On October 3rd and 4th, 2025, the Bank of the Republic of Haiti (BRH), in collaboration with the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Ministry for the Status of Women, UN Women, and the World Bank, organized a forum dedicated to the digitalization of payments and gender equality.

This event brought together researchers, Fintechs, entrepreneurs, young professionals, public and private stakeholders, and international partners around a common goal: to explore new avenues likely to have a significant impact on economic and social life in Haiti.

On the first day, several Haitian and international specialists took part in the discussions, including Professor Samuel Pierre, who spoke on the panel "Fintechs and Digital Resilience" and highlighted three essential conditions for the evolution of the digital ecosystem:

1- The establishment of an operational legal framework;

2- The strengthening of local skills;

3- The adaptation of technological solutions to the actual uses of the population.

This discussion continued with the presentation of the BRH's project to digitize payments in the informal sector, which has been collaborating with universities for nearly a year to train young people in digital careers.

Today, 99% of micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) still use cash as their primary means of payment, while 89% operate outside of formal channels. This payments digitization project aims to expand access to digital financial services for these businesses, streamline trade, improve the availability and dissemination of real-time economic information, and foster a more transparent and interconnected transactional environment.

On October 4th, 2025, during the second day of the Forum on the Digitization of Payments and Gender Equity, the commitment to gender equality was also formalized with the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the BRH and UN Women, represented by Ms. Marie Goretti Nduwayo.

This strategic partnership marks an important step towards strengthened cooperation in the production of gender-disaggregated data, support for women's economic and financial empowerment, and the promotion of gender parity by 2030.

Finally, the launch of the Booster PME III program is a continuation of these initiatives. This program aims to support the development and access of MSMEs in several regions of the country, while further integrating women entrepreneurs into formal economic channels.

For the BRH, digital innovation, gender equality, and entrepreneurship can pave the way for a new economic development trajectory that is more modern, more resilient, more inclusive, and aligned with national realities.

SL/ HaitiLibre