Angelina Jolie: It Is Not the Time to Adopt Haitian Kid

Fri, 12 February 2010 23:09:39 ET

While expressing concerns over the risk of child trafficking in Haiti, the 'Changeling' actress states, 'An emergency is not the time for new adoptions anyway.'

While her recent trip to Haiti has sparked speculation that she may adopt a child from the earthquake-stricken country, Angelina Jolie has stated the otherwise. While saying "we have a moral duty to do what we can for any country that's suffering", the good will ambassador for the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees stated that it is not the time for Haitian adoption.

The 34-year-old mother dismissed possibility of her adopting a child from Haiti when talking to CNN's Christiane Amanpour in an exclusive interview from Port-au-Prince. "And for myself, as somebody who is an adoptive parent, I understand the urge to assist in that way, but now is not the time," she stated as she addressed the risk of child trafficking in the country. "An emergency is not the time for new adoptions anyway."

When pressed further about the matter, the life partner of actor Brad Pitt opened up, "I'm always open to children around the world. We're that kind of family. Brad [Pitt] and I talk about that." She went on explaining, "But that's not what we're focusing on at this time, by any means. We're not here for that. We're here to see how we can help protect the children in the country and scale up the needs here."

Instead of adopting, the Academy Award winner pointed out that it is vital to reunite families that have been torn apart by the disaster and set up a system to register survivors. "I've met [Haitian] women in the Dominican Republic in hospitals who were saying they haven't spoken to their children," she said. "They have no cell phones, they have no way to tell their children they're alive. They can't find them yet."

Angelina Jolie flew to Haiti on February 9 to visit the victims of the crippling earthquake occurred on January 12. Over the course of her two day visit in the island nation, she was seen touring the pediatric wards and comforting the local children. The star of "Changeling" has six children, three of whom she adopted from around the world.

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