The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Disaster Relief Foundation on Tuesday signed memorandum of understanding (MOU) to help Haiti recover from an earthquake and a storm that hit Taiwan’s Caribbean ally last year.
The foundation is to contribute US$500,000 over one year to help Haiti improve its rice production and alleviate a food shortage crisis, in collaboration with the Haitian Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Rural Development, the foreign ministry said in a statement.
The funds would be used to assist Haitian farmers to restore rice production and explore new sales channels, it said.
Photo: AP
The ultimate goal of the MOU is to create job opportunities for Haitians and increase their incomes, it added.
The foreign ministry-affiliated International Cooperation and Development Fund, which has an agricultural technical mission in Haiti, would implement the disaster relief program there as part of Taiwan’s efforts to pursue the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the ministry said.
Taiwan and Haiti have maintained diplomatic relations for 66 years, cooperating in a wide range of fields from agriculture and energy to medical care and sustainable development.
On Aug. 14 last year, a magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck Haiti, killing more than 2,000 people and causing widespread damage estimated at billions of dollars.
A few days later, the country was hit by Tropical Storm Grace, which devastated its infrastructure and agriculture, leaving nearly 1 million people without sufficient food.
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