Brazil, Haiti negotiate printing Haitian currency as int'l aid

Brazil and Haiti are now negotiating printing Haiti's currency, the gourde, free of charge as part of Brazil's international aid to Haiti, Brazil's foreign ministry said Tuesday.

The offer was made last week by Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to his Haitian counterpart Rene Preval.

According to a spokesman for Brazil's National Mint (CMB), Brazil has all technical and operational conditions to print the gourde, including offering security and logistics services.

Donors for Haiti will meet in the U.S. city of New York later this month to assess the needs of the quake-hit Caribbean island country.

As one of the poorest countries in the world, Haiti was devastated by a 7.3-magnitude earthquake on Jan. 12, claiming some 230,000 lives and destroying the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince.

Lula visited Port-au-Prince on Feb. 25 when he confirmed his country's commitment to Haiti.

Brazil has been in command of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (Minustah) for five years, with about 1,300 Brazilian troops in the country. After the quake, Brazil doubled the number of its troops in the country.

Source: Xinhua