On Thursday, May 21, the Embassy of Haiti in France was pleased to host entrepreneurs, business leaders, representatives of associations, diplomats, and young professionals for a networking and discussion event with Marc Alain Boucicault, founder of Banj, who was visiting France.

The event, themed "Economic Recovery in Haiti through Entrepreneurship and Innovation : The Role of the Haitian Diaspora" provided a valuable forum for exploring investment opportunities and highlighting the strategic contribution of the diaspora to Haiti’s economic development and renewal.

In his opening remarks, Ambassador Louino Volcy emphasized the evening’s objective : to explore and better understand the role of the Haitian diaspora in the country’s economic recovery through innovation and entrepreneurship. He affirmed that this economic recovery is essential for national recovery, as employment is the only direct tool for stabilization and lasting security.

"Faced with this alarming situation, and based on the fact that social stability and national recovery cannot rely solely on humanitarian aid, the Government, led by Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils Aimé, while working to restore peace and security in Haiti, has decided to shift from an aid-based approach to an investment-based one. It has made economic recovery one of the country’s top three priorities, promoting national and international investment opportunities in the far north and far south of the country, which are, in reality, secure areas within the national territory," he stated.

Volcy also encouraged the diaspora to rise to the real challenge, which now lies in transforming this historical solidarity into a sustainable dynamic of investment, innovation, entrepreneurial support, and opportunity creation to serve Haiti’s economic recovery.

For his part, Banj founder Marc Alain Boucicault presented the engagement of the Haitian diaspora as a key driver of economic, social, and cultural development for Haiti.

According to him, the diaspora represents much more than simple financial support : it constitutes a source of human capital, networks, skills, and opportunities. He emphasized the importance of knowledge transfer, access to international markets, and the narrative power of the diaspora in changing the country's image and strengthening its attractiveness.

IH/ iciHaiti