Logistical, Infrastructural and Institutional Needs of UNCTAD’s Proposal for the Reconstruction of Haiti via Foreign Direct Investment, Haiti and Dominican Republic
| Project: | Logistical, Infrastructural and Institutional Needs of UNCTAD’s Proposal for the Reconstruction of Haiti via Foreign Direct Investment, Haiti and Dominican Republic |
| Completion Date: | 2010 |
| Client: | UNCTAD |
| Services Provided: | Situation analysis; Site investigations; Market research; Development of proposals. |
| Project Size: | 6 sites identified, 2 sites subject to detailed analysis |
Project Description
The fundamentals for attracting investment to Haiti are good in the sense that there are no intractable problems and it is a good location (i.e. within 2 days sailing time of the United States). The UNCTAD proposal includes the development of a series of border zone industrial parks designed to capitalise on the respective and mutually reinforcing investment and geographical comparative advantages that the two countries (Dominican Republic and Haiti) can offer. The task was to identify the key elements of the institutional and regulatory issues required to bring the project into operation and provide realistic recommendations regarding the best way forward.
The consultant made a one week visit to Haiti and the Dominican Republic in March 2010. The border region is a remote underdeveloped area lacking international transport connections and support infrastructure and will need very considerable upfront investment in both off site and on site infrastructure to make it attractive to the investment community. This investment will have to come from Government and international donor sources.
The Free Zone Authority will have to have the power, organisation and technical capacity to identify both the type of investment needed and the ability and resources to undertake this investment. The first step in realising this programme is the creation of an appropriate, legal and institutional regime. This means a new autonomous free zone Authority which has an independent juridical status and operates like a modern, promotion oriented development agency. Parallel with the legal/ institutional studies would be a series of marketing and site specific feasibility studies.