PORT-AU-Prince, Haiti – The UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Monday paid tribute to the victims of the devasting earthquake of 12 January, 2010, which claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands of people.
“The secretary-general remembers the victims of the earthquake and continues to honour their legacy through the United Nations’ work in the country,” said UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, briefing reporters in New York.
The UN chief paid tribute to the 102 UN staffers who died, including the head of the Mission at the time, Hédi Annabi, “and we mourn with their families, their passing,” Dujarric continued.
Three million impacted
An estimated three million people were impacted by the earthquake, which led to severe humanitarian, protection, health, displacement, and infrastructural challenges for Haiti, some of which are still present today, the UN Spokesperson said.
The UN held a ceremony in Port-au-Prince on Sunday to honour the victims of the earthquake and the staffers who were killed.
In a statement, the head of the UN political office in Haiti, Maria Isabel Salvador, expressed her solidarity with all those whose lives continue to be impacted by the tragedy.
“She also saluted the determination and resilience of the Haitian people, who responded with courage in the aftermath of the earthquake,”, said Dujarric, and reaffirmed the UN’s commitment to continue working alongside the Haitian authorities and people.