WASHINGTON - Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton yesterday urged international donors to provide desperately needed money to Haiti as it struggles to recover from last year's devastating hurricanes and food riots.

Clinton, who will visit Haiti tomorrow, told a conference of donor countries that the United States would provide nearly $290 million in nonemergency aid to Haiti this year.

International donors have pledged to provide Haiti with $324 million over the next two years, but that is well below the $900 million the Haitian prime minister says the government needs to pay for a deficit, education, infrastructure, health and other items over the next two years.

The Associated Press, April 15, 2009