Tensions remain high following the assassination of Haitian President, Jovenel Moise, who was shot dead in his home on Wednesday night, sparking fears of a further descent into chaos in the impoverished Caribbean nation, which is the 14th largest supplier of apparel imports into the US market.

“Haiti has long been a trusted trading and supply chain partner of the global apparel and footwear industry. We pray for peace and calm in the region and order as Interim Prime Minister Claude Joseph represents the people of Haiti,” American Apparel and Footwear Association president and CEO, Steve Lamar, said.

The apparel industry is Haiti’s largest formal employer, providing jobs for over 55,000 Haitians, supporting more than 450,000 people. It has already been hard hit by the pandemic, with cancelled orders and factory shutdowns leading to devastating economic outcomes for many workers in the industry.

Now, a political crisis risks further disruptions to the country’s supply chain, and a deepening of the economic impact on Haiti’s garment and footwear industry workers.

Haiti joins the ranks of other emerging low-cost apparel manufacturing hubs, such as Myanmar and Ethiopia, where political crisis and conflict are adding a significant layer of risk to fashion supply chains.