Clinton Heads to Haiti With $325M Boost

New aid will combat drug trafficking, island's economic crisis
By Ambreen Ali,  Newser Staff
Posted Apr 16, 2009 11:16 AM CDT
Clinton Heads to Haiti With $325M Boost
Clinton urges international donors to provide desperately needed money to Haiti as it struggles to recover from last year's devastating hurricanes and food riots.   (AP Photo)

Hillary Clinton is headed to Haiti to meet with the president and pledge her support for economic help for the hemisphere’s poorest nation. The trip comes on the heels of an international fundraiser that generated $325 million for programs aimed at the nation’s 70% unemployment, reports NPR. The US also boosted its aid package by $57 million, to $324 million for the year.

Part of the US funds will target rising violence linked to drug trafficking. Haiti was stabilizing 2 years ago, but last year’s hurricanes, floods, and rising gas prices once again crippled it. The secretary of state will also visit the Dominican Republic before joining President Obama at a regional summit that begins tomorrow in Trinidad and Tobago. (More President Obama stories.)

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