Haiti - Economy : For every dollar exported, Haiti imports 20 dollars
Wilson Laleau, Minister of Commerce and Industry of Haiti, met his Dominican counterpart, José Del Castillo Saviñón, on the sidelines of the launch of the Steering Committee of the program of binational cooperation between Haiti and the Dominican Republic, which took place 6 and 7 February 2013 in Santo Domingo. Wilson Laleau reiterated its willingness, that Haiti and the Dominican Republic, building new economic relations that benefit both countries.
Indeed, the balance of trade between Haiti and the neighboring Dominican still remains too unbalanced, agreed to say the two Ministers of Trade and Industry. According to a statement from the Dominican Minister, published in the Dominican newspaper "Hoy" February 6, formal and informal exports from the Dominican Republic towards Haiti during the year 2012 are estimated at approximately $2 billion. This amount does not necessarily include trade services (especially education and tourism) which have become increasingly important in recent years.
Echoing this statement, by recalling that in the other direction formal and informal exports are expected to reach 100 million with difficulty, "This situation is dangerous for long-term stability and peace in the two countries [...] the model we have today is no longer tenable," explained the Minister Laleau to his Dominican counterpart, which has declared shared the same vision "It is through fair trade, supported by investments that promote the creation of decent jobs, well paid both sides of the island, that we can establish a lasting peace between the two peoples," added the Minister Laleau.
The Minister also insisted on the fact that the mandate of President Martelly, and the good relations between the authorities and civil society, provide a political ideal time to mark a break in the history of economic relations, often tense, between the two countries and build mutually beneficial bilateral relations.
The two Ministers agreed to reach a working agenda in order to strengthen the binational relationships, to this end, a workshop will be held between the directions of the foreign trade of the two countries in mid-March, as well as reciprocal official visits of the two Chambers of Commerce and Industry.
