The ongoing World Economic Forum on Thursday gave special attention to earthquake-ravaged Haiti, with former US President Bill Clinton calling on business leaders to provide urgent aid to help rebuild the country.

"There are serious unmet food and water needs. Part of it is the distribution system does not exist," Clinton said at a special session on the long-term rebuilding of Haiti.

Clinton, the United Nations' special envoy to Haiti, also called for help in meeting urgent distribution needs.

"If there's anybody here who knows where I can get some big trucks ... I need 100 yesterday," he told the meeting.

The former president also called on business leaders to make long-term investment in the poor country so that it can recover earlier.

"This is an opportunity to reimagine the future for the Haitian people, to build what they want to become, not rebuild what they used to be," Clinton said.

The apocalyptic earthquake struck Haiti on January 12, killing as many as 200,000 people.

Immediately after the disaster, the WEF added a special meeting on Haiti to its annual meeting agenda.

A special Haiti desk was also set up in the Davos congress center where delegates could get information on how to provide help.

(Xinhua News Agency January 29, 2010)