The European Union on Monday unblocked ¤72 million (US$87 million) in aid to Haiti, ending a freeze imposed almost five years ago in protest over electoral irregularities, according to AP. The EU said in a statement that the money would support the democratization efforts of Haiti's current transitional government as it prepares for elections in December. The EU froze payments to Haiti in January 2001, after allegedly flawed elections, claiming the government of former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide was not complying with the «democratic principles» of the Cotonou Agreement, which governs EU's relations with African, Caribbean and Pacific nations. The EU's head office suggested the restrictions be lifted after the interim government made commitments on democratic reforms to the EU's Development Commissioner Louis Michel when he visited the impoverished Caribbean island nation in March. However, governments of the 25 EU nations had to agree before the aid could be lifted. The European Commission plans to host an international donors' conference for Haiti on Thursday and Friday. Haiti plans in December to hold its first presidential and legislative elections since the February 2004 ouster of Aristide.
