Showcasing Haiti’s hemispheric rebirth

AmChamAmChamAfter having lobbied for over 10 years, AmCham Haiti will finally host the AACCLA regional summer conference known as the Business Future of the Americas, in Port-au-Prince at the new Marriott Hotel, from June 15 to 17, 2015. The theme of the conference this year is Diaspora Investments in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Participants will learn about the latest information and best practices on channeling investments from the diaspora and sustainable methods for working in emerging markets.

Since its creation in 1980, the American Chamber of Commerce in Haiti (AmCham Haiti) has been an important voice of the Haitian private sector. Besides playing a crucial role in promoting trade between Haiti and the United States, AmCham Haiti and the other AmChams of Latin America under the umbrella of the Association of American Chambers of Commerce in Latin America and the Caribbean (AACCLA), represent more than 20,000 companies and over 80 percent of U.S. investments in the region.

Business Future of the Americas, Port-au-Prince June 15-17
This conference is held every year in a Latin American or Caribbean country. The fact that Haiti was chosen to organize this mid-year event for the very first time is a great honor for Haiti and for the Haitian private sector in particular. Because of the importance of this conference taking place in Haiti, the different institutions and commercial chambers of the Haitian business community are working together to make this event a success. Moreover, we feel that with this conference Haiti has a historic opportunity to capture the interest of the regional business community and can possibly lead to the advancement of the country’s economy.

Top leaders of the Region
The 24 AmChams of Latin America and the Caribbean will be represented at this major hemispheric business event, as well as members of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Consequently, this conference will bring together top AmCham members and business leaders of the region to hear world-class speakers and panellists talk about diaspora investments in Latin America and the Caribbean. The region as a whole will unite to share best practices to better channel investments from the diaspora. Of course, this event will also provide a great opportunity for networking with more than 300 business leaders from the U.S., the Caribbean and Latin America.

Explore Haiti
AmCham Haiti also wants to take the opportunity offered by the organization of this conference to encourage participants to expand their perception of Haiti. Essentially, by exploring the different touristic attractions the country has to offer a few days before the conference starts, in order to see Haiti in a new light. Therefore, the conference activities will begin during the weekend with touristic tours to Cap-Haïtien and on Sunday, June 14th a welcome cocktail at the United States Ambassador’s residence.

… and its many opportunities
Monday, June 15th will be a full day of lectures and panels covering diaspora investments by expert speakers and panellists. This event is open to all the members of AmCham and also the general public, as we will be presenting a cast of world-class speakers. On Tuesday, June 16th meetings between the leaders of the AmChams, AACCLA and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce will be held. In the afternoon, a Business-to-Business Matchmaking (B2B) session is scheduled. AmCham Haiti decided to add a third day to the conference this year, to specifically address the diaspora and businesspersons interested in the Haitian market. Thus, business opportunities and major investments taking place in the country will be highlighted. Moreover, the panels are going to be shaped to put local sourcing initiatives at the forefront for stimulating the Haitian economy. There will also be a Business-to-Business Matchmaking planned during this extra day.

Guy-Olivier Jeanty is the Executive Director of The American Chamber of Commerce in Haiti (AmCham).