Haiti launches regional caravan to formalize 5,000 businesses

Haiti's Minister of Commerce and Industry, James Monazard, launched the "Regional Caravan for the Formalization and Revitalization of Commerce and Entrepreneurship" on Friday, October 16, 2026, at the Hôtel Montana in Pétion-ville, under the patronage of the Primature, according to icihaiti.com. The pilot initiative, running from October to November 2026, aims to support the formalization and training of at least 5,000 businesses across the country's ten geographic departments. Monazard said the program responds to a decline in business formalization in the market and reflects the ministry's intent to bring its services closer to economic operators, particularly those in the informal sector and provincial regions. MCI Director General Panel Paulémont emphasized strengthening departmental offices, which will receive computer equipment to improve operations and the processing of applications. Director of Legal Affairs Danovald Charles presented statistics on businesses registered by region through the MCI's digital platform, launched at the end of 2024. The caravan will handle the registration of commercial names and the issuance of Professional Identification Cards (CIP) to simplify administrative procedures. The effort is supported by the Ministry of Planning, according to the source.