For Immediate Release
Monday, June 2
June 26, 2023
Haiti Investment Forum
(Port-au-Prince) In Washington, D.C., June 15-16, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Haiti INVEST platform and Project Atteindre convened development finance institutions and impact investors with investment-ready Haitian small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Working in the agriculture, energy, and financial inclusion sectors, the Haiti Investor Forum will leverage financial resources for SMEs to provide vital products and services to the Haitian people.
The goal of this gathering is to connect capital providers with viable investment opportunities in Haiti and unlock funding for promising Haitian SMEs. “We are focused on enterprise-led development, unlocking the potential of the private sector to create lasting employment and economic growth,” said Jennifer Link, Mission Director, USAID/Haiti.
The conference called investors to action by highlighting investment-ready businesses operating in Haiti. The two-day event, facilitated by the investment advisory firm, CrossBoundary, featured plenary sessions and panels. A new Deal Book showcases promising transactions which are actively fundraising and represent just a portion of the commercially viable opportunities that exist in Haiti today. The second day of the conference arranged targeted matchmaking between investors and enterprises.
“Despite the political and social challenges in Haiti that we regularly hear about in the news, there are economically viable private companies that are helping meet the daily needs of Haitians and bringing innovative practices to key sectors,” said Jamie McInerney of CrossBoundary. “Private sector engagement is a critical component to overcoming those hurdles.”
“Deeper, targeted investments into strategic industries can create significant impact,” said USAID/Haiti’s Mission Director, Jennifer Link. Clean energy, agriculture, and financial inclusion are a few of the promising growth sectors in the country. For example, according to a 2023 study commissioned by USAID/Haiti, the Haitian off-grid market has the potential to grow by about 700,000 households, 250,000 SMES, and 5,000 institutional consumers.
Eric Stromayer, Chargé d’Affaires, U.S. Embassy in Haiti, added, “Agriculture accounts for 30% of the formal job market and 78% of the population remains unbanked. If we mobilize impact investors and development finance actors to capitalize on these crucial sectors and support innovation with flexible, patient capital, we’re poised to make significant progress.”
USAID works to build a stable and economically viable Haiti. U.S. assistance focuses on long-term reconstruction and development, promoting economic growth, job creation and agricultural development, providing basic health care and education services, and improving the effectiveness of government. To learn more, please visit us at: https://www.usaid.gov/haiti
