President Luis Abinader says that the government of France is willing to finance the larger part of the cost of the next phases of the Greater Santo Domingo mass transit plan. The city of Santo Domingo is practically collapsed under major traffic bottlenecks.
The ambitious Metro Train project for Santo Domingo aims to alleviate congestion and mobility issues in the capital city and its surrounding provinces. The project, already in the planning stages by the Trust for the Development of Mass Transportation in the Dominican Republic (Fitram) requires substantial funding. The French government has agreed to finance up to 85% of the Santo Domingo Metro Train and the Comprehensive Transport Plan initiated by Dominican authorities.
Project phases and benefits
As outlined on Fitram’s website, the project is divided into two phases. The first phase will connect the Las Americas International Airport to the Juan Pablo Duarte Olympic Center, while the second phase will extend along 27 de Febrero Avenue, reaching the Isabel Aguiar (Pintura) and the 27 de Febrero extension in Santo Domingo Oeste.
With a proposed budget of US$2 billion, the system ambitiously aims to connect Santo Domingo Este with the National District via the Juan Bosch – Duarte Bridge, providing comprehensive access to urban and suburban areas within the project’s influence.
The announcement was made by the Dominican Presidency after President Abinader held a bilateral meeting with Prsident Emmanuel Macron of France during the 3rd United Nations Oceans Conference that took place in Nice, France from 8 to 10 June 2025.
During the half an hour meeting the other key topic discussed was Haiti. President Abinader urged France to engage more actively with the international community in seeking stability for the neighboring Caribbean nation. Both Presidents voiced their support for the efforts of Kenyan forces and the ongoing international mission in Haiti. President Macron affirmed France’s readiness to cooperate with the Dominican Republic on matters of security and defense.
Beyond regional security, President Macron also offered France’s assistance in tackling the widespread issue of sargassum, a seaweed that significantly impacts both the Dominican Republic and French territories in the Caribbean.
In a gesture of growing camaraderie, President Abinader extended an invitation to President Macron to visit the Dominican Republic early next year for the inauguration of the Santiago monorail. President Macron reportedly accepted the invitation.
The Presidency reported that President Macron characterized the relationship between the two nations as “excellent,” a sentiment echoed by President Abinader. Both leaders expressed a desire to continue strengthening these ties, particularly through French collaboration on infrastructure projects within the Dominican Republic.
The meeting took place at the Palais des Rois Sardes, on the sidelines of the Third United Nations Ocean Conference. President Abinader was accompanied by a delegation that included Environment Minister Paino Henríquez, executive vice president of the Council for Climate Change and Clean Development Mechanism Max Puig, Dominican ambassador to France David Puig, and presidential assistant Noelia Shephard.
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Diario Libre editorial
11 June 2025