The United States wants the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) to cancel all of Haiti's debt, standing at some 447 million dollars, US Treasury sources said on Thursday.

The United States also supports a "robust" increase in the bank's capital, the main issue on the agenda of its annual meeting in Cancun, Mexico, which starts on Friday, one of the sources said, without giving a figure.

"What we have to work out is the manner in which Haiti's debt to this institution (IDB) in cancelled," another source said in a telephone conference with journalists, giving the figure as 447 million dollars.

The US Senate last week unanimously approved a resolution calling for easing Haiti's debt burden to help with reconstruction efforts in the wake of the devastating January 12 earthquake.

The IDB estimates that Haiti's reconstruction could cost up to 14 billion dollars.

World Bank approves 65 million dollars for Haiti
Washington (AFP) March 18, 2010 –

The World Bank on Thursday announced a 65 million dollar grant for Haiti aimed at rebuilding its infrastructure to get the government back on its feet after January's powerful earthquake.

The funds are part of a 100 million dollar grant the World Bank announced for Haiti one day after the January 12 quake.

The funds will help restore key Haitian government economic and financial functions, "including data recovery, revenue and expenditure management, accountability and transparency functions in the ministry of economy and finance and other key institutions," the statement read.

"Pre-fabricated premises, office space and equipment will be provided for these institutions to operate."

The funds will also be used to rebuild key infrastructure, "including roads, bridges and administration buildings.

"These works are critical to give access to the damaged areas and to prevent further damages from flooding when the rainy season starts" in May, the statement read.

Reestablishing key financial and economic functions "is critical to a well-functioning state and to the reconstruction and recovery effort in Haiti," said Yvonne Tsikata, World Bank Director for the Caribbean.

The 7.0-magnitude earthquake flattened large parts of Haiti's capital Port-au-Prince and surrounding towns and villages, claiming more than 220,000 lives.

A World Bank and United Nations estimate found on Tuesday that Haiti, one of the world's poorest countries, will need 11.5 billion dollars over three years to rebuild.

Haiti summit committee urges four billion dollars in aid
Santo Domingo (AFP) March 17, 2010 –

The preparatory committee for the March 31 Haiti donors summit proposed Wednesday giving the quake-devastated Caribbean nation more than four billion dollars in reconstruction funds.

"Donor countries and multilateral organizations on Wednesday approved a 3.8 billion dollar fund the government of Haiti will receive over a period of 18 months," Dominican Economy Minister Temistocles Montas said, reading from a committee statement.

Another 350 million dollars will also be approved to shore up Haiti's state budget, he told reporters at the close of the committee that was jointly chaired by Haitian Prime Minister Jean Max Bellerive and Dominican Republic President Leonel Fernandez.

Some 28 donor nations will meet on March 31 at the United Nations in New York to pledge aid for earthquake-battered Haiti and help chart its recovery.

At the conference, Haiti will outline its long-term needs as it tries to rebuild from the January 12 earthquake that killed more than 220,000 people and left more than a million homeless, the US State Department said.

Senior officials agreed to organize the conference during an initial meeting on January 25 in Montreal.

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