Haiti’s approximately 710,000 micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) generate over 1.1 million jobs and an estimated annual revenue of nearly 485 billion gourdes. Yet, 89% of them still operate in the informal sector (Source : FinScope MSME Haiti 2023 Survey).

Haiti has no shortage of initiative or entrepreneurial energy. What is lacking are the conditions necessary to transform this strength into decent jobs, shared prosperity, and stability. When an economy leaves so much talent on the margins, exclusion is never merely economic. It also undermines social cohesion and peace.

It was with this conviction in mind that the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) brought together representatives from the government, the private sector, civil society, youth organizations, academia, and international partners for a luncheon and discussion at the Karibe Hotel on August 25, 2026.

This meeting was part of the National Forum for Inclusive Growth (FONACI), an initiative led by the joint project "National Dialogue for an Inclusive and Peace-Promoting Economy," with support from the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund and in collaboration with Lakou Lapè, a local association.

The dialogue is not starting from scratch. Since 2022, the project has engaged more than 1,500 people, mostly young people and women, in several regions of the country. He facilitated consultations between public institutions, economic actors, women's and youth organizations, unions, universities, and civil society organizations.

This session marks a new stage in a process that is set to continue. Between now and the end of September 2026, further meetings will be held in several regions of the country to broaden these consultations, compare national priorities with local realities, and deepen discussions on reforms and recommendations concerning the economic and social dimensions of inclusive growth, as well as living standards, well-being, and governance.

"Economic inclusion is not just another chapter in peacebuilding. It is one of its essential foundations."

IH/ iciHaiti