Rebuilding Haiti

Among other things, the Crown Prince visited projects to rebuild local communities after the devastating earthquake that struck Haiti in January 2010.

The CARMEN project assists Haitian families in safely repairing and rebuilding their own homes by providing training and easily accessible financial support. In many places women are leading the reconstruction effort.

Visit to environmental protection projects

Enormous amounts of debris

Crown Prince Haakon was also able to see first-hand the work being done to clear the capital of Port-au-Prince of debris and waste resulting from the massive earthquake two and a half years ago. It is estimated that the earthquake left more than 10 million cubic metres of debris and waste in the city. Today, nearly 80 per cent of this has been removed, due in great part to the United Nations Debris Management Programme.

Removal activities have created 27 500 temporary jobs, which has been of tremendous benefit to the many people who lost their livelihoods in the wake of the earthquake.

On the final evening of his visit, the Crown Prince attended a dance performance, providing him with a small sample of Haitian culture.

Goodwill Ambassador

Crown Prince Haakon was appointed Goodwill Ambassador for UNDP in 2003. In his work on behalf of the organisation, the Crown Prince has focused special attention on the UN Millennium Development Goals – the eight goals that the international community has committed itself to achieving by 2015.