Susan Whelan, Canadian minister for International Cooperation, today announced that Canada, through the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), will contribute 17.8 million Canadian dollars to fund two initiatives that will provide significant assistance to the Dominican Republic and Haiti. The announcement coincides with the visit of Prime Minister Jean Chr?tien to the Dominican Republic.
The first initiative, to be implemented by the Caribbean Epidemiology Center (CAREC), a specialized health center of the Pan American Health Organization, will implement a program to reduce the spread and impact of HIV/AIDS in the Caribbean. The project will operate with a budget of just under $8 million over a four-year period.
The second initiative seeks to contribute to the rehabilitation of the Artibonito River Watershed along the border between Haiti and the DR. The Canadian government, through CIDA, will invest $10 million Canadian dollars over 10 years in the effort, with the first phase being the development of a bi-national Watershed Management Plan, and will involve a close collaboration with other donors.
Funding for these initiatives was provided for in the February 2003 budget.
For more information, see http://www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/cida_ind.nsf/