UNITED NATIONS (CNN) - U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday officially named former U.S. President Bill Clinton as special envoy to Haiti.
The position calls for Clinton to work to create jobs and access to basic services for the people of Haiti.
"All I want to do is help the Haitians take over control of their own destiny," Clinton said.
Clinton will be working from a plan that was created by the Haitian government.
"They produced, I thought, a very impressive program called 'Haiti: A New Paradigm,' and we intend to follow that," he said.
Clinton said his new job has four major goals: to support the Haitian government in implementing its program; to assist in the recovery effort with the same fervor as was shown toward countries affected by the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004; to encourage more international private sector investments; and to encourage donors who have promised money for Haiti to honor their commitments.
Governments have pledged $353 million, with the biggest pledges coming from the Untied States, Canada and France. "The challenge now," Ban said, "is to turn these pledges into contributions."
He said he believes that Clinton can accomplish that.
Haiti's minister for foreign affairs, Alrich Nicolas said, "Our country and people could not hope for a better friend and advocate than Bill Clinton.
Clinton, who will be paid an annual salary of $1, added, "I believe Haiti is better positioned to make progress for all its people than at any time since I first visited in 1978."
From CNN Politics
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I wish him much luck! But even more so, I hope he succeeds for the sake of those poor people in Haiti. They have been through so much. Blessings to President Clinton, and blessing to Haiti.
Bill Clinton is a good pick and will do a good job.
I don't think Bill will ever be Jimmy Carter, but this could be a good start.
Envoy to Haiti??
How the mighty have fallen.
I guess B.O. is really keeping the Clintons in a dark closet.
I hope he fails simply because he is a Democrat so I can have other stuff to talk about all the time.
Lock up the women up Haiti for their own protection. Did B.O. get him a one-way ticket?
I'd STILL take a generation under Clinton's rule than a day under Barry.
Remember when Clinton sent a ship to Haiti to quell some violence, the Haitians showed up on the dock carrying handguns and the ship turned around and sailed away. They're probably still laughing about that one.
I guess he'll have a low profile so he won't embarrass the Obama admin. With his reputation, thats not a bad idea.
If you heard his comments on Haiti, he has been working to help them for thirty years, and made a joke that the SOS has been there with him, Good Luck Bill
@ RI Moderate
That didn't even remotely make sense. Haiti is a complete disaster right now. The relative importance of helping them stand up and improve should not be judged by the power held by Haiti or its military or economic might, it should be judged by the human costs of its plight.
Nice try tho. As long as we're taking pot shots, I'll say that the only thing you're really likely to find in that dark closet would be Larry Craig and that Shock kid.
Here's a grand idea, petition for US jobs not somewhere else. Till this country turns around why should one job be created anywhere else?
He will have a better chance to pass the unexploited resources of that impoverished nation to Huge Rodham: His brother in Law, Aristide's business partner, as they did in 1994.
Rodham and Aristide got fruitful deal with their phantom account in Turkes and Caicos where every call towards Haiti generate 9 cts/mn (of which 6 for Aristide and 3 for Rodham)
Fact which has been revealed by ULCC (Unite de Lutte Contre la Corruption): Corruption Fight Unit. Following the findings, a lawsuit been filed in Florida by Gerard Latortue against those who embezzled the country.
The lawsuit was withdrawn by the current government. Transparency International and Heritage Foundation cried fool. Haiti's ranking amongst the most corrupted countries moved up right before Nigeria. Yet, the thieves and the corrupts are barely Haitians.
Wait for Obama to finish his work here, then we will be asking Haiti for financial assistance.
I wished people would quit judging those who volunteer their time and service for a better good. If you dont like it or those doing it get off your hump and do something yourself to help the situation.
where is haiti..............
i thought they already had vacation resorts and stuff
katiec June 15th, 2009 5:24 pm ET
Bill Clinton is a good pick and will do a good job.
----
Dear katiec - what else would YOU ever say about a Democrat? Clearly, in YOUR world the sun ONLY rises and sets around Democrats! You're getting REALLY stale, dear!
I love the USA and served in the military for 12 years. But Haiti really needs a communist type government in order for them to get back on their feet. After 5 or 10 years migrate to a socialist type of government then when the time is right, migrate to a democracy if they ever get to that point.
I like Bill Clinton, I think he is a wise man. But he needs the political experts from China and Cuba to advise him on how to proceed.
I have traveled to the poor countries in Latin America and have seen what they are all about. Haiti really needs to be a Socialist state.
Good luck Bill....our prayers are with you.
This is an answered "prayer" for the Hatian people!
Obama has real political genius. He has found a way of isolating, neutralizing and hiding BOTH Clintons. Machiaveli has nothing on this Hussein boy.
How funny, I can just see Bubba's big red face...!
I have been to Haiti on a mission trip and am looking forward to Clinton making major changes to benefit this beautiful country.
May God Bless Bill Clinton on this Journey to Help the People of Haiti.
Every time I read about Hillary or Bill I see some light at the horizon.
Envoy of Hate. I always thought that was Barack Obama.
$1 a year job... a person that led the free world to its better economic days in a generation; you tell me that is a bad Idea? there must be some really ignorant people around here. we need people of means and know-how to help, not only in our country but around the world, when we spread our ideals around the world we win the moral argument; it is the dream of every die-hard reagan conservative to see the ideals of the U.S. being replicated elsewhere, but how do you do it if you don't communicate? pound the the day lights out of people sure don't work! stop living under a rock and wake up. A stable Haiti and a stable American Continent is good for the U.S. it is truly sad that people can be this ignorant.
Who cares??? Bill Clinton is last decade! There isn't a sensible word that comes out of his mouth! Doesn't the media have an Irani crisis or a collapsing economy to cover?
Everytime those racist Republicans take over this country, they create a big mess in Haiti. They don't like Democrats in this country or anywhere, they don't like Haiti. You can fool the world or yourself, but you will never fool God, for He knows everything. At least Clinton supported a democratically elected president (Aristid). In contrast, can you even imagine Bush doing that? Remember Catrina?