President Barack Obama Wednesday reiterated the U.S. commitment to recovery and rebuilding in Haiti following the earthquake that devastated the nation in January.
Speaking in the White House Rose Garden following an Oval Office meeting with Haitian President René Préval, Obama said the time has come for Haiti to rebuild following the massive quake that killed thousands and left hundreds of thousands more homeless.
"In the face of devastation that shocked the world, the people of Haiti responded with resolve and faith that inspired the world -- in song and in prayer, and in the determination to carry on," he said. "To you, and to the Haitian people, I say today, as you embark on the heavy work ahead, you will continue to have a steady and reliable partner in the United States of America."
Obama also thanked the Americans in the armed forces and diplomatic corps as well as the thousands of volunteers who have already contributed to Haiti's recovery in the face of a disaster that he said defies comprehension.
"To offer just some perspective on the awful scale of Haitian loss, it's as if the United States, in a terrible instant, lost nearly 8 million people," he said. "Or it's as if one-third of our country -- 100 million Americans -- suddenly had no home, no food, or water."
He added, "No nation could respond to such a catastrophe alone. It would require a global response. And that's exactly what we have seen these past two months."
Obama said the United States was proud to have led the "swift and coordinated" response to the disaster, noting that U.S. military personnel helped reopen Haiti's airport and port, search and rescue teams had helped dig survivors out of rubble and volunteer medical personnel had treated thousands of injured.
"I just want to personally say how extraordinarily proud I am of each and every one of you, because I think you represent what's best in America," he said. "And I could not be prouder of the response that all of you were engaged in during this humanitarian crisis."
He added, "I also want to acknowledge the enormous generosity of so many individual Americans, who gave what they could to support Haiti even in difficult economic times. That help makes possible an extraordinary response from the courageous and capable nongovernmental organizations that have been at the scene."
However, Obama warned that the situation on the ground in Haiti remains dire and the approaching rainy season threatens to bring more suffering for those whose homes were destroyed.
"Haiti can lead the way, and will lead the way, with a strong vision for its future," he said. "The international community can pledge the resources that will be necessary for a coordinated and sustained effort."
He added, "Working together, we can ensure that assistance not simply delivers relief for the short term, but builds up Haiti's capacity to deliver basic services and provide for the Haitian people over the long term."
Préval extended his own thanks to the gathered representatives of groups that had contributed to the immediate recovery, which included servicemen and women, aid workers, rescue teams and members of Congress.
He said that the moral support America offered had been especially helpful in allowing the country to know that they were not alone.
"Our priorities are, first and foremost, as you said, protection of those people who today are homeless and who must be relocated," Préval said. "And in parallel, we must prepare the rainy season, which just last week has already caused the deaths of 15 people."
He added, "At the same time, much more basically, we must deal with the need of rebuilding Haiti … offering health care, education, jobs to all Haitians, men and women, regardless of where they live in the country, in order to prevent migratory flows towards the big cities, towards Port-au-Prince."
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June 12, 2026 17:14 ET Major central bank action was the focus this week in economic news. The European Central Bank became the first major central bank to move in response to the rising inflationary pressures in the backdrop of the conflict in the Middle East. In North America, the U.S. inflation and trade data as well as Canada’s central bank decision gained attention. The Chinese trade data was the main news in Asia.