Women's Entrepreneurship: Towards the Realization of a Strategic Regional Fair in the Grand Sud

Port-au-Prince, February 21, 2026.- The Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MCI) has taken a new step in its policy to promote women's entrepreneurship by organizing, this Thursday, February 19, 2026, at Hotel Montana, a working session dedicated to the preparations for the regional women's entrepreneurship fair scheduled for March 7 and 8 in the Grand Sud region. An initiative marked by a forward-looking vision This meeting, orchestrated by the Program to Support Women's Entrepreneurship (PAEF), is part of Minister James Monazard's stated desire to promote women's economic empowerment and strengthen their contribution to national development. In his opening speech, the Minister of Commerce and Industry clearly positioned this initiative within a long-term perspective. “We are preparing the future of Haiti. Women are the pillars of the Haitian economy,” he declared, recalling, incidentally, that the first cohort of the PAEF program already has forty beneficiaries. For James Monazard, this event already illustrates the concrete commitment of the State in favor of women's entrepreneurship. He also emphasized the need to strengthen synergy between national and international partners to enhance the existing economic potential in the country. Strengthened institutional support Speaking at the end of this session, the Director General of the MCI, Mr. Panel Paulemont, emphasized that this activity is fully in line with the Ministry's policy aimed at promoting women's participation in the commercial and entrepreneurial sector. According to him, the regional women's entrepreneurship fair constitutes a decisive step in building an environment favorable to the development of women's businesses, particularly in the Grand Sud region, known for its resources and strong economic potential. The ministry's second-in-command specified that this event will offer women entrepreneurs a concrete opportunity to present their products, develop their professional networks, and access new economic opportunities. He also insisted on the need to strengthen institutional support through business formalization, capacity building, entrepreneurship training, and the gradual integration of women from the informal sector into the formal economy. The central role of women reaffirmed For her part, the Coordinator of the PAEF program, Ms. Mona Lisa Dunbar, strongly reiterated the fundamental role of women in the national economy. “Fanm se poto mitan nan peyi a,” she affirmed, a phrase that resonates as both an observation and a commitment. She specified that the program aims to promote entrepreneurial education, structure informal commercial activities, and establish a sustainable support system nationwide. As such, the PAEF plans to strengthen the capacities of over five hundred women through training, technical support, and funding opportunities, with the support of partners such as the FDI. Promising prospects for the Grand Sud Scheduled for March 7 and 8 in the Grand Sud, this regional fair is positioned as a strategic initiative aimed at strengthening women's active participation in regional economic development. The event will include exhibition booths, discussion panels, commercial promotion spaces, and networking activities. Beyond the event itself, the Ministry of Commerce intends to pursue a comprehensive policy of formalizing and structuring the women's entrepreneurial fabric, finally recognizing these “pillars of the Haitian economy” who have too long remained in the shadows. Jean Wesley Pierre/ Le Relief