In a landmark visit underscoring renewed international support for Haiti, Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) President Ilan Goldfajn arrived in Cap-Haïtien this week at the invitation of the Haitian government, through Economy and Finance Minister Alfred Mettelus. His trip marks the first visit by a multilateral development bank president to Haiti in several years.
During the high-level mission, Goldfajn reaffirmed the IDB’s long-standing partnership with Haiti and outlined the Bank’s vision to support the country’s path to recovery, with a sharp focus on economic revitalization and private-sector-led growth.
“We’re committed to Haiti’s recovery and the future of the people of Haiti,” said President Goldfajn. “We are working hand in hand with Haitian authorities to align resources, investments, and implementation on the ground.”
As part of his itinerary, Goldfajn met with senior Haitian officials and Cabinet ministers to discuss how ongoing and future IDB initiatives can support national priorities in health, education, infrastructure, and institutional reform. The visit also included meetings with private-sector stakeholders and site tours of key IDB-supported projects, including the Caracol and CODEVI industrial parks.
At the Haitian government’s request, the IDB is leading the coordination of Haiti’s Medium-Term Recovery and Development Plan (2025–2030), alongside the United Nations, European Union, and World Bank. The strategy focuses on three core pillars: economic recovery and job creation, improved basic services and human capital development, and strengthening institutions, justice, and security. Using a phased, regional approach, the plan will begin in the Great North region, mapping out investment opportunities and challenges at the local level.
The IDB also signed a revised $125 million agreement to expand a water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) project in Haiti’s Grand North region. The initiative is expected to provide clean water access to more than 130,000 households while strengthening service providers operating in fragile environments.
“Fostering private-sector jobs and income is essential to breaking the cycle of poverty and violence,” Goldfajn added. “That’s why we’re investing in energy, infrastructure, and skills – and we want to deepen partnerships with Haitian firms and entrepreneurs.”
In a bid to attract private investment despite ongoing security and economic challenges, Goldfajn is hosting a roundtable with Haitian business leaders to explore immediate job-creation strategies. The IDB, through IDB Invest and IDB Lab, has been working to support private enterprise, particularly in industrial zones that are key to regional employment.
The delegation is also assessing opportunities for infrastructure development, including the expansion of Cap-Haïtien Airport, and visiting critical health and education facilities such as Hospital Justinien and Ecole Mère Anne Marie.
Over the past five years, the IDB has mobilized over $670 million in support of Haiti, with $200 million disbursed in the past year alone. Looking ahead, the Bank has proposed $243 million in new grant funding for the 2025–2026 period. Of that, $140 million is already in the project pipeline, including a youth-skills program designed to curb gang recruitment and a major rehabilitation of Hospital Justinien’s emergency and surgical wards.
The visit reflects a growing sense of urgency among development partners to move beyond crisis response and toward a medium-term strategy that centers Haitians in the country’s rebuilding process.
