The Dominican Republic has been formally invited by the Organization of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) to participate in the 11th Summit of Heads of State and Government, scheduled to take place in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, from 27 to 29 March 2026.
The Dominican Republic has a long history of participating in the summits of the Organization of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS), formerly known as the ACP Group. As a member of the organization since 1992, the Dominican Republic has consistently sent high-level delegations to these meetings to coordinate development policies and trade agreements, particularly in relation to the European Union.
The DR attended the 10th OACPS Summit held in Luanda, Angola, 2022 that focused on the transition from the Cotonou Agreement to the Samoa Agreement. The delegation highlighted the importance of climate resilience and sustainable development for island nations.
As a member of the Caribbean Forum (Cariforum) since 1992, the Dominican Republic is expected to join 15 other Caribbean nations at the summit.
The upcoming 2026 summit in Equatorial Guinea expects to be a platform to transition from a model of development aid to one of sovereign investment.
The high-level gathering comes at a pivotal moment as the OACPS celebrates its 50th anniversary (1975–2025). Under the theme, “A transformed and renewed OACPS at the service of an inclusive, sustainable and trust-based multilateralism,” the summit aims to redefine the bloc’s role on the global stage.
The invitation arrives as the organization, which represents approximately 1.2 billion people across 79 member states, signals a strategic shift away from traditional “North-South” aid dependencies. According to OACPS Secretary-General Moussa Saleh Batraki, the goal is to transform structural vulnerabilities into collective geopolitical influence.
A focus on “Sovereign Multilateralism”
A central pillar of the upcoming summit is the transition toward a model of “sovereign multilateralism.” This approach prioritizes sustainable private investment over traditional development aid, focusing on critical sectors such as green energy, digital transformation, infrastructure, and education.
The agenda in Malabo will prioritize urgent global challenges, including climate change adaptation, a critical issue for Caribbean island nations, the widening digital divide, and growing socio-economic inequalities.
The summit also serves as an opportunity to relaunch the OACPS’s “privileged relationship” with the European Union following the Samoa Agreement, while simultaneously seeking to diversify global partnerships and bolster South-South cooperation to build resilience against global economic pressures.
By participating in this transcontinental forum, the Dominican Republic continues to strengthen its diplomatic ties with African and Pacific partners, positioning itself as an active player in the pursuit of a more balanced and inclusive international order.
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El Nacional
26 February 2026