By Gérard Maxineau, Le Nouvelliste, May 7, 2025
At the initiative of the Haitian government, the President of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), Ilan Goldfajn, is on a three-day official visit to Cap-Haïtien. This visit is described as historic for its symbolic significance and the commitments it carries.
This visit aims to reaffirm the IDB's commitment to Haiti. The country is facing multidimensional challenges—security, health, education, economic collapse—while the transitional government is multiplying initiatives to try to revive the national economy.
Mr. Goldfajn's presence in Haiti is part of an ambitious Medium-Term Recovery and Development Plan (2025–2030), which the IDB coordinates at the request of Haitian authorities, in collaboration with the United Nations, the European Union, and the World Bank. This plan is based on three fundamental pillars: (1) economic recovery through the private sector, (2) strengthening basic services and human capital, and (3) institutional reconstruction, justice, and security.
The territorial approach adopted by the government begins with the Greater North region, aiming to map local opportunities and obstacles to better adapt investments to on-the-ground realities.
Among the highlights of this visit, Mr. Goldfajn held a series of high-level meetings with government representatives, including several sectoral ministers. The discussions focused on aligning ongoing and upcoming projects—notably those planned in the 2025 pipeline—with national priorities in health, education, infrastructure, and economic growth.
Alongside these exchanges, a revised financing agreement of $125 million was signed between the IDB and the Haitian government. This project aims to improve access to drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene in the Greater North. More than 130,000 households are expected to benefit directly from this structuring program, which also includes support for service providers operating in fragile contexts.
"We are committed to Haiti's recovery and the future of the Haitian people," stated the IDB President. "We are working hand in hand with Haitian authorities to align resources, investments, and their implementation on the ground."
One of the strategic priorities emphasized during the IDB mission is the strengthening of the private sector, considered the main engine of recovery. A roundtable was organized with several Haitian business leaders to explore ways to mobilize investments and create jobs quickly, even in the absence of ideal conditions.
"Fostering job and income creation in the private sector is essential to break the cycle of poverty and violence," insisted Mr. Goldfajn. "That is why we are investing in energy, infrastructure, and vocational training."
The IDB is also involved through its specialized branches, IDB Invest and IDB Lab, notably in the Caracol and CODEVI industrial parks. The delegation visited there along with Justinien Hospital and the Mère Anne-Marie School.
The President of the Transitional Presidential Council, Fritz Alphonse Jean, sees this mission as an opportunity to lay the groundwork for structured economic recovery. "It is urgent to think about recapitalizing the private sector, which has been severely affected by the crisis. Every crisis carries opportunities. This opportunity is to rethink the territoriality of development and break away from the concentration around Port-au-Prince."
The TPC President also reassured the people of Cap-Haïtien about the imminent resolution of sanitation issues, thanks to the funds now available.
For Ilan Goldfajn, this field visit is much more than a diplomatic gesture. "It allows us to understand, on the ground, the depth of the challenges facing the country," he explained after visiting Justinien Hospital. He also announced that the initial envelope of $85 million intended for health in the North would be increased to $100 million, with a focus on hospital infrastructure and technical training.
The IDB President confirmed that vocational school projects would be launched, always with the aim of building a more resilient and inclusive economy.
The Minister of Economy and Finance, Alfred Métellus, hailed this visit as a tangible sign of a strong and lasting partnership. "Haiti has been a founding member of the IDB for more than sixty-six years. Today, the institution has an active portfolio of $1.3 billion, half of which has already been disbursed to fund projects in education, health, energy, agriculture, water, and sanitation," he specified.
In the past five years, more than $670 million has been mobilized for Haiti, including $200 million in 2024. For 2025–2026, the IDB announced a new package of $243 million, of which $140 million is already being prepared. Among these projects are a youth training program aimed at countering gang recruitment and the rehabilitation of critical hospital services in Cap-Haïtien.
Posted May 21, 2025