UN peacekeeping chief visits Haiti on third earthquake anniversary

UNITED NATIONS, Jan. 10 (Xinhua) -- The UN peacekeeping chief is visiting Haiti, three years after a deadly earthquake hit the Latin American country, a UN spokesman told reporters here on Thursday.

"The Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Herve Ladsous, is visiting Haiti," said Martin Nesirky, spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, at the daily briefing.

"His visit to Haiti takes place as the country is about to mark the third anniversary of a devastating earthquake of 12 January 2010," Nesirky said.

The UN peacekeeping chief met with Haitian President Michel Martelly upon arrival on Wednesday afternoon, he said.

According to the spokesperson, when speaking to the press in Port au Prince, Ladsous said "this commemoration is an opportunity to remember those who died during this tragedy, including friends and colleagues."

"He noted that three years after the earthquake the focus is now moving from emergency to stabilization," Nesirky said.

During his visit, Ladsous is scheduled to meet a number of government officials, including the Haitian minister of foreign affairs, said Nesirky.

The under-secretary-general will also meet with officials and staff from the UN mission there before returning to New York over the weekend, Nesirky added.

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