On 14 October the UN Security Council voted unanimously to extend the mandate of the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), whose military component is under Brazilian command, to October 2009.

The military component consists of 7,060 soldiers, with a Brazilian contingent of 1,200, led by the Brazilian general Carlos Alberto dos Santos Cruz.

UN secretary general Ban Ki-Moon said in a recent report that the continued deployment of MINUSTAH in Haiti is ‘indispensable’, and that its security component continues to play ‘a critical role in ensuring the country’s stability’.

Brazil is also increasing its assistance to Haiti in areas such as agriculture, food security, vaccinations, and measures to combat AIDS. In response to the recent hurricanes that hit the island the Brazilian government made an emergency donation of US$100,000 and also sent food and medicines.

Source: Ministry of External Relations, Agência Brasil and Embassy of Brazil in London