President Hipolito Mejia decorated Dominican Ambassador to Canada with the Merit of Duarte, Sanchez y Mella in the Grade of Grand Silver Cross. This honor was bestowed for the professional efforts of Ambassador Eduardo Fernandez, a former governor of the Central Bank, in promoting and strengthening trade and cooperative ties between Canada and the DR. The Dominican embassy and the Canadian embassy in Santo Domingo, under Ambassador Adam Blackwell, are also credited for having brought Canadian and Dominican relations to an all-time high through their close collaboration.