EU commission justifies Haiti 'visibility' concerns
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The Red Cross is promoting its actions by posting high-quality pictures on the file-sharing website, Flickr (Photo: American Red Cross)
The European Commission has said that improving the EU's "visibility" as an aid donor is a secondary concern next to helping the victims of the Haiti earthquake.
Commission spokeswoman Pia Arkenhilde told EUobserver on Thursday (28 january) that it is "a complete misunderstanding" to think the EU is trying to compete with the US on image amid the relief effort.
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"It would be wholly tasteless to enter into a beauty contest in such a situation. The first priority is that aid reaches the right people at the right time," she said.
"But it's obvious that visibility is part of being effective. It's important for the recipients of the aid to know who they are dealing with and for the European tax payer, the donors of the aid, to see the actions on the ground, in terms of their future engagement," she added.
The remarks come after the commission on Wednesday said it wants to boost the EU's aid profile by reviving a 2004 proposal to create a rapid reaction force.
The plan, put forward by French politician Michel Barnier, said the EU force should wear a distinctive uniform as part of measures to make it a more prominent player in the aid sector: "It would include the European flag followed by the logo 'Europe Aid' and the flag of the country of the wearer."
Haiti visibility has also become an issue in Brussels' internal squabbles, with Mr Barnier and French MEPs in recent days criticising the EU's foreign relations chief, Catherine Ashton, for not flying the EU flag in the earthquake zone.
A French diplomat said Ms Ashton has Paris' full backing in her new role, however.
"France supported the nomination and we would like her to succeed," the contact told this website. "This is a big debate about nothing. The most urgent thing is to help people, not to show the EU on TV. The EU is doing a good job but we could do more to show people the EU is there."
Charity workers involved with the international aid effort in Haiti said the EU is relatively unheard of in the country.
"The EU is known among Haitian NGOs. But the man in the street has gotten to know very little about it in recent years," Greet Schaumans, a co-ordinator at Belgian NGO Broederlijk Delen, said.
"This [the EU visibility discussion] probably has to do with the massive presence of the US ...I hope it's not a question of competition."
Patrick McCormick, the spokesman for the UN's aid wing, Unicef, added: "Knuckling down and helping people is what is going on 90 percent [in Haiti]. But there's always a certain element of trying to make the news."
