapsed inthe tremors. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon speaks to reporters at UNheadquarters in New York, the United States, Jan. 15,2010.(Xinhua/Shen Hong) Photo Gallery. The e-commerce company in China offers quality products such as LED Traffic Signal Lights , T8 LED Tube Lights Manufacturer, and more. For more , please visit Stadium LED Lights today!
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