Trade balance, a deficit of about 140 billion gourdes !

Haiti - Economy : Trade balance, a deficit of about 140 billion gourdes !

The first day of the seminar on “Trade Preferences and Free Zones in Haiti” which runs from December 3 to 7, 2012 in the premises of the State University of Haiti (UEH) on the street Pacot, bringing together specialists of Foreign Trade and of special trade regimes from the University, of Public Sector, the business sector and of commercial services of diplomatic missions accredited in Haiti was dominated by the speeches of several Haitian experts from various institutions [International Trade, Customs Haitian, State University of Haiti (UEH)]

For the economist, Fritz Deshommes, the Vice-President Research of the UEH, the organization of this seminar fall within the vision of the UEH to provide its share in the development of the country, to develop its human resources and better connect the State University to its environment.

Three themes, followed by debate marked the first day.

Theme 1: “The Generalized System of Preferences: Genesis, Philosophy, Principles” Speakers: Joassaint Clermont and Jean Claude Decime, respectively Director and Deputy Director of Foreign Trade, Ministry of Commerce.

Theme 2: “Profile of Foreign Trade of Haiti” Speaker: Mr. Mazin Martinaise, Director of Statistics at the General Administration of Customs.

Theme 3: “External Trade and Development: Theory and Practice” Speaker Pierre André Dunbar, Ambassador of Haiti to the World Trade Organization and Ex-Director General of the Ministry of Commerce)

We will note in particular of this first day, that Haiti has a huge deficit at the level of trade with the exterior. For the year 2011-2012, Haiti imported indeed, for nearly $172 billion gourdes while it exported only 33 billion gourdes. An alarming trade deficit, have recognized the experts and participants of the seminar.

Some speakers stressed that if the zones constitute indeed a pole of development, they can not be seen as the main lever to take off the country. According to the Ambassador-designate of Haiti to the WTO, Pierre André Dunbar, trade can serve as a lever for development. However, he believes that the accelerated process of liberalization of the economy, which began in 1987, under the pressure of the international community has had negative consequences for Haiti.

Program of this Tuesday, December 4

Theme 1: “The multilateral trading system, general principles, Haiti and the multilateral trading system” Speakers: Pierre André Dunbar, professor UEH and Mr. Chenet St Vil, Coordinator General BACOZ.

Theme 2: “USA: from CBI to Hope” Speakers: Ana Aslan of “International Labor Affairs” of Bureau, “United States Department of Labor”, Mr. John Robinson, Economic Advisor of the Embassy of the United States in Haiti and Mr. Gregory Avril, Executive Director ADIH.

Theme 3: “Haiti and the EPA: between CARIFORUM and the EU” Speaker: Mr. Chenet St Vil.

Learn more about the seminar :
The seminar “Trade Preferences and ree Zones in Haiti, “is realized with the support of the WTO in partnership with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the General Administration of Customs, Directorate General of Free Zones, the Office for the Coordination of Trade Agreements, of the National Society of Industrial Parks, the Association of Industries of Haiti, the Chamber of Commerce Haitian-Canadian and the Faculty of Law and Economics and the INAGHEI.

HL/ HaitiLibre

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