Haiti: Trade Profile

Foreign Trade in Figures

Trade represents 37% of Haiti's GDP (World Bank, latest data available). The high cost of port transportation, corruption, and lack of investments are major obstacles to the development of foreign trade. A small, undeveloped financial sector does not adequately support the private sector. Most financial transactions are handled informally, and credit for new business ventures remains severely constrained. Political turmoil further debilitates Haiti's trade potential. In 2022, Haiti mainly exported knit t-shirts (USD 529 million), knit sweaters (USD 220 million), knit women's suits (USD 107 million), non-knit men's suits (USD 66.2 million), and non-knit men's shirts (USD 43.3 million); whereas imports were led by refined petroleum (USD 525 million), rice (USD 256 million), other cotton fabrics (USD 142 million), light rubberized knitted fabric (USD 133 million), and palm oil (USD 126 million – data from OEC).

The United States is by far Haiti’s main export partner (84.2% of total exports and 30.8% of imports in 2022). Other major export destinations are Canada (4%), Mexico (2.3%), and Thailand (1.3%); while the Dominican Republic also has a significant share of imports (26.1%), same as for China (16% - data from OEC). Haiti has been a member of WTO since 30 January 1996 and it is also a member of CARICOM.

Haiti imports much more than it exports, resulting in a significant structural trade deficit. Data by WTO show that, in 2022, the country exported USD 1.3 billion worth of goods vis-à-vis USD 4.6 billion in imports (+13.4% and +7.3% y-o-y, respectively). In the same year, the country exported USD 105 million worth in services and imported USD 682 million. According to the World Bank, the country’s trade balance was negative by 22.1% of GDP in 2022 (from 22.9% one year earlier).

Foreign Trade Indicators	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023
Imports of Goods (million USD)	4,182	3,549	4,304	4,622	3,996
Exports of Goods (million USD)	1,202	885	1,130	1,282	896
Imports of Services (million USD)	641	574	612	644	0
Exports of Services (million USD)	531	152	118	106	0
Imports of Goods and Services (Annual % Change)	5	-18	2	5	n/a
Exports of Goods and Services (Annual % Change)	-2	-38	23	2	n/a
Trade Balance (million USD)	-3,318	-2,879	-3,474	n/a	n/a
Foreign Trade (in % of GDP)	45	34	37	37	n/a
Imports of Goods and Services (in % of GDP)	34	27	30	29	n/a
Exports of Goods and Services (in % of GDP)	11	7	7	7	n/a

Source: WTO – World Trade Organisation ; World Bank - Latest available data.

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Main Services

0.1 bn USD of services exported in 2021
TravelTravel +	77.88%
Personal travelPersonal travel	77.88%
Financial servicesFinancial services	12.19%
Government servicesGovernment services	6.61%
TransportationTransportation	1.64%
Computer and information servicesComputer and information services	1.41%
Cultural and recreational servicesCultural and recreational services	0.26%

0.6 bn USD of services imported in 2021
TransportationTransportation	53.31%
Other business servicesOther business services	18.91%
Construction servicesConstruction services	14.27%
Government servicesGovernment services	5.28%
TravelTravel +	3.59%
Personal travelPersonal travel	3.59%
Cultural and recreational servicesCultural and recreational services	1.60%
Insurance servicesInsurance services	1.17%
Financial servicesFinancial services	1.04%
Computer and information servicesComputer and information services	0.83%

Source: United Nations Statistics Division, Latest Available Data

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