AACCLA General Assembly and Congressional Outreach — October 22–23, 2025

The AACCLA General Assembly and Congressional Outreach meetings reinforced a renewed U.S. policy emphasis on the Western Hemisphere as a strategic partner for trade, investment, and supply-chain diversification. Officials from the U.S. Department of State, the National Security Council (NSC), and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) delivered a consistent message: sustainable regional recovery depends on private-sector leadership.

State Department representatives outlined the Administration’s plan to position U.S. embassies as active instruments of commercial diplomacy, supporting American business engagement across the hemisphere. Both the NSC and USTR reiterated the importance of increasing U.S. company participation in regional tenders and development projects. Re-shoring and near-shoring strategies were highlighted as essential tools to strengthen trusted supply chains throughout the Americas. In this context, the region was described as strategic terrain in the global competition for secure and diversified production networks.

AmCham Haiti was represented at the meeting by our President, Mrs. Andress Appolon, who participated in sessions held on October 22 and 23, 2025. Andress Appolon is listed among the chamber leaders participating in AACCLA events, reflecting our active engagement in regional business dialogues.

From the perspective of AmCham Haiti, the current environment in Washington presents a meaningful opportunity. U.S. policymakers are signaling strong openness to business participation in shaping economic strategy. This creates a critical window for the Haitian private sector to position itself as a credible partner in advancing economic resilience, national security, and regional stability.

AACCLA Governance and Strategic Direction

The General Assembly also marked the election of a new AACCLA Governing Board. The representative of AmCham Dominican Republic assumed the Presidency, succeeding AmCham Peru. AmCham Haiti was elected to one of the AACCLA Vice Presidency positions.

Executive Director César Vence presented the 2025 institutional report and outlined AACCLA’s five strategic priorities:

•       Technology and Artificial Intelligence
•       Rule of Law Platform
•       Energy and COP30 preparation
•       Food Security
•       Health portfolio

These priorities will guide AACCLA’s regional coordination efforts and advocacy agenda in the coming year.