President Luis Abinader and cabinet members met the president of the World Bank, David Malpass at the Presidential Palace on 13 March 2023. Abinader said the visit is evidence of the confidence that international organizations have in the Dominican government and its management of the economy.
This is the first time that a World Bank president visits the Dominican Republic.
The Presidency reported that the World Bank has committed to redouble its efforts and expand its portfolio of support to the country in areas of vital importance such as water, health, waste management, land management and modernization of public administration.
Present at the meeting at the Presidential Palace were: Vice President Raquel Peña, Economy Minister Pavel Isa Contreras, Hacienda Minister José Vicente, Presidency Minister Joel Santos, Presidency Administrative Minister José Ignacio Paliza, Foreign Relations Minister Roberto Álvarez, Environment Minister Miguel Ceara Hatton, Industry & Commerce Minister Víctor “Ito” Bisonó.
Also, for the World Bank, the vice president for Latin America and the Caribbean, Carlos Felipe Jaramillo; the director for Central America and the Dominican Republic, Michel Kerf; the country manager, Ronke Ogunsulire; the executive director for the Dominican Republic, Erivaldo Gomes; the resident representative of the World Bank in the country, Alexandra Valerio, and the resident representative of the International Finance Corporation, Carolina Cárdenas.
In 2022, the Dominican Republic’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) reached annual growth of 4.9%, higher than the Latin American average.
The Presidency stressed in its press release on the visit that the country overcame the challenges following Covid-19 and its economy is preparing to be more resilient to climate change with greater equity and in the face of international shocks.
World Bank President Malpass, on his official tour, also visited Panama.
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Presidency
14 March 2023