Haiti

Haiti's development continues to be hindered by political instability, increasing violence, and unprecedented levels of insecurity, which exacerbate fragility. Haiti remains the poorest country in Latin America and the Caribbean and among the poorest countries in the world. The level of violence and insecurity remains high, since 2019, displacing 1.4 million people as of March 2026. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, in 2025, more than 5,500 people were killed and over 2,600 injured by violence.

Haiti is also one of the most vulnerable countries to natural hazards, mainly hurricanes, floods, and earthquakes. More than 96 percent of the population is exposed to these types of shocks and, as the country’s crises continue, 5.4 million Haitians struggle daily to find enough to eat. Improvements in human capital have also stalled or deteriorated and infant and maternal mortality remain at high levels, especially for the poorest households.

According to the 2020 Human Capital Index, a child born today in Haiti will grow up to be only 45 percent as productive as they could be if he or she had enjoyed full access to quality education and healthcare.

Over one-fifth of children are at risk of cognitive and physical limitations, and only 78 percent of 15-year-olds will survive to age 60.

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Haiti’s long-term economic potential rests on its young population, proximity to major export markets, strong diaspora remittances, and opportunities in agriculture, light manufacturing, and services. Realizing this potential, however, will require addressing significant structural and security challenges.

The economy contracted for a seventh consecutive year in 2025 amid intensifying gang violence. Real GDP fell by 2.7 percent in 2025, with a decline across all economic sectors. Inflation averaged 28.3 percent, up from 25.8 percent in 2024, driven by food and housing costs that weighed disproportionately on poorer households. Government revenue declined to 4.8 percent of GDP. The share of Haitians living on less than US$3.00/day (2021 PPP) is estimated at 49.0 percent in 2025.

Modest GDP growth is projected for 2026, subject to gradual security improvements supported by the Gang Suppression Force and the completion of elections planned for late 2026.

The outlook remains fragile, reflecting risks related to political transition, uncertainty in remittance flows due to evolving regional migration policies, and the expiration of preferential trade access for the garment sector at end‑2026. Elevated oil and commodity prices linked to the Middle East conflict may further intensify inflationary pressures.

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The World Bank’s portfolio in Haiti comprises 17 projects with a total committed amount of $1.27 billion. These projects cover various issues, such as supporting education and health care for vulnerable populations, strengthening infrastructure and government capacities to respond to natural disasters, expanding digital services in government institutions, or expanding electricity access in rural areas of Haiti.

All activities in these projects have two fundamental goals: to safeguard institutional capacities, and to preserve human capital. By ensuring that the state and society retain its capacity, it will increase the country’s resilience to shocks and ultimately make development efforts more sustainable. Our projects to strengthen the government’s response to natural disasters are a great example.

World Bank-funded projects have helped millions of Haitians to access shelter during natural disasters such as hurricanes and floods. Government’s coordination and response has also been strengthened, so that local institutions have more time to act and prepare. As a result, a natural disaster causes much less damage to livelihoods than they would have previously.

The World Bank is adopting project design and implementation considerations to circumvent crisis conditions through: (i) scaling up partnerships with UN and other agencies for service delivery in hard-to-reach areas; (ii) prioritizing projects outside of the capital where implementation is possible; and (iii) introducing digital tools and remote monitoring of implementation.

In addition, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) supports the private sector in Haiti.IFC provides advisory services which support the private sector in ensuring climate-resilient development. IFC’s special focus on inclusion, economic growth, productivity, and sustainability support Haiti's private sector in job preservation, creation, and competitiveness.

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In March 2025, the World Bank Group’s Board of Directors endorsed a new strategic partnership for Haiti. The new plan for the 2025-2029 period focuses on laying a foundation for economic and social recovery. It also intends to mitigate risks of further deterioration of human capital, physical infrastructure, and institutional capacity.

The new strategy will make approximately $320 million in grant financing available with the aim of building resilience among Haiti’s most vulnerable. The strategy includes three general pillars:

·       Strengthen economic governance and creating job opportunities:The World Bank Group will continue to support short- and medium-term actions that can catalyze long-term structural changes by supporting climate-resilient agriculture and providing access to credit and financial resources. Improving roads, energy, water, and digital access are also vital for populations engaged in agricultural value chains.

·       Maintain essential institutional capacity to support basic delivery of services: Under this objective, the World Bank will support institutional modernization at the central level, implementation of key decentralization reforms, and promotion of greater accountability and citizen engagement at all government levels. Addressing socioeconomic grievances regarding inequality and exclusion and restoring private sector confidence will also be included, as well as. It will also assist the government in critical areas of public service delivery.

·       Preserve human capital and strengthen resilience to natural disasters and man-made shocks: The World Bank will support the government in emergency preparedness and response, reducing disaster risk, reconstructing basic infrastructure, and strengthening resilience in the transportation and urban sectors. The objective is to enhance resilience and preparedness in high climate risk areas by improving early warning systems, disease surveillance, all-weather road access, and resilience at airports.

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