Chile has sent seven experts on Wednesday to work as volunteers in Haiti for six months, Foreign Minister Alejandro Foxley said.

"We have learned that economic development and democracy do not take place without social development or solidarity," Foxley told the media at the ceremony to launch this year's volunteer program.

According to Foxley, two doctors, a dentist and an obstetrics nurse will work in the Saint Spirit Clinic in Lilavois, 15 km from Haitian capital Port-au-Prince, where they will treat more than 60 patients a day, focusing on those suffering malnutrition, anemia, acute respiratory infections, diarrhea, skin diseases, and complications from HIV infections.

Meanwhile, a civil engineer, an architect and a psychologist will help with a project to build 50 homes and a community center.

Chile has been running a volunteer program since 2002, offering help to projects across seven countries. In 2007, Chile will send 12 volunteers to Haiti, three to Peru and three to Bolivia. Foxley also said the foreign ministry was keen to make more contributions.

Chilean troops have played an important role in the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Haiti, which has experienced two years of chaos after Jean Bertrand Aristed was ousted from the presidency in 2004. Foxley said he now wanted Chile to play a role that is not exclusively military.

Source: Xinhua