The Haitian government, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the Clinton Foundation will hold on November 29–30 in Port-au-Prince a conference on private sector investment in Haiti to highlight economic opportunities arising from the Caribbean country’s reconstruction and long-term development plans.

The Invest in Haiti Forum, which will bring together hundreds of foreign and Haitian business people, will feature presentations by President Michel Martelly, former U.S. President Bill Clinton and IDB President Luis Alberto Moreno.

During the first day of the conference, which will take place at the Hotel Karibe's convention center, participants will attend panel discussions focused on specific sectors: apparel manufacturing, agribusiness, infrastructure and tourism. Each panel will feature presentations by people either carrying out or planning business projects in Haiti.

Among the Haitian authorities scheduled to speak at the event are Prime Minister Garry Conille, Finance Minister André Lemercier Georges, Foreign Affairs Minister Laurent Lamothe, Public Works Minister Jacques Rousseau, Agriculture Minister Hébert Docteur, Tourism Minister Stephanie Balmir, and Trade Minister Wilson Laleau.

Among the private sector and civil society panelists are Joey Adler, CEO of Diesel Canada and founder of ONEXONE Foundation; Donna Karan, founder of Urban Zen; Frank Rainieri, CEO of Grupo Puntacana of the Dominican Republic; Dennis O’Brien, chairman of Digicel; Juan Esteban Orduz, president of the Colombian Coffee Federation; Bradley Horwitz, CEO of Trilogy International; Duncan Dee, COO of Air Canada; Kathleen Matthews, executive vice president of Marriott International; Kofi Taha, associate director of the MIT D-Lab; José Andrés, founder of Think Food Group and World Central Kitchen; and Sean Penn, founder of the JP Haitian Relief Organization.

On the second day of the event, foreign participants [from Latin American and Caribbean nations, North America, Asia and Europe] will be able to attend matchmaking sessions with Haitian business counterparts.

HL/ HaitiLibre