Bill Clinton tapped to co-lead authority overseeing post-quake reconstruction in Haiti

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Clinton to co-lead Haiti rebuilding authority

UNITED NATIONS — Former U.S. President Bill Clinton will co-chair a committee overseeing at least $3.8 billion in post-quake aid to Haiti, the ravaged country’s prime minister said Tuesday.

Clinton will join the prime minister, Jean-Max Bellerive, as joint head of the Interim Haiti Recovery Commission, tasked with coordinating and doling out aid money. Both leaders are in New York for a critical donors’ conference at U.N. headquarters on Wednesday where the funds will be requested.

The former president was tapped for the role earlier this week, Bellerive said. The body they lead is expected to last for about 18 months. Clinton, who as U.N. special envoy to Haiti visited three times since the earthquake, will likely be spending much more time in the impoverished country in his new role.

“I was pleased to be invited by President (Rene) Preval,” Clinton said in an e-mailed statement.

“The Haitians are committed to building back better — expanding economic opportunities, strengthening basic services, and increasing the capacity of government. They want to create a new future for themselves and I am committed to assisting them through the IHRC.”

Besides Clinton and Bellerive, the committee include Haitian legislators, local authorities, union and business representatives and a delegate from the Caribbean Community trade bloc.

It will also have a representative of each donor who is pledging at least $100 million over two years or $200 million of debt reduction — currently the United States, Canada, Brazil, France, Venezuela and European Union along with the Inter-American Development Bank, World Bank and United Nations.