By Eric Green
Washington File Staff Writer

Washington -- The international community needs to adopt a strategy to help Haiti that differs from those tried in previous years, says U.N. Deputy Secretary-General Louise Frechette.

Frechette said in April 12 remarks in New York to representatives of the 15-nation Caribbean Community of nations known as Caricom that "getting it right this time" in Haiti "means doing things differently" than before "and above all, keeping our attention and resources engaged for the long haul."

The official said that "no organization or agency can go it alone in Haiti." The United Nations, she said, will explore with Caricom and the Organization of American States "what each of us is best positioned to contribute, in cooperation with our Haitian partners." Frechette said the United Nations currently is assessing what needs to be done in Haiti as the world body prepares to field a peacekeeping operation in the country by June 1, in accordance with the U.N. Security Council's request.

U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said in an April 5 radio interview that the United States is committed to the long-term development of Haiti. Powell said the United States has committed $55 million in economic and other assistance to Haiti and that the Bush administration also plans to work with international financial institutions, other international organizations and the European Union to provide additional assistance to Haiti.

Powell acknowledged that it will take "a long time" to foster Haitian development, to create jobs and to build the economy, but indicated that the United States is "committed for that long a time."

The State Department says some leaders of Caricom nations are discussing plans to provide police officers to Haiti. The current U.S.-led peacekeeping force in Haiti includes troops from Canada, Chile, Brazil and France.

Meanwhile, the United Nations' Frechette said that "if anything, the situation [in Haiti] looks even more daunting today than 10 years ago. Weapons have proliferated. Drug trafficking has gained a foothold. Haitians are frustrated and disappointed with the international community as much as with their own leadership." Frechette said the violence in Haiti over the last several months and the resignation of former Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide on February 29 "have exacerbated the polarization" in Haiti.

In her remarks to the Caricom representatives, Frechette also said that one of the main areas of collaboration between the United Nations and Caricom is trade, particularly the joint effort to press for greater liberalization and an international trading system that brings development gains for the Caribbean.

Frechette added that the United Nations is working with Caricom to fight the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the Caribbean, which has the highest prevalence of the disease after sub-Saharan Africa. Frechette said the disease is "well entrenched" in the Caribbean, with especially alarming rates of HIV infection among pregnant women and girls aged 15 to 19. She observed that people with AIDS still face widespread discrimination.