In a step that underscores Haiti’s growing engagement with regional policy cooperation on labor issues, Haiti’s Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Marc-Elie Nelson departed the country on May 20, 2026, for Bogotá, Colombia, to take part in the upcoming 2026 Conference of Ministers of Labor from Latin America and the Caribbean. The two-day event, scheduled to kick off on May 21, brings together a diverse cross-section of stakeholders to address the pressing, complex challenge of labor migration across the region. Attendees include heads of state, senior labor officials from across the Americas and the Caribbean, multilateral organization representatives, private sector leaders, and leading international experts focused on labor rights and migration policy.
Over the course of the conference, participants will dive into a broad range of interconnected topics central to creating fair, sustainable migration frameworks. Key discussion themes cover the professional integration of migrant workers and robust protection of their fundamental rights, mechanisms for the mutual recognition of professional skills and qualifications across national borders, the development of regulated, secure pathways for professional mobility, and targeted strategies to advance socio-economic inclusion in communities and regions that face high rates of migration inflow. Additional agenda items include exploring opportunities to support migrant entrepreneurship and address challenges tied to the informal economy, fostering social innovation to strengthen community cohesion, and expanding targeted technical cooperation to improve vocational training systems across the region.
On the second day of the gathering, Nelson is set to deliver an official address focused on the specific theme of “Migration and Professional Integration,” sharing Haiti’s perspectives and experiences on this critical policy area. When the conference draws to a close, participating ministers will gather to sign two landmark documents: the Bogotá Declaration and the Multilateral Memorandum of Understanding on Dignified Labor Migration and Rights-Based Mobility in Latin America and the Caribbean. These agreements will formalize a new regional cooperation framework centered on advancing decent work for migrant workers, standardizing qualification recognition, and upholding migrants’ rights, all with the goal of supporting seamless socio-economic integration for people moving across regional borders.
his official participation in the high-profile regional conference makes clear the commitment of Haiti’s Prime Minister Fils-Aimé administration to strengthening inclusive social policies. These policies prioritize both the socio-economic integration of Haitian migrants across the region and the protection of their core fundamental rights, aligning Haiti with broader regional efforts to create more equitable, rights-centered migration systems.