Axé!
See also: Should African Nations Help Ayiti (Haiti)?
HAITI AND THE REST OF US
On behalf of the Government and people of Nigeria, let me at the onset, Secretary-General, express our condolence for the tragic loss of lives at the UN Mission in Haiti that included your Special Representative, Mr. Heidi Anabi, his Deputy, Luiz Carlos Dacosta, and scores of other heroes of the UN International Civil Service.
I will also like to thank you for the dynamic and meticulous leadership you have provided since the Haitian tragedy unraveled before our very eyes almost two weeks ago. Nigerians relate to the sufferings of the people of Haiti as if it were just next door. When we saw the face of 8-year old Kiki beamed across the world with his outstretched arms and his wide smiles that spoke of the primacy of life over death following his rescue from 8 days under the rubble, we know that we know him. It is the face of our nephew in our various villages.
It is the face of every 8 year old in every corner of the world. It is universal face that belongs to every family. And we come to New York to meet you, Secretary-General, as concerned members of that family. Our emotions in Nigeria are understandably strong as we relate to the plight of the first black Republic in history, which also, was the very first in the western hemisphere, but one. Haiti, long before the earthquake, resonates in Nigeria. In response therefore to Your Excellency’s appeal for global effort to confront the challenges for the living in Haiti, I have the pleasure to present on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria a cheque of one million, five hundred thousand US dollars (US$1.5m) as an immediate response that will shortly be followed by 50 volunteers from the Technical Aid Corps made up of 25 Doctors and 25 Engineers and Nurses.
A consignment of medical supplies and relief materials worth another three million, five hundred thousand US dollars (US$3.5m) is being put together for distribution to the heroic people of Haiti. We fully appreciate that the road to recovery for Haiti will be long and hard. The Nigerian Government will be with the people of Haiti every inch of that road.
When you returned from Haiti last week, Mr. Secretary-General, you courageously admitted, in reference to the delivery record of the international community on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs):
“We are far from delivering on our promises of a better future for the world’s poor. As we rush to Haiti’s aid, let us keep in mind this larger picture. Those people on the streets of Port-au-Prince asked for human dignity and a better future. That is the hope of all the world’s poor. Doing the right thing for Haiti in its hour of need will be a powerful message of hope for them as well”.
Mr. Secretary-General, it is these words of yours that bring me to your office today to deliver Nigeria’s assistance personally as Foreign Minister. May more voices like yours form the critical mass so urgently needed to ensure that the poverty level which made the earthquake in Haiti more devastating than would have been the case, to become history. We don’t need another Haiti to ignite the upsurge of the human spirit in dealing with global misery as we have witnessed in the past two weeks. Haiti unites us all. That is our real humanity.
Thank you.
Remarks of Ojo Maduekwe, Foreign Affairs Minister of Nigeria at the Presentation of Nigeria’s Assistance for Haiti Earthquake Victims to United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon at UN Headquarters on Friday 22 January, 2010
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