Catherine Ashton, the EU's new High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy, has had her powers put to the test by a catastrophic earthquake in Haiti which has come before she has even formally taken up her post. Ashton has taken charge of co-ordinating the EU's response to the humanitarian crisis in Haiti, which has already claimed tens of thousands of lives. She chaired a meeting last week in which the Commission approved 3 million euros for the emergency relief effort, and will chair a further meeting of development ministers in Brussels on Monday.

"While we are making sure that Haiti receives the immediate and urgent support it needs, we also have to get ready for the very important next step in helping Haiti to rebuild the country," Baroness Ashton said. "I am in close contact with our partners in Europe and beyond to co-ordinate these efforts."

"It's the first time in such a situation that we have brought all these various actors together. I wouldn't call it the first act of the External Action Service, because that doesn't exist yet, but this has never been done before," said Lutz Guellner, a spokesperson for Ashton's office.

"She is acting as the overall co-ordinator on this, for example any contacts with Ban Ki Moon [the UN secretary general] will be through her."

Meanwhile, the slow delivery of emergency relief caused by logistical problems and looting is exacerbating the crisis, and the death toll is predicted to reach 200,000.

Sources:

• EUobserver
• The Irish Times
• The Financial Times
• The Guardian