MIAMI – Miami-Dade Commissioner Jean Monestime, Vice-Chair of the International Trade Consortium Board (ITC) will lead a business development mission to Port-au-Prince, Haiti October 21st-24th, 2012.
The Economic Development and International Trade unit of the Miami-Dade County Department of Regulatory and Economic Resources (RER) is organizing the mission with the support of the Consulate General of the Republic of Haiti in Miami, AmCham Haiti, and the Haitian American Chamber of Commerce of Florida. The objective of the mission is to further strengthen bilateral trade between Haiti and Miami-Dade and to provide business opportunities to local private sector participants joining the mission.
Haiti enjoys a free market economy and is Miami Dade County’s 25th trading partner with total bilateral trade of $1.2 billion (2011), an increase of nearly 13% from the previous year. Haiti is also a beneficiary of the Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act, which is a program of economic development and export diversification, and the Haitian Hemispheric Opportunity through Partnership Encouragement Act (HOPE I), which includes special trade rules that give preferential access to U.S. imports of Haitian apparel.
The mission is designed to assist small business in Miami-Dade develop commercial opportunities in new markets. During the mission, participants will meet with high level government officials, receive in-country briefings, network with Haitian businesses, and participate in targeted pre-arranged business-to-business matchmaking meetings with local companies.
Commissioner Jean Monestime
“Haiti has put out a welcome mat for international commerce and investment, and I am excited about the wonderful commercial opportunities that exist there for our locally based businesses to grow their foreign trade activities and expand their operations”, Commissioner Monestime said.
Only South Florida companies are eligible to participate. For registration information and details please contact: Trade Development Specialist, Adam Peters at (305) 375-5420 or [email protected]
