2020News

Abinader calls for building an export culture in the Dominican Republic

President Luis Abinader presented on 4 November 2020 from the auditorium of ProDominicana the National Export Promotion Plan 2020-2030 (PNFE). The plan is a joint effort of the ministries of Industry & Commerce, Economy, Foreign Relations, Agriculture, the government agencies Pro Industria, National Export Free Zones (CNZFE) and the National Competitiveness Council.

ProDominicana is the agency in charge of developing the plan. It has aligned several private associations – National Business Council (Conep), Dominican Association of Exporters (Adoexpo), Dominican Agribusiness Board (JAD), Foreign Investment Association (Asiex), Dominican Association of Free Zones (Adozona), Dominican Confederation of Small Business (Codopyme) and the Santo Domingo and Santiago chambers of commerce.

President Abinader says his administration wants to make exports the axis of the recovery from the Covid-19 economic crisis. He highlighted it is the first time the country commits to a ten-year export development plan. The plan seeks to back companies so there is an increase in the diversity of exports and the number of companies that export. He said the objective is to create 600,000 formal jobs and increase exports of goods and services to US$20 billion in the next four years.

The plan seeks an increase in food exports and places special emphasis on micro and small exporters.

“Exporting is the main axis for the recovery of our economy in the short term and economic development in the medium and long term. Increasing our exports will allow us to establish a new model of economic growth,” said the President.

The director of the Center for Export and Investment, ProDominicana, Bibiana Riveiro, presented the pillars of the plan, that are diversifying exports, adding new exporters and new goods and services in the foreign supply, and improving logistics and connectivity.

Riveiro said the government is working on bolstering a business climate that is favorable to investment, facilitating access to resources and export financing.

Read more in Spanish:
ProDominicana Plan
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4 November 2020