Les Cayes pushed as new commercial hub during Haiti trade mission in Miami 

MIAMI—During a two-day trade mission with Miami-Dade officials, Haitian government and business leaders showcased Les Cayes—the capital of the South Department—as a strategic economic hub to boost trade between the U.S. county and southern Haiti. For members of the visiting delegation and diaspora supporters, Les Cayes represents an opportunity to reposition southern Haiti as a center for trade, tourism and development, especially as Port-au-Prince continues to spiral deeper into crisis.

“We are continuing to develop contacts to attract significant investments into the Great South,” said Anselme Joseph, coordinator of the Commission for the Promotion of Investments in the Great South region—following the meetings.

“It falls on us to change the narrative about Haiti to attract investment opportunities,” Joseph told The Haitian Times. “Before meeting the Miami-Dade infrastructure and business leaders, most of them were convinced that the whole country [Haiti] was shut down by gang activity.” 

While there are business opportunities in the country, Haiti’s investment and trade climate remains difficult. In recent years particularly, businesses in Haiti have continued to face major disruptions due to energy supply interruptions, political instability and persistent gang-led road blockages. Obstacles to investment include poor infrastructure, weak protections for investors, inconsistent contract enforcement, high energy costs and corruption.

Led by Jocelin Villier, director general of Haiti’s National Port Authority (APN), and Ebert François, president of the Collective of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of the Great South (CCCIGS), the Haitian delegation aimed to:

• Strengthen commercial connections between businesses in Haiti’s Great South—including the South, Southeast, Grand’Anse and Nippes departments—and Miami‑based logistics, tourism and infrastructure sectors.

• Explore bilateral investments in port and airport modernization, energy and tourism.

• Tap Miami’s expertise in managing large-scale trade hubs to inform development strategies for southern Haiti, particularly Les Cayes.

The International Trade Consortium, part of the Miami-Dade County government, hosted the delegation with support from PortMiami and the Beacon Council. According to Miami officials, such missions offer small and mid-size businesses an opportunity to explore new export markets and diversify the U.S.–Haiti trade relationship, especially between less developed areas like South Miami-Dade and Haiti’s southern region.

Les Cayes promoted as new commercial hub 

Les Cayes featured heavily during the talks as a potential solution to stalled trade. The delegation aims to attract long-term investment and shift the country’s development model away from overdependence on its volatile capital.

“We are not trying to replace Port-au-Prince,” Joseph said. “We are trying to create an alternative economic corridor that is more secure, more decentralized, and more connected to sustainable development goals.

“We must seize this moment—if U.S. airlines and investors see real opportunity, they’ll step in,” he added. “We must prepare the ground in Les Cayes now.”

Haitian officials completed the long-delayed step by expanding the airport runway from 1,350 to 1,850 meters and making it possible to accommodate aircraft with 50 to 80 passengers.

Located along Haiti’s southern coastline, roughly 125 miles from Port-au-Prince, Les Cayes serves as the commercial center of the region, which has long been an agricultural stronghold, producing rice, corn, beans, coffee, cocoa, sugarcane, vetiver and other export crops.

It also boasts key assets that support its ambitions. Antoine-Simon Airport—Haiti’s third-largest aviation facility, after Port-au-Prince and Cap-Haïtien airports—recently underwent upgrades to prepare for international flights. Government authorities inaugurated the completion of runway and terminal upgrades, officially elevating the airport to meet global standards—although more work needs to be done. 

Seen as gateways for the long-isolated regions of southern Haiti, both the international airport and port are expected to facilitate the movement of people, the import and export of goods, create jobs and reduce dependency on Port-au-Prince, mainly through road and limited maritime transportation. Proponents say the port of Les Cayes, while in need of modernization, offers a direct maritime gateway to regional markets, particularly to Florida and the broader Caribbean Basin.

Authorities also reopened the Saint-Louis du Sud Port about 30 miles away in January, following a $6.5 million upgrade. 

Promising economic revival and decentralization, the Saint-Louis-du-Sud International Port offers a critical alternative to gang-controlled routes, but questions about infrastructure, security, and management remain.

Opportunities touted include logistics, as the region is home to emerging investments in renewable energy, poultry farming and small-scale manufacturing. Cooperatives, tech-enabled agri-business ventures and a growing interest from diaspora investors all contribute to a vision of Les Cayes as a growth engine for Haiti’s southern region. 

From Les Cayes city center, businesses can connect to the main cities of the south’s other departments like Jérémie, Jacmel and Miragoâne.

The region’s natural beauty—including coastal plains, picturesque beaches,  access to Île-à-Vache and proximity to cultural landmarks—also makes Les Cayes a potential tourism destination. However, stakeholders emphasize that infrastructure development, improved transport corridors and better governance will be critical to turning that potential into tangible gains for local communities.

Joseph said the region needs to utilize its new port and airport infrastructures to develop exchanges with Miami-Dade, home to hundreds of thousands of Haitian Americans and a gateway to the Caribbean.

“Right now, there is no commercial exchange between Miami-Dade and southern Haiti,” he said. “That is except for occasional cargo shipments to the Miragoâne port, [about 60 miles southwest of Port-au-Prince].” 

“Those ships leaving PortMiami, usually filled with U.S. imports, come back from Haiti empty,” he added.

The Haitian delegation is expected to host follow-up visits in Port-au-Prince and Les Cayes in September.