Billions Raised For a New Haiti

Haitian President Rene Garcia Preval (R) speaks as U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon looks on. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)

An appeal from U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for billions in aid for Haiti, following the devastating earthquake on Jan. 12, received a response on Wednesday with up to $8 billion for the reconstruction of Haiti in the next 10 years.

At a donor's conference at U.N. headquarters in New York, delegates from more than 130 countries listened to Ban Ki-moon ask for $11.5 billion over the next 10 years in order to “build back a better” and “a new Haiti.”

About a third of the funds will be used for projects within the next 18 months. He stressed that reconstruction work needs to coincide with further support of humanitarian aid. “The rainy season is fast approaching. Some camps for displaced persons are at risk of flooding. Health and sanitation issues are growing more serious,” he said.

The earthquake caused the deaths of more than 200,000 people, left 3 million people in need of aid, and caused an estimated $7 billion in damage.