Haiti: Trade Partnerships

Haiti's economy depends heavily on international trade, and its export sector is dominated by apparel assembled for the US market under preferential duty-free access. The country is a full member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), though its trade partners remain concentrated among a small handful of countries rather than spread broadly across the region. Beyond apparel, Haiti exports smaller volumes of agricultural goods such as mangoes, cocoa, coffee, and vetiver essential oil, which is used in high-end perfumery.

As of 2026, the United States remains Haiti's dominant trading partner on both the export and import sides, a relationship reinforced by the Haitian Hemispheric Opportunity through Partnership Encouragement (HOPE) and Haiti Economic Lift Program (HELP) acts, which give qualifying Haitian apparel duty-free entry into the US market; Congress extended these preferences through 2028. The Dominican Republic, Haiti's neighbor on the island of Hispaniola, is the country's second-largest source of imports, supplying goods across the shared land border, while China also ranks among Haiti's leading import sources.

Ongoing insecurity in parts of the country has periodically disrupted port operations and overland trade routes in recent years, complicating logistics for exporters and importers alike. Despite these challenges, Haiti's trade preference arrangements with the United States continue to anchor its apparel export industry, which remains the backbone of the country's formal economy and a major source of employment.