Residents of Haiti’s Northwest demand completion of airport 20 years in the making

PORT-DE-PAIX — Residents in Haiti’s Northwest are growing increasingly frustrated as construction of the Port-à-l’Écu International Airport remains at a standstill, nearly two months after authorities announced plans to relaunch the long-promised, 20-year-old project.

The plan to build an airport with international standards in the coastal village less than 20 miles west of Port-de-Paix, the capital city of the Northwest Department— promoted as a transformative infrastructure project for the historically isolated region— has yet to progress beyond announcements, initial studies and limited groundbreaking work dating back to 2024. No visible construction activity, timeline or finalized budget has been disclosed, fueling skepticism among residents and local leaders alike.

“Promises without progress make us, the residents of the Northwest Department, especially in Port-de-Paix, deeply frustrated,” Dieunel Ilfard recently told The Haitian Times. “We cannot just accept mere words from authorities. We need concrete action.”

Led by Haiti’s National Airport Authority (AAN) and the Ministry of Public Works, Transport and Communication (MTPTC), in collaboration with the Northwest Chamber of Commerce and civil society groups, the project was expected to boost tourism, facilitate travel for the Northwest Department and unlock economic opportunities. Instead, it has joined a growing list of stalled or delayed infrastructure initiatives across Haiti.

“We must open up the country, we cannot leave other regions closed off like Port-au-Prince,” said AAN Director General Yves Ducarmel François during a Jan. 27 press conference announcing the project relaunch.

Despite a two-year feasibility study identifying Port-à-L’Écu—between Port-de-Paix and Jean-Rabel—as the only viable site, authorities have yet to present key details, including financing, construction phases or a start date.

From the outset, officials said funding would rely on contributions from the Haitian diaspora, the government and international partners such as the Inter-American Development Bank (IBD). None of those commitments has materialized yet— at least publicly.

For many residents, the lack of transparency mirrors past experiences with abandoned or incomplete infrastructure projects in the region.

“To believe it, I need to see the construction resume with a detailed plan, the budget, and the timeline,” said Ilfrard. 

Currently, the region’s main airport is a small airstrip in Port-de-Paix, about 1,500 meters long. It is situated among the densely packed homes and commercial buildings in the city. A dirt strip that becomes flooded and muddy during rain, it also functions as a public passageway where motorcycles, cars, livestock, vendors and pedestrians frequently cross. It was ordered to be officially closed in 2021 due to safety concerns.

Stalled infrastructure an enduring pattern 

The airport project’s stagnation reflects broader infrastructure challenges in Haiti’s Northwest, where development efforts have repeatedly failed to move beyond announcements.

Residents point to other delayed initiatives, including a long-discussed $15 million road project intended to connect Port-de-Paix and Saint-Louis-du-Nord to Anse-à-Foleur. That project, seen as critical to improving mobility and economic activity, has also faced slow progress and uncertainty.

Together, these stalled efforts reinforce a sense of neglect in a region long cut off from major national investments.

If completed, the Port-à-l’Écu International Airport would be the largest infrastructure project ever undertaken in the Northwest. Officials say it could position the region as a new hub for tourism and trade, with potential links to coastal destinations such as Môle-Saint-Nicolas, Jean-Rabel, Île de la Tortue, Bombardopolis and Baie-de-Henne— apart from Port-de-Paix, Saint-Louis-du-Nord and Anse-à-Foleur, which have a large diaspora community in South Florida— just about 600 miles away by flight.

Local stakeholders also see the project as a catalyst for broader development, including road construction, job creation and increased diaspora engagement.

“This is the right time for road infrastructure to be developed to connect communes and neighboring towns,” said Hernest Paul, a resident of nearby Jean-Rabel.

Tourism operators say the region’s potential remains largely untapped due to poor infrastructure.

“The Northwest has beautiful beaches that could attract thousands of visitors,” said Wadny Parisse, 42, a hospitality worker. “But because of infrastructure problems, those opportunities are lost.”

Calls for government accountability grow louder

Residents are now urging newly appointed Public Works Minister Joseph Almathe Pierre Louis to prioritize the airport project and deliver tangible results. Some argue that his focus on infrastructure outside gang-controlled areas like Port-au-Prince could yield faster and more visible progress.

“It would be better for the government to invest in sustainable projects like this airport rather than launching multiple unclear initiatives,” said Woudsen Déliard, 37.

Evenet Décius, 34, another resident of Port-de-Paix, agreed with Déliard.

“If he really cares about infrastructure in the country, Minister Pierre Louis should focus on building the international airport in the Northwest instead of only concentrating on projects in a turbulent and gang-controlled Port-au-Prince.” 

The minister has not publicly addressed the project and nor responded to requests for comment.

The post Residents of Haiti’s Northwest demand completion of airport 20 years in the making appeared first on The Haitian Times.