The Center for the Development of Enterprise (CDE) opened in Santo Domingo yesterday. The institution is financed by the European Development Fund (EDF) under the Lome Convention office. It provides assistance to business in emerging nations and is based in Brussels, Belgium. Its Santo Domingo office is its first regional office. It chose Santo Domingo because in four years operating as the Center for the Development of Industry, Dominican firms have put to work 40% of its portfolio of funds for the Caribbean. Manuel Caceres Troncoso, in charge of the European Development Fund in the DR, commended the organization for its support to businesses in providing assistance for quality control of agro-industrial products, manufacture of lime, pottery, exploitation of marble deposits, commercialization of ornamental plants and cigars. The organization will be expanding its scope to agriculture and tourism sectors in 2001. During the opening of the offices, it was announced they would be working closely with the Agroindustrial Junta (JAD) and the Hotel Association (Asonahores). Under the new Cotonou Partnership Agreement, signed on the 23 June 2000, the Center has plans to expand its support facilities adding new service sectors including tourism, telecommunications and transport. With this expanded portfolio the name will change to the Centre for the Development of Enterprise (CDE) For more information, see http://www.cdi.be/opening/1024/index.htm (22 February 2001)
