Cross-border trade is resisting the Haitian crisis

On November 12, 2001, an American Airlines plane crash united the United States and the Dominican Republic in mourning. The aircraft smashed into the ground near Belle Harbor in New York, claiming 265 victims. To this day, while the United States maintains an annual tribute at the monument dedicated to the victims located on Rockaway Beach, the Dominican memorial in honor of the Haitian passengers remains neglected and unfinished.

In Jimaní, a border town between Haiti and the Dominican Republic, commercial trade continues despite the political and economic crisis of its neighbor. Every morning at 8 o'clock, a small gate opens to allow access to the thousands of Haitians who have come to do their shopping at the binational market.

Haitian vendors display on the pavement what they have grown in their devastated country: green plants, fruits, and half-ripe vegetables. Some offer chicken eggs or dried fish, thereby attracting swarms of insects.

On the Dominican side, border police carefully monitor the flow of trade, which is primarily fueled by Haiti. The Dominican Republic dominates this market thanks to a GDP per capita five times higher than that of its neighbor.

"The problems don't affect us here," says Anil, a Haitian worker earning about 3 dollars a day loading and unloading crates. Most merchants avoid bringing up the political situation in Haiti.

"The flow of trade sometimes drops because of security checks, but here there is no gunfire or anything of the sort," explains Mily Pérez, a Dominican official. According to Colonel Mejía Guerrero, director of border management, about 700 vehicles pass through this market every week.