On May 14, 2026, Haiti's government, employers, and workers gathered at the ILO Caribbean Office in Port of Spain to sign a landmark agreement—a two-year country programme that represents the first time the International Labour Organization's expanded Caribbean mandate has formally covered Haiti. The signing brought together Minister Marc Elie Nelson, business leader Maulik Radia of the Association of Industries of Haiti, and union leaders Yvel Admettre and Louis Fignole St Cyr in a rare show of tripartite unity at a moment when the nation faces profound instability.
This agreement matters because Haiti's economy, labour systems, and institutions have fractured under years of conflict and crisis. By bringing government, employers, and workers to the same table—and keeping them there through intensive working sessions—the programme creates a foundation for rebuilding. It signals that even amid turbulence, structured dialogue and shared commitment to decent work are possible. As Radia noted, "In a crisis, when we come together as a unity, it is very positive. This brings all sectors of the country together and will allow us to work in a very formal but cooperative way."
The two-year roadmap rests on four concrete pillars. First, it aims to revitalize social dialogue by reactivating national tripartite mechanisms and strengthening fundamental labour rights and principles. Second, it targets improved labour governance—modernizing labour administration, inspection systems, dispute resolution, and the Labour Code itself through tripartite consultation. Third, the programme expands employment and livelihoods by supporting micro, small and medium enterprises, building skills, and deliberately reaching youth, women, displaced persons, and workers in the informal economy. Fourth, it strengthens social protection by reforming key social security institutions and progressively extending coverage to informal workers.
Woven throughout all four priorities are commitments to gender equality, youth inclusion, conflict sensitivity, and climate-conscious employment and enterprise development. This integration reflects hard-won tripartite consensus—each stakeholder group had a voice in defining what Haiti needed most.
The political endorsement was swift. Prime Minister-level approval came before the ink dried, and Minister Nelson committed his technical team to immediate implementation, saying they would "continue the work on drafting the first report… to ensure the diligent completion of the next stages." ILO Director Joni Musabayana framed the moment in terms of ownership: "Haiti's tripartite constituents have shown real leadership in defining what support they need and on what terms. This programme of work is built on that ownership."
For Haiti's workers, the significance cut deeper. Louis Fignole St Cyr, General Secretary of the Autonomous Central of Haitian Workers, called it "extraordinary and it is historic," emphasizing that "social dialogue championed by the ILO has become a backbone for us, a foundation for the labour movement in Haiti and for trade union organizations to function within tripartism." His peer, Yvel Admettre, urged the nation to sustain the momentum: "Without that culture of dialogue, you will not always feel the need to come together to talk. With dialogue, we know we can find solutions even in the most difficult situations."
What emerges is not a quick fix but a deliberate process—two years of technical cooperation aimed at transforming how Haiti's economy works at its foundation. Jobs created will be decent jobs. Institutions will function. Workers will have a voice. It is a modest but essential beginning.