July 12, 2025
In a formal ceremony held on June 11, 2025, at the White House, Lionel Delatour presented his credentials to U.S. President Donald J. Trump, officially marking the beginning of his diplomatic mission as Haiti’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the United States.
A former Chargé d’Affaires at the Haitian Embassy in Washington, Delatour returns to the U.S. capital with over three decades of experience in strategic political consulting. His academic background, including studies at Georgetown and Harvard, has equipped him with the tools to navigate the complexities of U.S. institutional and political frameworks.
A longstanding advocate for Haiti’s economic interests, Delatour played a pivotal role in the development and renewal of trade preference programs such as HOPE, HOPE II, and HELP, which provide preferential access for Haitian goods to the U.S. market. He also supported the campaign to extend the Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act (CBTPA), which was renewed in 2020.
The new ambassador is also well known for his work with both national and international private sector actors, particularly as a consultant to the Association of Industries of Haiti. In that capacity, he has contributed valuable expertise in public policy and legislative engagement with the U.S. Congress.
In publishing official images from the ceremony, the Haitian Embassy in Washington described the event as a “symbolic moment” that strengthens bilateral ties. Delatour, for his part, pledged to “reaffirm his commitment to advancing the interests of the Haitian nation” amid a complex diplomatic landscape.
