In a recent installment of the United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) series “Wi, Ayiti Kapab” (Yes, Haiti is Capable), financial expert Robert Jr. Paret presented a paradigm-shifting analysis of Haiti’s economic challenges. As CEO of ProFin Group and founder of Haiti’s inaugural licensed investment bank, Paret contends that the nation’s fundamental issue isn’t capital deficiency but rather capital fragmentation.
Paret’s assessment reveals that Haiti receives over $4 billion in diaspora remittances annually alongside substantial domestic savings. However, the country lacks the necessary infrastructure to effectively consolidate, intermediate, and productively deploy these financial resources. “This isn’t a problem of resources,” Paret emphasized. “It’s a problem of market design.”
The financial expert outlined four critical strategies for addressing Haiti’s capital utilization challenges: transforming frequent remittances into patient, long-term capital; designing investment vehicles that connect diaspora wealth with local opportunities; reducing entrepreneurial risks through structured capital allocation; and building institutional trust within frontier markets.
ProFin Group serves as a practical case study in bridging the gap between capital sources and users within complex operational environments. Rather than offering theoretical solutions, Paret provides concrete methodologies for constructing financial markets from foundational levels.
The UNDP’s “Wi, Ayiti Kapab” series continues to showcase innovative approaches to Haiti’s development challenges, with this episode focusing specifically on financial system restructuring as a pathway to sustainable economic growth.