President Luis Abinader announced the Dominican Republic will host in December 2025 the 10th Summit of the Americas, the leading regional conclave. The President made the announcement when speaking during his presentation of advances of foreign policy during the 23 September 2024 weekly press conference, this time held in New York where Abinader has been since Sunday to attend the UN General Assembly and related activities.
Hosting the 10th Summit of the Americas would bring the President of the United States on an official visit to the Dominican Republic. This would be the first time a President of the United States visits in the 21st Century. The only other US President to make an official visit was John F. Kennedy on 16 December 1962 as part of a trip to the Caribbean, which included discussions on regional security and cooperation.
The celebration of the summit here would be a major step in the proactive global leadership exercised by President Luis Abinader and Foreign Minister Roberto Alvarez. The new positioning by the Abinader administration is a 180 degree change in foreign policy.
For decades, the DR had minded its own business and kept a neutral and low international profile. Diplomacy here meant occasionally reacting to foreign government and international non-governmental organizations demands for the DR to do more for its neighbor Haiti, a country without social services for its population and today governed by criminal gangs.
But as the world continues to leave the Dominican Republic to pick up the cost of social services and security with little advances in the multidimensional crisis in Haiti to the Dominican Republic, the Abinader administration has stepped forward seeking to raise its profile and better position itself in global forums.
The new positioning has been happening gradually. President Luis Abinader pointed out during his press briefing on 23 September 2024 in New York City, the reality that the Dominican Republic has moved from reacting to being a leader in foreign relations.
This is parallel with an intensifying of trade relations with the opening of 52 trade offices in Dominican offices abroad to boost exports and investments. Recently the DR opened embassies in Guyana, Saudi Arabia and Vietnam. Under Roberto Alvarez, embassies are being asked to revert from places to send political appointees, to being active in bilateral relations, developing investment and trade.
In his presentation on foreign policy, President Luis Abinader announced the accomplishments of the signing of several memorandums of understanding as of late with South Korea, Mexico, Ecuador and Mercosur to promote trade and investments.
Our foreign policy leadership has passed from reacting to being active in foreign policy. “We have moved from reacting to an active position,” stressed the President.
President Luis Abinader highlighted several other steps that substantiate the new role of influencer for the Dominican foreign policy.
For the first time, the DR has a seat in the Human Rights Council of the United Nations (2024-2026), to reinforce the country’s global commitment with human rights.
The fostering of the Alliance for Development in Democracy (ADD) with the governments of Costa Rica and Panama, and subsequently Ecuador to promote democracy in the region.
The hosting of the 28th Iberoamerican & International Cooperation Summit in March 2023 with a focus on food security and the environment crisis.
Abinader explained the US acknowledged the country’s initiative taken by the National Drug Control Agency to create a special unit to combat these. Just recently, US President Joe Biden invited the Dominican Republic to lead with Belgium a new US government global initiative against synthetic drugs.
The United States announced it is partnering with the Dominican Republic to co-chair the Economic and Health Dialogue of the Americas (EHA). Minister of Industry & Commerce Victor Bisono will represent the Dominican Republic. Launched by US Secretary Antony Blinken at the 9th Summit of the Americas in June 2022, the EHA actively coordinates efforts for health system resilience and identifies and leverages best practices in the public sector, with a focus on the intersections of health and the economy. The Dominican Republic is a leading exporter of medical devices in the region and has one of the highest local production capacities, making it a key player in both the global health supply chain and efforts for regional self-sufficiency.
The Dominican Republic, for years neutral and reticent to taking sides, has taken a firm position in demand for respecting the real tally of the presidential election in Venezuela in July 2024. President Luis Abinader said the Dominican Republic, through the government’s participation in the Alliance for Development in Democracy (ADD), has defended the Venezuelan people’s right to fair and just elections and has demanded the making available of the real tallies of the election.
The DR has taken a proactive role in diplomacy to counter the negative impact of the blame-diplomacy enacted by the very active Haitian diplomacy and expat community abroad, with the support of non-governmental organizations.
Read more:
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La Semanal 23 September 2024
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25 September 2024