Political relations

Alain Joyandet, Minister of State for Coooperation and Francophony, in Haiti (January 14, 2010)
Press briefings given by Bernard Kouchner (January 13, 2010)
Communiqué issued by the Presidency of the Republic (January 13, 2010)

Following the violent earthquake which hit Port-au-Prince, Alain Joyandet is immediately going to Haiti. At Nicolas Sarkozy and Bernard Kouchner’s request, the Minister of State for Cooperation and Francophony is in this way expressing France’s solidarity with the stricken people.

Alain Joyandet will ensure the coordination of French aid on the ground, liaising with European and international initiatives.

Alain Joyandet will meet members of the deeply affected French community, many of whom have gathered on the site of the French Embassy. He will take them a message of comfort and ensure the utmost is done to locate and help our compatriots.

  Read the press briefing given by Bernard Kouchner on January 13 at 19h.

"We have been ready for action since yesterday evening: the crisis centre worked throughout the night. Two planes are preparing to leave. Given the time difference - one’s coming from Martinique and the other from Paris - one will arrive around midday and the other later in the afternoon."

  Read the press briefing given by Bernard Kouchner on January 13 at 11h30.

"A first French plane is arriving in a few minutes. I’ve just had our ambassador, Didier Le Bret, on the phone. He is on his way to the airport, since, as you know, there’s a need for lorries to transport the relief; all this is especially difficult. I want to pay tribute to him and all the French officials there."

President Sarkozy was absolutely horrified and deeply shocked to learn of the powerful earthquake which hit Haiti on Tuesday, 12 January; there’s every reason to fear that this earthquake has caused a large number of casualties and extensive damage. He expresses his wholehearted solidarity with the Haitian authorities and people, as well as with the United Nations personnel severely affected by the earthquake.

The urgency now is to help the victims, those trapped in the rubble, the injured and those missing. On President Sarkozy’s instructions, France has decided immediately to dispatch sécurité civile [emergency services] detachments and a platoon of gendarmes to take part in the operations to rescue local people and find and help, where necessary, our compatriots reported missing.

In spite of the communication problems, the French authorities, who are fully mobilized in Paris, the French West Indies and in our embassy in Haiti, are working together with the Haitian authorities, United Nations and the other countries directly concerned.

More information

  Establishment of gendarmerie relief effort in Haiti (January 13, 2010)

The gendarmerie’s mission is to make itself available to the local authorities in order to help protect persons and property.