A Chinese envoy Tuesday called on the international community to provide Haiti with humanitarian assistance with priority given to healthcare and water sanitation to prevent outbreak of cholera and other epidemics.
Liu Jieyi, China's permanent representative to the UN, made the appeal at a Security Council meeting on Haiti, while expressing condolences to government and people of Haiti.
"We hope that Haiti will overcome the effects of the hurricane as early as possible, rebuild their home at an early date, gradually complete political transition, and embark on the road of stability and development," said Liu.
Hurricane Matthew, the strongest hurricane in the Caribbean for years, swept through the poverty-stricken country on Tuesday. UN statistics show that at least 1.4 million people need assistance in its aftermath.
UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has reported that in Haiti, around 20,000 houses were destroyed, more than 15,600 people were evacuated and the death toll could reach over one thousand once the problems surrounding communication, electricity and roads corroborate the magnitude of the damage.
Haiti is particularly vulnerable to natural disasters and has suffered greatly in recent years. It is frequently battered by hurricane, with Hurricane Jeanne killing at least 3,000 people in 2004.
Liu said development is the fundamental way to enhancing Haiti's disaster resilience and recovery capacity.
"We hope that the Haitian government will strengthen planning, formulate development strategy that face its national conditions, speed up infrastructure building, advance agriculture, tourism and other important sectors, promote rule of law, improve the humanitarian situation and ensure the interests of the vulnerable groups," he added.
He also noted that the international community should enhance assistance to Haiti in a more targeted manner and help the Haitian government strengthen its governance capacity so that Haiti can achieve development on its own at an early date.
