Minister James Monazard and Georges Sassine
United States, September 9, 2025.- A Haitian delegation led by the Minister of Trade and Industry, James Monazard, is currently in the United States to plead with the US authorities and parliamentarians for the renewal of the HOPE/HELP law, which is scheduled to expire on 25 September. This legislation, vital for the Haitian textile sector, makes for thousands of jobs and the future of foreign investment in the country.
In an interview with Radio Magik 9, Mr. James Monazard said the discussions will also include South Korean investors and a Dominican delegation, gathered around the president of an Asian industrial consortium. According to him, the objective is to obtain an immediate renewal of the law before the end of September, or at the latest by December.
The Minister recalled that the textile sector remains one of the few sectors that allow many Haitian families to support themselves.
For his part, Georges Sassine, emblematic figure of the Association of Industries of Haiti (ADIH) and with his 34 years of experience in textiles, wanted to reassuring. According to him, Haiti has « high chances » to obtain this renewal, which is essential to restore confidence to investors.
He recalled the importance of this legal framework for the national economy: in 2018, the textile sector generated about 62 000 direct jobs. But the trend is worrying. For example, Caracol's industrial park, with 17,000 workers in 2020, employs more than 2,600 workers today. Of three companies active at the time, only one remains, and it is already threatening to leave the country.
The maintenance of the HOPE/HELP law therefore appears to be a vital issue not only for the survival of the textile industry, but also for the socio-economic stability of Haiti.
W.A.
