The lack of control on the Haitian side of the border with the Dominican Republic threatens the stability of Haiti and contributes to the decline in production, warned the Association of Haitian Industries (ADIH).

A study by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) on the border between Haiti and the Dominican Republic published in March 2019, found that Haitian imports have skyrocketed in recent years, while exports to the Dominican Republic have barely increased.

A situation which led the ADIH to defend border control to fight against smuggling and "unfair competition from Dominican companies towards Haitian companies."

Another study funded by former Minister of Economy and Finance, Daniel Dorsainvil, indicates that annual revenue losses for Haiti due to illegal activities at the border vary between 184 and 440 million U.S. dollars.

Haitian businessmen say border control is essential to resolving Haiti's crisis and reactivating national production. However, they believe that any effort is doomed to failure without effective control measures.

CSIS recommends that effective border regulations be implemented in the interest of both countries. It also suggests combating corruption and border smuggling through customs reforms and public anti-corruption campaigns and proposes establishing mechanisms to report corrupt practices in the public and private sectors and working with customs agencies to establish an approved trading system.

SL/ HaitiLibre