More than five months after the earthquake, with rubble still clogging the streets of the capital and some 1.5 million Haitians still homeless, the interim commission for Haiti’s reconstruction met Thursday for the first time. The panel, chaired by former President Bill Clinton and Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive, met behind closed doors, but Mr. Clinton said that future meetings would be open. The commission announced $45 million in grants from Brazil and Norway to help the government close its budget gap and a $20 million fund created by Frank Giustra, a Canadian businessman, and Carlos Slim Helú, a Mexican businessman, to provide loans for small businesses. Resolving central issues like debris removal and moving Haitians out of tent camps will take time, Mr. Clinton said.
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