The Ministry of Foreign Relations has been working overtime to obtain a renewal of the HOPE/HELP laws that had granted special, dutyfree, status of products originating in the unique factory of Codevi in Ouanaminthe, Haiti.
The factory is a partnership of Dominican and Haitian enterprises that is now the largest employer of with around 20,000 jobs for Haitians in the northern part of that nation. It is part of a “twin system” of manufacturing facilities, and it has been successful.
However, the legislation known as the Haitian Hemispheric Opportunity through Partnership Encouragement (HOPE) and the Haitian Economic Lift Program (HELP) expired on 30 September 2025. The Wall Street Journal noted that “the US has disconnected the last large industry in Haiti.”
Nonetheless, Fernando Capellan, the president of Codevi, noted that since there had been no opposition from either side of the Congress of the United States, and that President Donald Trump was also in favor of a renewal, he expected the return of the conditions provided by the HOPE/HELP legislation within the next 90 days.
He noted that Foreign Minister Roberto Alvarez and Commerce Minister Victor (Ito) Bisono were in Washington, DC working on the renewal of the legislation. Alvarez told reporters that his office has been working on the renewal of the provisions of the HELP and HOPE legislation.
Imports of certain Haitian-manufactured textile and apparel goods are eligible for duty-free treatment under the Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act (CBTPA) that expires in 2030. Additional benefits under CBTPA have been created through the Haitian Hemispheric Opportunity through Partnership Encouragement Act of 2006 (HOPE), the Food Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 (HOPE II) and the Haiti Economic Lift Program of 2010 (HELP). The preferences under HOPE/HOPE II/HELP expired on 30 September 2025.
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Listin Diario
Listin Diario
DR1 News
6 October 2025