As part of the commemoration of the 10th anniversary of the earthquake of magnitude 7.2 on the Richter scale, which hard hit Haiti at 4:53 p.m. on January 12, 2010, destroying in 35 seconds 75% of the capital Port-au-Prince and leaving more than 200,000 dead and as many injured, Ms. Helen Meagher La Lime, Special Representative of the Secretary General of the United Nations in Haiti made the following statement :

"This Sunday marks the tenth anniversary of the earthquake that devastated Haiti. The United Nations family in Haiti pays tribute to the more than 200,000 victims, including 102 United Nations personnel who perished while performing their duties. We honour their memories. Let us never forget their lives.

We also pay homage to the countless wounded and over 1.5 million displaced. Their resilience over the past decade is a tribute to the strength and fortitude of the Haitian people.

While we honour the victims, the commemoration of this tragic event must also be a source of renewed engagement and a call to unite behind a vision for a stable, democratic, inclusive and prosperous Haiti. The United Nations reaffirms its continued commitment to supporting the population and leaders of this country fulfill these aspirations."

IH/ iciHaiti