Today's Date:

(...) Faced with the chaos, France mobilized to support the return of democracy and peace in Haiti, with due regard for the law. A chaos, it must be repeated, which preceded the departure of President Aristide, itself triggered solely by the impasse in which Haiti found herself. We have contributed to enforcing respect for the constitutional order, an acting president has been sworn in, according to the terms of the Constitution, and preparations are today under way to form a government of national unity. We are working, at the same time, to restore order and security throughout the country, by means of the multinational force deployed under UNSCR 1529. France is already making a substantial contribution to it, with over 300 soldiers on the job and others on the way there.

Finally, we are providing emergency humanitarian aid to address the needs of the Haitian people for whom the crisis has caused particularly grievous suffering. We are doing this in close cooperation with all our partners, in the first place the United States, with whom we have enjoyed constant cooperation, the main countries in the region and South Africa, as well as many other countries.

We must not leave it at that, we must today help Haiti rebuild, by providing, of course, what has to be exemplary cooperation in every area in which she needs international aid: public health, agricultural and rural development, education, and also by mobilizing the major international donors to create a solid and sustainable basis for Haiti's economy and society.

We are very concerned for the well-being of our sizeable French community over there, and this is why we wanted swiftly to deploy an additional force. We are thus guaranteeing this community's protection. Haiti presents an immense challenge, and it was clearly the duty of France and the international community to mobilize in this way./.