Swiss end emergency aid in Haiti

Switzerland has ended its emergency aid to Haiti, which was struck by a deadly earthquake in mid August. It is now focusing on reconstruction work there. The 7.2-magnitude earthquake hit the southwestern part of the Caribbean island on August 14, killing more than 2,240 people and destroying tens of thousands of homes. Members of the Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit (SHA), which is part of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA), were sent over shortly afterwards to help with relief efforts. They were joined by a team on the ground mobilized by the Swiss embassy in Port-au-Prince. For three weeks, the Swiss experts worked to restore access to drinking water, as well as deliver relief goods and tarpaulins and assess the structural soundness of buildings such as schools, churches and local authority offices. These operations helped more than 20,000 people, a statement issued by the FDFA on Friday said. In all, Switzerland allocated more than CHF4 million ($3.7 million) to...