Foreign Relations Minister Roberto Alvarez explained that strengthening relations with the United States, China, Haiti and the Caribbean English-speaking islands (Caricom) is tops on the agenda of the Ministry, as reported in Hoy.
During the Corripio Media Group luncheon, Alvarez spoke of the renovation of the foreign service corps to better position the country. Alvarez stresses that the three main objectives of the Dominican Republic’s foreign policy are protecting Dominicans abroad, increasing exports and attracting foreign capital, and promoting of democratic values and human rights.
“We are concentrating on embassies, missions before international organizations, consulates, and the Institute for Dominicans Abroad (INDEX),” he told participants in the Corripio meeting.
He stressed the United States is the country’s key strategic partner given the geographical location of the country, the volume of trade, tourism, remittances and the large number of Dominicans that live there. He says more US investment can be attracted as companies relocate manufacturing operations from Asia.
On the other hand, he said diplomatic relations with China are important because of the fundamental role the country is playing in the 21st Century. In the context of the political conflicts between the United States and China, and the role to be assumed by the Dominican Republic, he said that “in the face of this conflict we have to define the best way to take advantage of this bilateral relationship,” as reported in Hoy. “We have no role in the US-China conflict, except to promote Dominican interests,” he stressed.
Alvarez is moving to improve relations with the Caribbean English-speaking neighbor nations. Regarding Caricom, he says that they are of utmost importance for the DR’s trade balance. He said in 2018, the DR sold more to Caricom countries than to Central American countries.
While Caricom countries only have seven million inhabitants, the DR sold 62% more to them than to the 45 million inhabitants in Central America. He explained that of the top 10 countries with which the DR has favorable trade exchange, five are Caribbean islands.
Alvarez favors strengthening the relations with this bloc of countries and taking this beyond the economic aspects. “We are going to establish deep links with the Caricom,” he says.
The DR integrated with the Central American bloc (SICA) after Caricom chose not to admit the DR to the regional alliance. The first Dominican free trade agreement in effect since 2002 was signed with Caricom.
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Hoy
25 February 2021