An unprecedented trade mission to Haiti later this week will produce significant investments and desperately needed jobs for the country, former President Bill Clinton announced Tuesday at the Americas Conference.

``A number of commitments have already been made,'' Clinton, the U.N. special envoy for Haiti, told several hundred Latin American and Caribbean business and community leaders attending the 13th annual Americas Conference. ``It's not appropriate for me to announce them. The people who are going should do the announcing.''

Clinton used an appearance at the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables to give what he called his ``progress report'' on Haiti since U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon asked him to devote a year to helping a storm-ravaged Haiti rebuild and attract investments.

But he also used his visit to reiterate his support for temporary protected status, which will allow undocumented Haitians to temporarily stay and work in the United States. Clinton also said that his wife, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, shares his opinion.

``Not a week goes by that I don't push for this,'' Bill Clinton said. ``All I can say is that it's not a State Department decision or it would have been done. Hillary strongly supports this.''

Though Clinton's announcement does not bring Haitians closer to winning the protected status, it did offer some comfort to several Haitian community leaders who attended Clinton's afternoon address.

``I applaud it. He's in favor of it. We need to hear that more often but we wish his words would reach Washington,'' said Aude Sicard, one of dozens of Haitians in the audience.

Clinton said the decision on whether to prevent the wholesale deportation of an estimated 30,000 Haitians ultimately was ``a decision for the secretary of Homeland Security.''

Haitians are anxiously anticipating Clinton's Thursday arrival in Haiti, where investors have been trickling in since the weekend. Clinton said at least 125 investors plan to participate and those from Latin America outnumber those from the United States, Canada and Europe combined.

He applauded the interest of Haiti's neighbors in its progress, saying it is the ``one place we agree on with Venezuela and Cuba. We're all helping. Beyond politics.''

The heightening interest in Haiti from its Spanish-speaking hemispheric neighbors is in stark contrast to Clinton's first presidential term, 1992-1996, when the only ``genuinely enthusiastic'' Latin ally for helping Haiti restore democracy was Argentina, he said.

``Now there is a determination that sweeps right through Latin America and the Caribbean to do what can be done to bring Haiti into the family of Latin America, to bring Haiti into our hemisphere's future, not to have it isolated out there as the poorest country,'' Clinton said.

``Haiti presents us all with a remarkable opportunity to make our region more secure, more prosperous.''

As Clinton spoke in South Florida, a group of Brazilian business people were heading to the presidential palace in Port-au-Prince to meet with President René Préval. They spent several days visiting industrial parks throughout the country, and evaluating the business climate. Clinton highlighted the visit as an example of the potential investments Haitians can expect, but offered no details on what they were.

``If one company decides to invest and creates 100 new jobs, I believe it would be worth it,'' said Jean-Maurice Buteau, a mango exporter in Port-au-Prince. ``Haiti needs jobs and new investments.''

Investors attending this week's trade summit include Rolando Bunster, who is working with the Haitian government on clean energy. The plan is to initially install five windmills with eight megawatts of capacity.

The trade mission will focus on agribusiness, alternative energy, textiles and tourism. Clinton, who mentioned Miami-based Royal Caribbean's nearly $55 million investment in Labadee on the northern coast, also plans to visit the project.

Steven J. Puig, vice president for private sector operations for the Inter-Ameican Development Bank, which is co-sponsoring the trade mission, said it comes at an opportune time for Haiti. Not only have international lending institutions increased project financing, but Haiti's private sector has been investing in electricity, tourism and business projects.

``We are saying there are local investors who are willing to put equity, risk capital and we are ready to complement that,'' Puig said.

Miami Herald staff writer Trenton Daniel contributed to this report.

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