Oxfam Canada reacts to Montreal conference

"It's a good first step and has touched on many of the necessary next steps. Most importantly, they acknowledged the leadership role of the Haitian government and the need to assure ownership of the reconstruction process by Haitian women and men and the overseas Haitian community," said Oxfam Canada executive director Robert Fox.

"But there is a poor track record with aid in Haiti," he said. "We need to ensure there is follow through, that this aren't just a few well-meaning principles."

Oxfam urged ministers meeting in Montreal to cancel Haiti's $890M debt and asked that a $100M IMF loan be repaid by donor countries.

However, there was no clear progress on debt cancellation.

"Anything other than a grant is unacceptable," Fox said. "If someone drags you alive from your collapsed home you don't expect a bill, interest free or not, a week or so later.

"Refusing to relieve Haiti's debt burden would be ridiculous. It's not something the people of Haiti can afford or deserve. Donor countries must put the money on the table now."

"We need action to ensure the country's food supply comes primarily from Haitian farmers, but this meeting gave no specifics about how to achieve that," Fox said.

"Their long-term development goals are admirable. Haiti must build back better. It would be a real failure to simply recreate the Haiti of old," he said.

It is important that when these countries reconvene at the UN in March that the principles laid out today become action.