September 18, 2026
The World Bank released a new report on Haiti’s economic situation on Monday, entitled ” Haiti – Growth Trajectory in the Face of Increased Risks ,” which provides an in-depth assessment of the country’s performance and outlook. While recent economic results remain concerning, with seven consecutive years of negative economic growth projected through 2025, the report emphasizes that Haiti retains real strengths upon which to build a sustainable recovery, provided it resolutely addresses structural challenges.
Haiti’s economic performance has been disappointing over the past two decades. Between 2010 and 2025, real GDP per capita fell by about 17 percent. In 2023, GDP per capita stood at $3,281 in purchasing power parity, representing barely 15 percent of the Latin America and Caribbean regional average—the lowest level in the region. Poverty, already high, continues to rise. The report estimates that 49.0 percent of Haitians were living below the international poverty line of $3.00 a day in 2025, compared to 44.6 percent in 2023, and this rate is projected to continue increasing through 2026 (in 2021 PPP).
However, these underperformances should not obscure the country’s substantial potential. Among these, the report highlights Haiti’s young, growing, and competitive workforce, and its advantageous geographic location near major markets. The diaspora constitutes a leading economic force. Indeed, remittances reached a record level of $4.4 billion in fiscal year 2025, representing the country’s main source of foreign exchange. Furthermore, the agricultural sector holds strong potential in high-value export crops such as cocoa, vetiver, mangoes, and coffee. However, the report reveals that this sector, which employs nearly half of the working population, receives less than 1 percent of formal credit.
“While security is a prerequisite for economic recovery, Haiti must also simultaneously implement policies to address emerging challenges: job creation, migration, volatile remittance flows, and improved market access for its exports,” said Anne-Lucie Lefebvre, World Bank Country Manager for Haiti . “The World Bank is ready to support the country in mobilizing additional resources to bolster economic growth and deepen international partnerships by implementing reforms to strengthen institutions.”
To achieve this, the report identifies four major economic challenges to which Haiti must provide concrete solutions within its recovery plan. First, job creation for growth and security. The lack of economic opportunities, particularly for young people, has fueled insecurity. The conflict has displaced nearly 1.5 million people within the country, disrupting logistics, fueling inflation, and limiting the delivery of essential services. Without a structural response to the issue of employment, the Haitian economy risks lasting fragmentation between areas under control and territories isolated from growth.
Next, there is the management of the return of internally displaced persons, estimated at around 12% of the country’s population. This is compounded by massive deportation flows from the Dominican Republic, exceeding 25,000 people by May 2026, as well as the uncertainty surrounding the fate of approximately 350,000 Haitians holding Temporary Protected Status in the United States. These migratory dynamics risk overwhelming service delivery systems. However, strengthened management of these flows can transform this challenge into an opportunity by leveraging the skills of returning individuals to contribute to economic recovery.
Third, addressing the instability of remittance flows. With 79 percent of remittances originating from the United States during fiscal year 2025, Haiti is highly vulnerable to changes in U.S. policy. A 1 percent excise tax on cash-financed remittances took effect in January 2026. Any decline in outward migration flows, combined with an increase in returns, could significantly strain foreign exchange inflows and further destabilize the economy.
Finally, the country must renew and expand its access to commercial markets. The HOPE/HELP legislation, which granted the Haitian textile sector duty-free access to the U.S. market, expired on September 30, 2025. After four months of full tariffs, a retroactive extension was adopted in February 2026, but it too expires on December 31, 2026. Securing longer-term preferential access, while identifying new commercial opportunities, is essential to maintaining the remaining industrial base of the textile and apparel sector.
“To resume the growth trajectory despite the increased risks that characterize the current economic context, Haiti must put in place macro-budgetary and governance reforms that will bear fruit regardless of the security scenario; a costed investment program in the northern and southern corridors, which can be implemented immediately; and finally, guarantee the reconnection of the capital, which constitutes the most difficult challenge and the strongest constraint in the short term , ” said Bernard James Haven, senior economist at the World Bank in Haiti .