Overview of best prospect sectors, major infrastructure projects, significant government procurements and business opportunities.
Last Published: 8/2/2019
Despite the challenges, there are opportunities in the Haitian market for small-to-medium sized U.S. businesses. Haiti imports rice, poultry meat and edible offal, sugars and sweeteners, dairy products, wheat, vegetable oils, iron and steel, vehicles, electronics, machinery, and refined fuel. In 2018, Haitian total imports (goods and services) were valued at $4.5 billion, per Haiti’s Central Bank. Haiti’s main imports partners are the Dominican Republic, the United States, Netherland Antilles, and China.

The apparel sector is the most promising opportunity in the manufacturing sector in Haiti. Through its modern industrial park and free zone facilities, the apparel sector has grown dramatically with total exports valued more than $900 million, according to the U.S. Office of Textiles and Apparel, making Haiti one of the best prospect markets in the Caribbean region.

According to U.S. trade data, Haiti’s exports to the U.S. market under the HOPE/HELP Act provisions increased by 7.8 percent from 2017 to 2018. About two-thirds of Haiti’s duty-free exports of textiles and apparel enter the United States through the preferences in the HOPE/HELP Acts and about one-third enter via the Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act (CBTPA) preferences.

Emerging sectors in Haiti include energy, agribusiness, and construction through contract opportunities to U.S. manufacturers and construction firms. There is strong demand in Haiti for power generation equipment, packaging and food processing equipment, energy efficient and smart grid systems, and construction materials.

The government of Haiti has made few efforts to improve telecommunication infrastructure and internet connectivity, or develop alternatives sources for energy. Government tenders in these sectors are possible in the second half of 2019 into 2020.

USAID Initiative: Haiti INVEST
The U.S. Government, through USAID, launched in 2019 an initiative to attract private capital and credit for small and medium sized enterprises (SME) across Haiti.  The Haiti INVEST project will create a facilitation platform to mobilize financing for investment in high potential sectors in Haiti, such as agriculture. USAID has three main objectives. First, Haiti INVEST will mobilize debt and equity to support investment and facilitate financing that would otherwise not occur to spur growth as well as increased competitiveness in enterprises in target sectors.  Second, the project will build local capacity for mobilizing financing by supporting business advisory service providers, transactions advisors and financial institutions to originate, structure, and close complex transactions. For example, Haiti INVEST will pay transaction fees based on results to business advisory service providers and transactions advisors that help qualified businesses access finance. And third, Haiti INVEST will facilitate the creation of a convening body to address systemic and institutional constraints to financing and investment facilitation, while developing and implementing a sustainability strategy for the platform. For more information, please contact Marie Renee Vertus at USAID at mvertus@usaid.gov.  
 
Prepared by our U.S. Embassies abroad. With its network of 108 offices across the United States and in more than 75 countries, the U.S. Commercial Service of the U.S. Department of Commerce utilizes its global presence and international marketing expertise to help U.S. companies sell their products and services worldwide. Locate the U.S. Commercial Service trade specialist in the U.S. nearest you by visiting http://export.gov/usoffices.


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Haiti Trade Development and Promotion